The ArQuives

The ArQuives The ArQuives, located in Toronto (Ontario, Canada), is one of the largest LGBTQ2+ archives in the world. https://bit.ly/3MH8F5V

We collect material in any medium related to LGBTQ2+ life in Canada for our library, archive, art and artifact collections. The ArQuives was founded in 1973 as part of The Body Politic, Canada's gay liberation news magazine of record during the 1970s and 80s. A hidden gem in Toronto, it has grown from just a few boxes of material to become one of the largest LGBTQ2+ archives in the world. Within o

ur collections, you can find the stories that illuminate contemporary LGBTQ2+ life. Donate here: https://bit.ly/3MH8F5V

Since its creation, The ArQuives has been there at the pivotal moments of the Canadian q***r movement, curating and maintaining collections on life in Canada -- in addition to abroad. We capture the pulse of the community with material on the relevant people, organizations, issues, and events that have shaped q***r culture. Our collecting is guided by a stated mandate; the full text is available online. We secure this material by arranging, recording, and storing it. We strongly believe in the importance of this process because history is essential, equipping and preparing us for strides of progress in the future. The ArQuives is driven by the passion of a group of volunteers working in Toronto determined to preserve q***r history in Canada and beyond. With our 50th anniversary approaching, we're organized to continue this work -- the preservation of history -- long into the future. We're always excited for people wanting to help us: let us know if you want to volunteer! Our mandate is to make this information available to the public for education and research. Over the years, we have helped hundreds of people -- students, artists, journalists, lawyers, and filmmakers -- working on various projects.

9 years ago, The ArQuives began the work of making the collection accessible through the introduction of our Online Coll...
06/16/2026

9 years ago, The ArQuives began the work of making the collection accessible through the introduction of our Online Collection Portal.

Today, over 10,000 people from around the world visit the Online Collection Portal to explore 2SLGBTQIA+ history every year.

In 2025, Grade 10 Students from Garth Webb Secondary School, HDSB, accessed The ArQuives collections to create the award winning digital exhibit The HISTORYTELLERS Project.

The digital collection and users are growing.

We are ready and able to tackle digital collections and digitized projects.

The ArQuives needs your help to invest in the infrastructure and software to take the next step in bringing communities together through increased digital access.

Every Story, Everywhere.

Help us increase access to 2SLGBTQIA+ history for all communities.

https://arquives.ca/every-story-everywhere/

June 24 | 6-8pm | The ArQuivesJoin us for Out of the Box: Primary Source Social! A new bi-monthly event to learn more a...
06/09/2026

June 24 | 6-8pm | The ArQuives

Join us for Out of the Box: Primary Source Social! A new bi-monthly event to learn more about The ArQuives’ collections.

Out of the Box: Primary Source Social is an event series by the Collection and Public Service (CAPS) Committee of The ArQuives. We will have archival materials curated based around a specific theme for attendees to engage with. Volunteers will be available to answer general research questions, process of donating materials, and about our collections.

June’s theme will be Wet, Hot, Q***r Summer! Materials will be related to summer, vacations, recreation, sports, events and q***r landmarks such as Hanlan’s Point. We will have photographs, newsletters, books, artifacts, and more!

15 spots available. Registration required.

https://arquives.ca/event/out-of-the-box-june-2026/

June 18 | 6-8pm | The ArQuivesInstructor Adrienne Scott will guide participants through drawing a series of poses with l...
06/06/2026

June 18 | 6-8pm | The ArQuives

Instructor Adrienne Scott will guide participants through drawing a series of poses with life model BOARLORD. Tying in with the current exhibition, The Wild and the Weeds, crayons made from soil from Hanlan’s Point Beach will be available for use to capture a series of beach-inspired poses.

Life model: BOARLORD
Instructor: Adrienne Scott
Photo: tr4nslucent

arquives.ca/event/soil-based-crayons-life-drawing/

Artists Morris Fox, Morgan Sears-Williams, and Patrick Stochmal join McKenna Gray for a discussion of the current exhibi...
06/02/2026

Artists Morris Fox, Morgan Sears-Williams, and Patrick Stochmal join McKenna Gray for a discussion of the current exhibition The Wild and the Weeds. Learn about their material processes, working with Hanlan’s Point Beach as a co-creator, and how we conceive of q***r space.

Register:

Artists Morris Fox, Morgan Sears-Williams, and Patrick Stochmal join McKenna Gray for a discussion of the exhibition The Wild and the Weeds.

Thursday, June 18: Join us for our next q***r trivia night at Church St. Garage, Toronto! First question at 6:30pm. Come...
05/31/2026

Thursday, June 18: Join us for our next q***r trivia night at Church St. Garage, Toronto! First question at 6:30pm. Come early to ensure you get a seat!

This month’s theme is: PRIDE!

No cover. No registration required.

Teams encouraged but not necessary. If you don’t already have a team, we’ll match you up with one, or you can take us on solo.

Earlier this month, The ArQuives hosted a free virtual webinar titled Introduction to Digital Archives and Digital Prese...
05/29/2026

Earlier this month, The ArQuives hosted a free virtual webinar titled Introduction to Digital Archives and Digital Preservation, presented by The ArQuives’ Digital Archivist, Natasha Fisher.

This webinar was created as a resource for anyone interested in learning the fundamentals of digital archives and digital preservation. We are pleased to share the webinar recording and presentation slides so that this information can remain freely accessible to anyone who would like to learn from it.

View the webinar: arquives.ca/introduction-to-digital-preservation-webinar/

Join The ArQuives for a pay what you can screening of What Will I Become? at CineCycle, Toronto.In What Will I Become?, ...
05/20/2026

Join The ArQuives for a pay what you can screening of What Will I Become? at CineCycle, Toronto.

In What Will I Become?, directors Lexie Bean and Logan Rozos explore the vulnerability of their transmasculine+ community. They delve into their own personal experiences, intertwining the stories of two young trans men who died by su***de.

Homecoming king Blake Brockington and soft-spoken Kyler Prescott were poets, musicians, and community advocates. The film traces their joys and challenges, their tragic deaths and resulting media attention, and the larger aftermath within their communities. The film also uplifts resources that affirm trans boys and the trans community as a whole to provide an understanding of su***de-prevention practices.

What Will I Become? asks why the transmasculine community is particularly vulnerable to living briefly and dying quietly.

Post screening Q&A moderated by Lily Kazimiera.

Content Advisory: The film addresses depression, su***de, sexualized violence, and anti-trans discrimination.

Doors open at 6:30pm, screening at 7:00pm.

PWYC: https://arquives.ca/event/what-will-i-become/

Join us on Thursday, May 28 for our next q***r trivia night at Church St. Garage, Toronto!Theme: MUSIC 🎵First question a...
05/12/2026

Join us on Thursday, May 28 for our next q***r trivia night at Church St. Garage, Toronto!

Theme: MUSIC 🎵

First question at 6:30pm. Come early to ensure you get a seat! No cover. No registration required. Masks will be optional.

Teams encouraged but not necessary. If you don’t already have a team, we’ll match you up with one, or you can take us on solo.

Join us for our next q***r trivia night at Church St. Garage, Toronto! First question at 6:30pm. Come early to ensure you get a seat!

The Wild and the Weeds, May 29 to July 5, 2026 at The ArQuives, TorontoCurated by McKenna Gray and The ArQuives Curatori...
05/08/2026

The Wild and the Weeds, May 29 to July 5, 2026 at The ArQuives, Toronto

Curated by McKenna Gray and The ArQuives Curatorial Committee

Centering Hanlan’s Point Beach’s history and q***r ecology, The Wild and the Weeds proposes alternative ways of looking at and engaging with this q***r site. The exhibition explores ecological consideration, co-creation, and kinship, forging pathways for understanding q***r past and imagining q***r future.

Featuring artists Morris Fox, Morgan Sears-Williams, and Patrick Stochmal, alongside material from The ArQuives’ collection, Hanlan’s Point Beach is positioned as more than the site of the 1971 Gay Day Picnic, addressing contemporary concerns of the q***r community regarding gentrification and public space. Engaging with topics of public/private, cruising, decay, and the erosion of the beach, the artists provide a context through which we can view ecological entanglements with q***r memory and identity.

Please join us for an opening reception on May 29th from 6 to 8pm.

Open times and dates:
Fridays 4pm-8pm
Saturdays 11am-3pm
Sundays 11am-3pm

Closed June 26, 27, 28

Appointments and curatorial tours available, email [email protected]

Image: Morgan Sears-Williams

https://arquives.ca/event/the-wild-and-the-weeds/

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34 Isabella Street
Toronto, ON
M4Y1N1

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