Festival 2024 Toolkit
Festival 2024 in Minneapolis is right around the corner!
On this page you'll find tools to help prepare your chorus for Festival. These include to-do lists, information about Festival, and promotional tools to help get your chorus excited for summer 2024.
By the Numbers
GALA Choruses Festival celebrates more than 15,000 singers representing nearly 200 LGBTQ* choruses in North America and beyond. Festival 2024 choirs will perform at world-class venues in downtown Minneapolis including Orchestra Hall, The Minneapolis Convention Center, and Central Lutheran Church. Festival 2016 in Denver, CO, gathered more than 6000 singers in-person and more than 14,000 unique viewers online. We expect even more folks to join us both in-person and online for Festival 2024.
GALA Choruses is the name of the non-profit organization that serves an association of LGBTQ choruses in North America. We represent the largest group of choirs in the global LGBTQ Choral Movement. GALA Choruses cultivates the artistic development of 15,000 singers from nearly 200 choruses in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. We serve choruses small or large. Help is here whether you have 5 members or 250, a budget of $10,000 or $3 million.
What We Offer
GALA Choruses, Inc. offers our members networking opportunities and Discussion Groups, an annual Leadership Symposium, a full array of administrative support, and a sizable Online Resource Library, in addition to our signature event: the quadrennial LGBTQ Music Festival!
Our History
GALA Choruses found its roots in the formation of Philadelphia’s Anna Crusis Women’s Choir in 1975. This was followed in rapid succession by the formation of the Stonewall Chorale, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (SFGMC) and choruses in New York City, Dallas, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago and Vancouver.
In 1982, SFGMC went on a tour of 12 cities nation-wide (they are pictured here in a 1980 parade). This inspired the formation of many new lesbian and gay choruses. Representatives of 12 of these choruses met in Chicago to discuss shared concerns they had about being gay/lesbian choruses in a society that was less than welcoming. GALA Performing Arts was tentatively formed.
The following year Gay Games I was held in San Francisco. 14 choruses met for the First West Coast Choral Festival. This led to the permanent establishment of the GALA Choruses Network. The name was changed to GALA Choruses and a 501(c)(3) status was obtained in 1982.
The following year, membership grew to 39 choruses. Today nearly 200 choruses—primarily in North America but also from around the world—are members of GALA Choruses. These organizations participate in the quadrennial Festival, an annual Leadership Symposium, monthly Zoom groups, compositions, partnerships, virtual events, and the 411 program, bringing expert assistance directly to our choruses.
There is much more to learn about GALA's history!
GALA Choruses signature event is our quadrennial Festival, which gathers LGBTQ choruses from all over North America and the world. Our last festival was held in 2016 in Denver, CO, drawing more than 130 choruses and 6000 singers.
Please find a number of resources for promoting Festival below. These can be shared directly with your chorus or online. As always, the best way to get folks excited is to talk with them one-on-one. GALA Choruses Festival remains a life-changing experience for anyone who is able to join. As always, please reach out to us at info@galachoruses.org with any questions!
Videos
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRuGeY9Kqkk&t=2s
Facebook - https://fb.watch/gyH7CHPEVR/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/GALAChoruses/status/1573331825203748864?s=20&t=hC6QUGl1SgvruVl2KyDbsw
Youtube - https://youtu.be/_fcSICTJcZw
Facebook - https://fb.watch/gyHeTZ7qrp/
Full conversation on Youtube - https://youtu.be/U1lqL20r944
Facebook post - https://fb.watch/i47jsew7K7/
Images
Festival 2024 Logo (Square/Profile 600x600)
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Festival 2024 Logo (Video/Banner 1080x1920)
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We recognize that coming to festival presents a financial challenge for many of our choruses, and we remain grateful for all the hard work that makes this event possible. We see festival as a worthy investment in the LGBTQ Choral Movement, one that pays in memories and connections for your chorus. We will continue to update this section will tools and information to help your financial planning.
Checklist for Individuals (pdf)
| June 2023 | —Delegate registration opens.Note that registration is not complete until questionnaire is done and payment received |
| Oct 31, 2023 | —Deadline for 30% Delegate Registration discount. |
| Dec 31, 2023 | —Deadline for 18% Delegate Registration discount. |
| October 2023 | —Performance schedule is released. |
| By December 2023 | —Sign up for any mass chorus performances. |
| January 2024 | —Housing reservations open. This is separate from Festival registration. |
| By January 2024 | —Purchase paper Festival program, if desired. |
| July 10, 2024 | —Festival performances begin. Plan to arrive early enough for rehearsals. |
| July 14, 2024 | —Festival 2024 Minneapolis closes. |
Checklist for Choruses (pdf)
| Before March 2023 | —Designate Festival Liaison(s); they will be GALA's primary contact for all Festival information. |
| Before March 2023 | —Calculate your chorus costs for Festival and raise funds. |
| Before March 31, 2023 | —Apply for Coffee Concert performance slot, as desired |
| May 1, 2023 | —Chorus & Ensemble registration opens. Note that registration is not complete until payment is received. |
| June 2023 | —Delegate registration opens. |
| By Dec 2023 | —Purchase optional rehearsal space. |
| By Dec 2023 | —Purchase an optional chorus banner. |
| By Dec 2023 | —Purchase optional space for consignment merchandise. |
| By Dec 31, 2023 | —Purchase any delegate registration credits. |
| Late 2023 | —Submit set list of songs. |
| Late 2023 | —Submit copyright confirmation. |
| Late 2023 | —Submit production sheets. |
| January 2024 | —Hotel reservations open. |
| Spring 2024 | —Submit a 1-minute chorus video introduction |
| July 10, 2024 | —Festival performances begin. Plan to arrive early enough for rehearsals. |
| July 14, 2024 | —Festival 2024 Minneapolis closes. |
| August 2024 | —Purchase an archival copy of chorus performance(s), if desired. |
What are the dates of GALA Festival 2024?
Festival performances will begin July 10, 2024 and will end the evening of July 14, 2024. There may be an event scheduled for those arriving a day early. Choruses scheduled to perform on July 10 should plan for tech rehearsal on July 9th.
Three main venues will be used for Festival performances: Orchestra Hall, the Minneapolis Convention Center Auditorium, and Central Lutheran Church. All have excellent sound quality.
Who needs to register for Festival?
Choruses must register in the Integra Planner system in order to perform. This is a separate registration from the singer/delegate process.
Each performing chorus member, including directors, must register as a delegate through the Integra Planner system. Delegate Registration grants access to all Festival concerts and events. Delegate Registration will open in June 2023.
Non-singing companions and supporters who want to attend most of the concerts or any of the special events (receptions, etc) should also register as a delegate in Integra with their own email address and password. Those guests who only wish to see a few concerts may choose to purchase tickets to individual performances at a later date.
To register, go to https://galachoruses.integraplanner.net/
What information is needed to register?
Because of data privacy regulations, each person needs to register their self in the Integra Planner system, although payment can be made by anyone. All delegate registrations require a valid personal and unique email address (myname@internet.com, for example, and not director@gaychorus.org). You’ll also need to provide contact information and the name of your chorus.
The Integra registration form has both required and optional information fields. Choruses will be asked to provide general information about your choir. Delegates are required to input your first and last name, a personal email address (one that is uniquely yours and not a generic chorus address), a password with at least 8 alpha-numeric characters, a phone number and home address. You will also have a short DELEGATE QUESTIONNAIRE, asking whether you will be performing, your chorus affiliation and voice part. Details will be provided to chorus Festival Liaisons before registration opens.
Will my personal information be kept private?
GALA Choruses will not share your personal information with anyone outside of staff, as required to perform administrative tasks.
What does registration cost?
The Chorus Registration fee is $450 and goes toward the cost of hall rental.
If you are performing on-stage, you are required to register as a delegate. The standard Delegate Registration fee for individuals is $425. There are several discounts available. We are offering a 30% discount to delegates who register before October 31, 2023 and an 18% discount if you register between November 1 and December 31, 2023. There are also discounts for Youth (21 and younger), Seniors (65 and older), and Disabled (if you receive government benefits). See the pricing table below.
| 30% Discount (Jun-Oct 2023) | $299 |
| 18% Discount (Nov-Dec 2023) | $350 |
| Full Price Delegate (Jan-July 2024) | $425 |
| Youth Delegate | $175 |
| Disabled Delegate | $175 |
| Senior 50% Discount Delegate | $199 |
| Senior 40% Discount Delegate | $250 |
| Senior 30% Discount Delegate | $300 |
What is included with my registration?
Each registered delegate will receive a neck-wallet badge which gives you access to all performances and public events throughout Festival. Non-performing companions who do not wish to attend more than a few events do not need to register as delegates; they will have the opportunity to buy single performance tickets sometime in 2024.
What are the qualifications for discounted rates?
The Senior rate is available to delegates who will be 65 before July 1, 2016. The Youth rate is available to delegates who are 21 or under at the time of registration. The "Disabled" category is self-determined (generally applicable to anyone receiving government disability benefits).
Are there scholarships available?
GALA Choruses offers the choruses one free delegate registration for every 20 paid. It is up to each chorus to determine how to distribute the complimentary registrations.
How do I pay for registration?
You can pay online with a credit card or PayPal account, or mail in a check. In the Integra Planner, click on the ‘Pay Online’ option for any credit card payment, or the ‘Offline Cash’ option to pay by check. Our online transactions are processed by PayPal, but you do not need a PayPal account. Note that the Integra system will not consider you to be registered until payment has been processed. Our mailing address is GALA Choruses, PO Box 99998, Pittsburgh PA 15233.
Detailed instructions for registration in Integra will be provided to your chorus Festival Liaison before registration opens.
What is the deadline for payment of offline delegate registrations?
To qualify for the 30% discount, payment not made online must be received by October 31, 2023. Registrations for which payment is not received by that date will be converted to the $350 rate. Registrations that are unpaid by December 31, 2023 will be converted to the full registration cost of $425.
When can we make housing arrangements?
Hotel reservations will be handled by Convention Housing Partners through a dedicated web link to be posted on the GALA website and distributed to our emailing list. The GALA discounted rates are guaranteed to be the lowest available and will not be available to anyone making reservations by any other means.
Housing Registration will open in January 2024; details will be emailed to all registered delegates and given to your chorus’ Festival Liaison. We currently have 11 hotels in our housing block, all of which are within walking distance of the performance halls and all of which are holding aside rooms for exclusive GALA use. The City of Minneapolis provides a free bus line that goes up and down Nicollet Mall downtown.
Check with your chorus’ Festival Liaison to see whether you need to make hotel reservations on your own, or whether they will book a block of rooms for the whole chorus. You can preview the hotels in the block and get more information on the Festival page of the GALA website.
When does my chorus need to arrive in Denver?
It depends on what activities your chorus is involved in. Most tech rehearsals will occur the day prior to a performance. Check the GALA website for the program schedule. Please understand that the schedule will continue to evolve as additional programming details gel. Choruses will be notified of concert block schedules as soon as possible.
Is there a Social Media hashtag we can use?
Yes! We’ve launched an official hashtag for all social media platforms, so please use #GALAFEST2024 in all your social media posts for Festival.
What if I have more questions?
Check with your chorus’ Festival Liaison. They can contact Sue for any needed information.
Festival Map
download map pdf
