Global Pride 2020: The future is…Grace Club
SoundCloud provides a platform for anyone, anywhere to express themselves freely and connect with like-minded creatives. Throughout Pride Month we’ll be sharing the stories of global collectives who are building networks in the name of inclusivity, while giving you ways to support their missions and create your own communities.
The future is Grace Club
In Dublin, you can’t talk about queer club culture without mentioning Grace Club. The young collective helmed by Stevie Nixx, Caio Fabro, and David Healy, provides a safe and free space for LGBTQIA+ people to party and enjoy techno music. Working mainly with LGBTQIA+, female and artists from marginalized groups, the group curates events while maintaining a strict anti-discrimination policy. In their own words:
“Grace is a space where the weird, wild and wonderful queers can come and enjoy themselves in all their shapes, sizes and colours.”
For such a tight-knit community it may be surprising to hear the crew formed “on accident.” Nixx and Fabro first met after voting in Ireland’s referendum on women’s autonomy in May of 2018. The pair bonded over their plans to fill the hole in the Dublin’s gay club and bar scene for more a inclusive space. Together they got to work developing Grace Club’s identity and artwork before launching that December.
The response was immediate. From the beginning, the crew remembers, “an amazing crowd of queers came from nowhere.” Though their first venue was “super small, sweaty and packed,” the energy was electric. They’ve moved on to bigger spaces now, but they still aim to recapture that same atmosphere with every passing event.
Pride amid the crisis
While COVID-19 has put a temporary pause to their activities, the crew remains optimistic. “We don’t really expect the community to support us, I think we are doing okay,” they share. “We’ve been supporting our communities of artists through funded livestreams and paid radio spots.” Yet they’re aware that the wider queer community and marginalized groups are feeling the toll of the crisis. For those based in Ireland they recommend groups such as Black Pride Ireland, MASI (Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland), Merj Ireland, SWAI (Sex Workers Alliance Ireland), Origins Eile and the Simon Community. They urge any fans to support these organizations and to be on the lookout for their eventual return.
The future is you, too
For all those hoping to start their own collectives, Grace Club’s biggest advice is “not to overthink things.” They add: “Stand out from other parties with your approach and what you bring to the table. Be aware that club spaces are community spaces and invoke your community in the party. Do it with passion and love, listen to your critics and be prepared to make changes along the way.”
Local artists to support
In addition to sharing their story with us, we asked Grace Club to recommend several queer artists from their community. Here are their picks:
“Fiveseven is a super creative techno DJ who has been a key part of Grace since opening our 3rd edition with Marum. She has been a big part of what we do; advising us behind the scenes and playing some other great parties including Dublin Pride with CEM and our party at Diskothek Melancholie in Berlin.
Her sound is smooth and hypnotic compared with the harder styles of playing that are popular amongst the Irish DJ scene. She comes from a background in music production and years of involvement with the over and underground techno scene in her home town of Waterford”
“Joyboy is a ‘party bringer’ and has been part of the inspiring crew at DDR (Dublin Digital Radio) who are a voluntary organisation fueling the artistic spirit of electronic music in Ireland. His style is fast and hard; while his moves behind the decks bring an energy to the party. He played at our Birthday event at 39/40 where we hosted 800 people for the first time, as well as our first livestream event in early May.”
“Garrett (Gurt) is a founder and resident of Vision Collective and played our second party in March 2019. He has supported big names like Sam Paganini in the now demolished District 8 as well as playing numerous festivals in Ireland. Most recently he has been getting a lot of attention for his haunting sci-fi inspired “Whispers of Space” track and his bouncy edit of Eurythmic by Setaoc Mass.”