Local

Mapping Q exhibit at Tucson J is forum for LGBTQ+ youth

James Gutierrez, “Pieces,” 2016

The Fine Art Gallery at the Tucson Jewish Community Center will present selected artworks from the most recent Mapping Q project through Sept. 29.

Mapping Q is a community arts education program where LGBTQ+ youth explore representations of self within art, museums and the wider community. The program originated with the University of Arizona Museum of Art’s assistant curator of education, Chelsea Farrar, two years ago and has since been honored with local and state-wide awards. This year the project expanded with the help of educators at the Tucson Museum of Art, MOCA Tucson, and the University of Arizona School of Art, with support from the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation.

In this session of Mapping Q, says Farrar, adults and youth have worked together “through collaborative practice, to combat prejudice, raise new questions, and discover ways in which art can offer alternative visions.”

Lynn Davis, director of arts and culture at the J, adds, “Mapping Q creates a space where the voices of LGBTQ+ youth are taken seriously and their stories can be told. The program validates their experiences and celebrates their contributions to our community. We are thrilled to provide an additional venue for these works and to introduce a new audience to the project.”

The exhibit will be in the J’s main hallway. For more information, contact Davis at ldavis@tucsonjcc.org or 299-3000.