It’s that time of the year again: Antwerp Pride and Antwerp Queer Arts Festival. Pride focuses on the second weekend of August: from Wednesday 10 to Sunday 14. AQAF runs from 5 to 28 August. In 2022, Antwerp Pride turns 15 and looks 15 years into the future under the banner of ‘Queertopia‘. AQAF hasn’t communicated a specific theme.

A tradition started in the COVID-19 pandemic, Antwerp Pride is again organising a ‘Trail of Stories‘. 

“During Antwerp Pride you can travel through the city in search of fascinating portraits of people from the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies. ‘Trail of Stories’ is back, with a new trail, new portraits, new stories, and is just as surprising as last year”, Antwerp Pride says.

At more than fifteen places in the city you will find large portraits, made by photographer Noortje Palmers. It is again a colorful mix of some famous and lesser-known people from our community. 

“This year we asked them the question: what does your ‘Queertopia’ look like?”

Based on their story, illustrator Mattias De Leeuw adapted the various photo portraits into a beautiful and inventive work of art. You can find out the story of the person portrayed via a QR code, or you can read the story on antwerppride.com.

They are all inspiring and sometimes moving stories about human dreams of an ideal LGBTQIA+ society. ‘Trail of Stories’ can be seen from August 1 to August 31.

This year you can discover the stories of spoken word performer Michiko, fashion researcher Nicola Brajato, Den Draak owners Hannes and Liesbeth, Mister Gay Belgium 2019 Matthias De Roover, icon Liliane Saint-Pierre, volunteers for years Anneke and Pascale, trans icon Marleen Hufkens, performer Gregory Frateur, founder of bookstore Kartonnen Dozen Johanna Pas, activist Sem Lenau and stand-up comedian Dena Dahvani..

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Antwerp Pride 2022 & Antwerp Queer Arts Festival 2022

• Antwerp Pride 2022 theme, programme and schedule.
• Antwerp Queer Arts Festival 2022 from 5 to 28 August.
• Full edition ft. parade and festival days for Antwerp Pride 2022.
• Antwerp Pride 2022 from 10 to 14 August for a 15th edition.
• Open Call for contributors for Antwerp Queer Arts Festival 2022.
• AREAS OF ANTWERP | De Gerlachekaai at the Scheldt.
• AREAS OF ANTWERP | Sint-Andriesplein.
• Antwerp Pride 2021: “Long time, no see”.

Queer Antwerp

• Rainbow zebra crossings of Antwerp.
• Rainbow zebra crossing in Borgerhout.
• Antwerp’s LGBTQIA+ bookshop Kartonnen Dozen needs new location by September 2022.
• City chronicle ‘De kleur van de stad maakt mijn ziel amoureus’ recounts Queer Antwerp history.
• ‘Masculinities: Liberation through Photography’ exhibition at FOMU, Antwerp’s photography museum.
• Antwerp’s LGBTQI bookshop Kartonnen Dozen looking for a new home.
• Antwerp’s LGBTQI+ bookshop Kartonnen Dozen wins Çavaria Media Award.
• PHOTOS | Rainbows lit Antwerp.
• Flemish LGBTQI+ press support rainbow community in Ukraine.
• ALLEMAAL ANTWERPENAAR | Antwerp launches campaign to motivate citizens to stand up against discrimination and intimidation.