From The Editor: Clear Your Schedule and Break a Leg

I hope you all have some free time over the next few months, because this Spring Arts & Culture issue is absolutely jam-packed with things to do and see. From plays to see to books to read to films to watch to music to listen to, something within the next 36 pages is bound to catch your attention.
Being Minnesota’s LGBTQ+ magazine puts us at Lavender in a wonderful position to put together an Arts & Culture issue. Our state’s great arts scene is one of many great retorts to “why do you live there and put up with the cold?” and it’s on full display in this issue.
The Minnesota Philharmonic Orchestra is not only the country’s first LGBTQ+ orchestra — it’s in its 32nd season. There are more exciting local theater stories in this issue than I can keep track of. Uptown resident Mark Billy’s work with Idigenous languages in opera is fascinating and inspiring.
We also have stories from around the country and even across the pond. Makenzie Morgan Gomez, featured on the cover of this issue, is doing great work advocating for people with disabilities in the performing arts. English author Jon Savage’s book “The Secret Public” provides an in-depth history of LGBTQ+ contributions to pop music, and Lavender in turn has the story of his book. Short film “Auganic” has a twist evidently so explosive that we couldn’t include it — I’m as excited to find out as you are!
So, whether February brings brutal cold, nasty slush or (likely) both, I implore you to brave the elements and check out some of the amazing artists the Twin Cities have to offer. Or, if you’re not feeling up to it, curl up with a good book — after you’re done with your Lavender, of course!

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