From 2021 to 2024 we were honored to donate 5% of proceeds from the Handpainted Block Shop x Fireclay Tile Collection to our partners at Allies in Arts. This queer and trans-led non-profit works every day to support women, BIPOC, and queer artists–all of whom are underrepresented individuals in creative industries–by awarding grants, curating exhibitions, and connecting artists with key industry partners.
We recently caught up with activist and filmmaker Drew Denny, Allies in Arts’ Co-Founder and Executive Director, and Kyle Lasky, their Transanta Program Director. They shared updates on the incredible work they’ve been doing and how donations like ours have helped make a difference in the fight to break down barriers. Keep reading for the full interview!
Meet Drew & Kyle
Drew Denny (left), Kyle Lasky (right)
What are some highlights and milestones that Allies in Arts has achieved recently?
Drew: In 2023, we launched our first educational program, Transchool, paying 15 young trans writers to attend a college level course taught by Dr Ren Heintz who runs the Center for the Study of Genders and Sexualities and supported by published queer author mentors like Andrea Jenkins, Thomas Page McBee and Ali Liebegott as well as trans social worker Shoshanna Katz to guide them through challenging feelings brought up by writing about personal experience.
We’re also producing our first billboard campaign, for which Transchool students wrote affirming messages they want to share with trans youth in public space and queer BIPOC visual artists designed the messages for placement on billboards around California. Those are live in June with locations in Atwater Village LA, on Sunset Blvd in LA, in the Civic Center Muni station in San Francisco and in Orange County. We hope these sweet messages and captivating designs serve to inspire some joy in these sad and scary times.
Kyle: Transanta surpassed 9,000 letters from trans youth since starting up in 2020!
Image courtesy of Allies in Arts | Artwork: Hootnannie
Can you share a specific story or outcome that illustrates the impact of Allies in Arts’ initiatives on an artist or group of artists?
Kyle:
“Last year I received a stuffed animal of a polar bear. Seems small, but the note read that the family had an autistic son who’s nonverbal, and whose only words would mainly be polar bear. Somehow, being autistic myself, it made me feel much less alone in this world.”
— Ezra, 20, Transanta participant
How have partnerships, like the one with Fireclay and the Block Shop x Fireclay Tile collection, impacted your ability to fund and expand your programs?
Drew: Our partnership with Fireclay and Block Shop has been vital in supporting us as we create and expand programs like Transanta, which gets most of its support over the holiday season, and Transchool which is funded by grants that we piece together bit by bit. We of course are wildly grateful for our holiday and end of year donors and for our grants, but we can’t overstate how helpful it is when donors contribute throughout the year - especially donors who support our team so that we’re able to put all our energy into supporting our beneficiaries.
While Pride Month is a significant time for visibility, you support LGBTQQIA2S artists year-round. How do you maintain momentum and focus on these communities throughout the year?
Drew: We are LGBTQ artists so we know what our beneficiaries are up against, and we live this struggle everyday of the year. We ensure that every program we produce is managed by a member of the community it serves - ie Transanta and Transchool are run by trans folks, Queer Black Futures by a queer Black artist - so that whomever is making foundational decisions is someone who has intimate knowledge re what the beneficiaries of that program need.
Kyle: My only response is… we have no other choice!
Artwork, clockwise from left: Loveis Wise, Parisa Parnian, Salvador de la Torre
Looking forward, are there any upcoming projects or initiatives that you’re particularly excited about? How can the public get involved or support these efforts?
Drew: Come support trans voices by attending our Transchool: Volume 1 reading at the Hammer Museum June 15 - our students and some of their mentors will be reading from our first book:
https://hammer.ucla.edu/programs-events/2024/transchool-volume-1
Buy the book and donate to the program to support paid educational opportunities for trans youth.
Kyle: Enjoy our billboards and share about them! You can find their locations by going to the project page on our site: https://www.alliesinarts.org/support-trans-voices
Image courtesy of Allies in Arts
A big thank you to the incredible team at Allies in Arts for sharing their journey and the impactful work they’re doing. If you’re inspired by their mission, you can donate directly to support their efforts and/or check out our Block Shop x Fireclay Tile Collection where 5% of proceeds go straight to helping fund their ongoing projects.
