Threads of Pride

Community LGBTQIA+ art initiative | Wichita, Kansas | 2025

Queer storytelling, public art-making, performance, and community care.

Threads of Pride was a community-driven visual art initiative created to uplift and showcase the voices of LGBTQIA+ individuals across Wichita and the surrounding areas. The project was made possible through a $25,000 Arts Thrive Grant awarded by the City of Wichita’s Division of Arts and Cultural Services, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Curated by Michael K. Davenport, Threads of Pride featured a juried exhibition of works by local LGBTQIA+ artists at Harvester Arts. The exhibition explored themes of identity, resilience, and belonging, inviting artists to reflect on the past, present, and future of queer experiences in the region. Artists contributed work across a wide range of media, including painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography, crochet, installation, and performance art.

A central component of the project was a multi-day community art-making initiative inspired by the legacy of the AIDS Memorial Quilt. Participants of all ages and backgrounds, particularly LGBTQIA+ youth, gathered to create large-scale canvas panels that expressed stories of pride, struggle, and solidarity. These panels served as contemporary reflections of the community’s collective voice and were later displayed as a central feature of the project’s culminating celebration.

The Threads of Pride celebration brought the community together during Pride Month to honor the artists, youth, and participants who made the project possible. The event featured performances by local drag artists and musicians, along with a live DJ and catering from LGBTQIA+-owned businesses. The evening provided a joyful, affirming space to share art, celebrate identity, and strengthen community connections.

Sincere thanks were extended to the artists, youth organizations, performers, volunteers, partners, and community members whose time, creativity, and energy made Threads of Pride a success. Remaining supplies from the project, along with donations and profits from the sale of community-created art panels, were donated or allocated to local organizations supporting LGBTQIA+ youth. The project stands as a testament to the power of queer storytelling and the strength of Wichita’s LGBTQIA+ community.