In celebration of LGBT History Month, Culture Perth and Kinross are delighted to announce that items from Perthshire Pride have been accepted into the permanent collection at Perth Museum and Art Gallery.
Staff at Perth Museum and Art Gallery were pleased to receive the original Perthshire Pride flag which was originally created for the first Perthshire Pride event in 2018. In 2019, it was held by Sir Ian McKellen, during Perthshire Pride’s first-ever Pride march attended by over 7,500 people.
Items also included the Pride Western Australia flag, kindly donated by local celebrity drag queen, Scarlet Skylar Rae. This flag was signed by the entire Pride Western Australia Board and was gifted as part of the Perth to Perth Partnership set up between Perthshire Pride and Pride Western Australia in November 2019.
A guest book from Perthshire Pride, ‘Holy Whitewater’ by Rev Scott Burton, keynote speaker at Perthshire Pride 2018, a sticker from the rainbow stickers campaign, documents relating to the organisation of the event, a selection of Perthshire Pride merchandise and a poster from Perth’s first LGBTQIA+ Club night, Perth, Wind and Fire have also been gifted to the Collections.
The donation is part of an effort to document local LGBTQIA+ history in the region, an area that is currently underrepresented in the museum collections.
Kirsty Brown of Culture Perth and Kinross said, “We have been collaborating with Perthshire Pride since 2018, and we’re pleased to cement this relationship even further with the addition of key items to the permanent collection held at Perth Museum and Art Gallery. It is important that our Collections reflect the contemporary lives of those who live and work in the region and the addition of these items will help us share the stories and experiences of the LGBTQIA+ community within our work.
Claire Mackenzie, Perthshire Pride founder said, “I am so excited that objects from Perthshire Pride will be getting added to the permanent collection at the museum! This will allow future members of the LGBTQIA+ community to learn about their history in Perth and Kinross. It will also show future generations the progress that has been made for the community over the years!”
Scarlet Skylar Rae added “I’m delighted to be able to donate objects from the Pride Western Australia partnership to Culture Perth and Kinross for the permanent collection at the museum. Pride is incredibly important to the LGBTQIA+ community, and it’s great to see Culture Perth and Kinross acknowledge their value, especially in the context of local history and LGBTQIA+ items in the museums.”
Staff at Perth Museum and Art Gallery are keen to receive further donations of items that reflect the events, culture and experiences of the LGBTQIA+ community in the region. If you have items you think would add to the Collections, staff would love to hear from you. You can get in touch via [email protected].