“Queering Collage” provides an opportunity to not only make art, but learn, and unlearn, creating connections as you go.
Hosted by the Agnes Etherington Art Centre in collaboration with Queer Collage Collectives (QCC), “Queering Collage” is a series of free, monthly drop-in workshops. The workshops, running once a month from October 2024 to April 2025, are led by QCC founder Alyssa Vernon, ConEd ’22, and are centred around discussion and topical issues.
With a focus on anti-oppression and the queer experience, these workshops offer an opportunity to create, share, and listen, and are held at the Agnes’ temporary home at Rideau Building, 207 Stuart St. All materials are provided, and the program is made possible by the Community Foundation for Kingston & Area Anonymous Fund.
QCC began in 2018 as an inspired idea amongst friends to have a creative outlet, and productive conversation. “At the time, there was a gap between having arts programming, and talking about, or learning about, social justice issues. Being a teacher, or a teacher candidate at the time, I was really ionate about bringing that into the classroom and just talking about that in the first place, especially as a marginalized person,” Vernon said in an interview with The Journal.
Guided by principles of anti-oppression of all kinds, QCC aims to interweave creativity and education together with social justice, while building community.
Though QCC got its start as a Queen’s club, it’s now independent, and no longer d with the University. The organization is a community art collective, and much of their programming, especially events on campus, is typically free of charge.
Vernon, co-founder and lead programmer of QCC, brings elements of her own experience as an artist into the programs she leads. “The collage work I do, it centers myself a lot, and my identity. So I do a lot of collaging about belonging, unbelonging, Black womanhood, Black girlhood specifically, and being queer. […] It really does inform like how I go into events, or how I bring collaging into classrooms as well,” Vernon said.
This workshop series offers a space for the queer community to come together, along with other marginalized groups. Though it’s open to everyone, no matter their identity, Vernon spoke about how the series is a designated space for queer folks and has a focus on learning about anti-oppression.
“The idea of ‘Queering Collage’ is like coming together and kind of understanding that the art that we’re creating is actually doing something. It’s helping us dissect, unpack, reflect on our own identities—whatever we’re thinking about, if it ties into the theme of the event. So, there’s action that’s coming from creating the art together in a communal space,” Vernon said.
The collaboration and from the Agnes are important to Vernon, and the series provides the wider community with the opportunity to connect not only with art and discussion, but also with one another.
“I think it’s important to have this program right now, and once a month especially, just so people can see that there are other folks who are wanting to have this community. […] Without QCC I feel like there would be still be a gap, and a hole where I think there should be continuous programming,” Vernon said. “People need to have a space to talk things through. Especially if they don’t have that space at home.”
Learning from the series’ successful first workshop on Oct. 20, Vernon is hopeful for the future.
“The biggest take away is just that folks want the space. They want to be able to come and create together, and they want to be given the grace of learning and unlearning in an environment that prioritizes that process—and it’s not always a pretty process, and that’s okay,” Vernon said.
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