Leadership Symposium 2026

The skyline of Columbus, Ohio on a sunny day with the text, "Leadership Symposium, February 12–15, 2026, Columbus, Ohio" at the bottom.

Register for GALA Choruses
Leadership Symposium 2026
February 12–15, 2026 | Columbus, OH

GALA’s Leadership Symposium offers an opportunity for leaders of GALA member choruses to meet one another, attend workshops, network, learn about ways to engage with schools in your community, and to pick up resources for building successful choruses. We’ll share our success stories, learn from our collective mistakes, and have a great time in a beautiful location! It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet peers, and we’ll have special intensive workshops for new GALA chorus ADs, new chorus board members, and chorus managers.  

In addition to a full slate of workshops and seminars, there will be plenty of open-agenda time to discuss the particular issues with which your chorus might be struggling.  We’ll have round-table discussions, one-on-one consultations with GALA 411 Advisors, and social gatherings.


Ensemble Bootcamp

2026 Symposium in Columbus will have Ensemble Boot Camp. Dr. Ethan Sperry will work with Ensembles from around GALA, culminating in a joint performance Friday. Ensemble registration cost is $500 for the group. The ensemble performance will be on Friday, 2/13 at 7pmET in the Davidson Theatre at the Columbus Riffe Center.

Saturday Night Choral Blockbuster

On Saturday night of Symposium, four local choruses will perform in a Choral Blockbuster, hosted by Naysha Lopez, RuPaul’s Season 8 and All-Stars 8 contestant. This concert will take place on Saturday, 2/14 at 5pmET at the Davidson Theatre at the Riffe Center, followed by a party for all Symposium attendees and performers.

While there is no individual cost for Ensemble Boot Camp or Local Chorus members to perform at Symposium, they can take advantage of the workshops that GALA offers for the reduced cost of $150.


Symposium Registration Pricing

For budgeting purposes, folks should include travel to Columbus, Ohio, and an estimated $200/night for accommodations at the Symposium hotel.

RegistrationPriceStartEnd
Early$300June 1, 2025Sept. 30, 2025
Regular$325Oct. 1, 2025Nov. 30, 2025
Late$350Dec. 1, 2025Feb. 15, 2026
Singer$150June 1, 2025Feb. 15, 2026
Senior / Disabled$275June 1, 2025Feb. 15, 2026
Ensemble$500June 1, 2025Nov. 30, 2025

Request for Workshop Proposals

GALA Choruses invites you to share your skills and talents with others in the LGBTQ choral movement by submitting a Symposium Workshop Proposal. Note that symposium workshop sessions will be 60 or 90 minutes in length. In keeping with historical precedent and current financial practice and policy, GALA members volunteer their services when serving as a clinician, presenter, or in other professional capacity for GALA sponsored events. GALA Choruses member clinicians are expected to officially register for the conference event at the posted rates.

The deadline for workshop proposals is August 31st, 2025.