LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District

Muni Art 2021 Call For Artists Open for Submissions
All Bay Area Artists Invited to Apply

San Francisco—San Francisco Beautiful proudly announces that the call for artists to apply for Muni Art 2021 is open!  This will be the sixth year that the contest will feature the work of local artists and poets on Muni buses throughout San Francisco. The five winning artists will have their newly created work presented along with five poems selected by the Poetry Society of America displayed on 100 Muni buses that will be transformed into rolling art galleries beginning in January 2021.

The theme this year, “San Francisco United” to honor San Franciscans who are working together to keep our people safe. Muni Art is a collaboration with The Poetry Society of America (sponsors of Poetry in Motion ®) who will pre-select five poems that each Muni artist will creatively interpret. The five winners will be chosen by an appointed jury and announced Friday, August 21, 2020.

“Art brings people together in spirit, and this is critical during a time when we must remain physically apart” said Jeffrey Tumlin, SFMTA Director of Transportation. “We’re excited to keep this tradition going and to bring a sense of calm and inspiration to our riders during a challenging and stressful time.”

In addition to the five poetry panels, each artist has three panels to freely use that reflect the 2021 theme for a total of eight original works. The finished work will line both interior display sides of the buses. Readings by the poets at local libraries are scheduled for Spring 2021.

“This may be the most important year yet due to our shared experience of isolation due to the lockdown,” said Darcy Brown, executive director of San Francisco Beautiful. “Art and poetry influence our society by translating our collective values into beauty which can be processed and understood by everyone. ”

In addition to each artist having 20 Muni buses to use as a canvas, each artist will be awarded $1,000 at a press conference held on the steps of City Hall in January.  The artists have until Friday, July 17 at 6 pm.

View full submission instructions and details here: Muni-Art-2021-Call-For-Artists

Learn more about the Muni Art Project here:  https://sfbeautiful.org/muniart/

Artists, please send submissions to: Peter Clarke, peter@sfbeautiful.org

Applications must be submitted via email to: muniart@sfbeautiful.org

For details on sponsorship opportunities, please contact Darcy Brown at darcy@sfbeautiful.org, 415-307-7707.

The LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District has been invited by the San Francisco Arts Commission to refer folks from our community to a new train-the-trainer program titled “Transformative Grant Writing: Seeding Reciprocity”, launching next month:

Having artists in our community with this kind of training could be extremely valuable to us, and to all of San Francisco’s rich Cultural Districts. Please review the attached documents for further information.

The application deadline has been extended to Friday, June 5, 2020. 

• Introduction Letter
• Short Invitation
• Long Invitation

South of Marketers were saddened to learn that The Stud — the oldest LGBT bar in San Francisco, and the first worker-owned cooperative queer bar and performance venue in the United States — is permanently closing down at its 9th and Harrison Street location.

However, we were pleased to hear that The Stud, the nightlife entity, is not dead. They have every intention of reopening as soon as possible in a new space, but “with the same lovingly outrageous vibe”.

On Saturday, May 9, 2020, the LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District celebrated its second anniversary, joining with others in the Bay Area’s queer, leather and kink communities for an online celebration called BALL Gag.  The event featured live and silent auctions of dozens of leather-themed items, emceed by Lenny Broberg, plus performances from Midori, Justin Hall, Danny Nyugen, Sadie Payne, Star D. Love, Shay Tiziano, and Eye Zen Presents.

The BALL Gag event also included three exciting contests,  for Best Beverage, Best Outfit, & Best Pastry, sponsored by the Leather & LGBTQ Cultural District in celebration of its 2nd anniversary!

Contest 1:
Prepare a special beverage for yourself.  It can be hard or soft, hot or cold, served in a crystal goblet or a dog dish.  Make a short video showing you presenting the beverage, describing it, and sampling it.  

Contest 2:
Dress up for the event. Your outfit can be an amusing costume or just sexy gear.  Make a short video of you describing and modeling it.

Contest 3:
Prepare a birthday cake, cupcake or any other pastry or dessert.  Make a short video of you presenting your pastry, describing it, and sampling it.

Contest Results:

The coveted “LCD Award for Best Beverage” went to Patty,  IMsL 2014 and the beverage “Cherry Wood Smoked Chocolate Martini”.

• • • • In a shaker with some ice mix equal parts white creme de cacao and vanilla vodka.
      • On a surface that can handle fire (such as a marble slab), gather a small pile of cherry wood chips.
      • Using a kitchen torch or another butane source (such as a cigar lighter), set the cherry wood chips on fire then extinguish the flames by placing an overturned martini glass over them capturing the smoke.- 
      • Once filled with the smoke, flip the glass over and quickly pour the cocktail in the glass.
      • Ideally you place some flat over the top of the glass (like a plate) and trap the remaining smoke in with the liquid to better infuse the drink (I did not do this step in the video for the sake of time).
      • When it looks like the smoke has been absorbed into the drink, garnish with the chocolate of your choice and enjoy!

The winner of the coveted “LCD Award for Best Outfit” was Purple Anon and her Diamond Rope Harness.

The much-lusted after “LCD Award for Best Pastry ” went to Bob Goldfarb for his concoction, the De-floured Chocolate Cake.

Defloured Chocolate Cake
(Modified from David Lebovitz, Ready for Dessert)
Makes one 9-inch (23-cm) cake; 10 to 12 servings

• • • • Cocoa powder, for preparing the pan
      • 10 ounces (280 g) 70% chocolate (e.g. Valrhona Guanaja), chopped
      • 3/4 cup (6 ounces/173 g) salted butter (e.g. Lurpak or Plugra), cut into pieces
      • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (e.g. Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla)
      • 6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
      • 1/2 cup (100 g) plus 2 tablespoons (30 g) granulated sugar
      • 2 tablespoons (20 g) cocoa nibs (optional)
      • confectioners’ sugar, for dusting the cake (optional)
      • Mini Handcuffs, 2”x3” Leather Pride flag, Mini Leather jacket, Mini aluminum butt plug, and slivers of a LGBTQ Pride flag sticker for decoration!

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F (175° C).  Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch (23-cm) spring-form pan, dust it with a bit of cocoa powder, and tap out any excess.
   2. Place the chocolate, butter and espresso in a large heatproof bowl.  Set over a small saucepan of simmering water and using a spatula, stir until the chocolate and butter has melted and the mixture is smooth.  Remove the bowl from the heat and stir in the vanilla; set aside.
   3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg yolks and the 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and creamy, about 1 minute.
   4. Place the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl and using a hand-held electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on low speed until they begin to hold their shape.  Add the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 g) granulated sugar and whisk on high speed until the whites hold soft peaks.
   5. Fold the beaten egg yolks into the melted chocolate mixture, then fold in half of the whipped egg whites.  Fold in the remaining whites, folding just until there are no visible streaks of egg whites. Don’t overfold.
   6. Pour the batter into the prepared spring-form pan, sprinkle with cocoa nibs (if using), and bake until the cake feels as though it’s just barely set in the center, about 25 – 30 minutes. (It shouldn’t feel too firm.)  Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
   7. Run a knife around the sides of the cake to help loosen it from the pan. Release the sides of the pan and dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar (if using).
   8. Slide the cake onto a cake plate.
   9. Place decorative items on top, serve.

Congratulations to you, and thanks to all the contestants who mixed, dressed or baked, and to everyone who watched, voted, and donated during BALL Gag.  And Happy Birthday to the LCD!