The organizers of an upcoming queer arts festival needed a name, so they created two lists, one of words associated with queerness and the other a list of words associated with Pittsburgh.
And what a better combination for those two than Rhinestone Steel. Now in its second year, the festival takes place July 13 from 3 pm-1 am at the studio warehouse space at 3577 Bigelow Blvd, near the Bloomfield Bridge. Admission ranges from $5-20.
“Because it is a completely queer event, I feel like it really encourages people to be themselves more and do things that maybe they’d be intimidated or nervous to do in a predominantly straight crowd,” says Teresa Martuccio, who is organizing the event with Lauren Jurysta.
It features music, art and food by queer folks in Pittsburgh, as well as information booths with resources available from organizations throughout the city.
“I feel like the one thing that makes queer art different from straight art is probably the queer experience in the world, living as a queer person in the world – but we’re all so different,” says Jurysta.
To that end, out-of-town acts include “The Coolots”, “Big Dipper” and “Cate Giordano” among others, which Martuccio says adds to the diversity of locals at the event.
“I feel like it really just makes you realize how amazing queer people there are in Pittsburgh, and to all be there together celebrating is really awesome,” she says.
Although alcohol will be available at the event, Jurysta says Rhinestone Steel is an all ages event with an emphasis on the political action of creating a safe space for queer people.
Martuccio said that extends to teenagers especially.
“I feel like teens more than anybody need to know there are things like this happening in Pittsburgh and there is a community that will love them,” she says.
Visitors to the Rhinestone Steel festival will benefit from organizers improving the experience since last year, Jurysta says.
“Last year we did learn a lot and I think we’re building off last year’s ideas. We’ve had to be flexible a little bit with what the community needs are,” she says.
Fundraisers throughout the year, including an installation art dance party, a burlesque show and weekly “homo-aerobic” classes during the winter have benefitted the festival.
Jurysta and Martuccio are members of the band “Layne James and the Bang Gang” described as a drag performing group that will take the stage at Rhinestone Steel with a variety of instruments including a mandolin and xylophone.
Both wanted to create a place where the queer community could connect and collaborate.
“We just want to make the queer music and arts scene bigger,” Jurysta says.
Both women identify as queer and say they define the term as a flexible identity that is about forming “non-traditional, non-hetero normative relationships smashing the gender binary. Queer is political. And queer is also about forming community outside of the dominant culture and creating safe spaces.”
