Queer Choir Quest

27 Feb 2025

Yvon Bonenfant, UCC’s Head of Theatre and Director of the Future Humanities Institute, is the inspiration behind Toward the Opposite of Queer Trauma – A Voice-Movement Choir professional-participatory arts project, which is halfway through its research and development phase. 

Yvon Bonenfant is a performance-maker, art-maker and researcher, whose work explores the sensual power of Queer voice and body across different artistic media. Since 2010, his work has largely focused on unearthing and developing how we best invite participants to explore the ‘virtuosic glory of their own vocal difference, and to celebrate that difference’. By extension, he is interested in tactile art and performance, visuality, and environments that celebrate the artistic expression of ‘unruly bodies’. His work and collaborations have shown in 14 countries over 30 years and he has published widely.

Bonenfant’s artworks explore the Queer voice and body across artistic media

‘Opposite of Queer Trauma’ is his latest endeavour, a participatory vocal art project bringing LGBTQI adults together to form a celebratory and improvisational choir. The initiative, which received €73000 funded Arts Council Participatory Arts Project Awards, will include drag artist, Candy Warhol, and culminate in a performance at the Cork Midsummer Festival 2025. Yvon and his team of professional performers will lead participants through improvisation exercises that include voice and movement, to create their own choral songs and dance steps. Overall, the project includes 21 sessions planned between now and June 2025, including four performance dates between next April and June at The Granary Theatre, UCC, Cork, Ireland.