The Queer Art Festival returns on Friday, September 18, Saturday, September 19, and Sunday, September 20, 2026, at the Hellenic American Union (HAU), Massalias 22 in Athens. Admission to the Festival is free.

Whether you’re part of the LGBTQI+ community or a friend and ally, the Queer Con 3 program has something for everyone. A major music tribute featuring the main exhibition “From The Closet, to the Stars” and a discussion with Stamatis Kraounakis, Artists Alley featuring illustrators and artists, screenings of fiction and animated films (including Hedwig and the Angry Inch and City of Lost Souls), book presentations, musical games, dance workshops, Stand-up comedy by Snap, and the explosive Drag Cabaret dedicated to Paola Revenioti.

Main Exhibition: “From The Closet, to the Stars
The “heart” of this year’s festival unfolds as a captivating audiovisual journey. Through original works inspired by iconic sounds, lyrics, and pioneering figures from the global and domestic music scenes, the exhibition narrates a unique journey of liberation: from silence and the margins to absolute brilliance and visibility.
Curated by: Ilias Katirtziyanoglou (Artistic Director of Queer Con), Maria Pappa (Journalist)

Q&A with Stamatis Kraounakis
One of the festival’s most eagerly anticipated moments is the live Q&A session with leading composer and songwriter Stamatis Kraounakis. With a career spanning decades and marked by unconventional boldness, lyricism, and uncompromising sensitivity, the beloved artist will converse with George Sampatakakis, professor of theater studies at the University of Patras, Giorgos Sabatakakis, and the audience about art, music, and the importance of freedom of expression. An engaging dialogue featuring one of the most influential and authentic voices in contemporary Greek culture.

Official Opening: “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” & Q&A with Minos Theocharis
The festival kicks off with a screening of the iconic rock musical that changed the landscape of queer cinematic expression. The screening will be introduced by Alexandros Diakosavvas (Journalist, General Coordinator of Artistic Direction at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival) followed by a Q&A with actor and director Minos Theocharis, who will share his experiences and insights from his theatrical portrayal of the multifaceted role of Hedwig. The session will be moderated by drag queen Marianah Grindr.

A Tribute to Paola Revenioti & Drag Cabaret
We pay tribute to this historic figure—a pioneer and activist in the Greek trans and LGBTQI+ movement—through a meaningful discussion about her life, her work in publishing and film, and her struggles. Participants: Theodoros Antonopoulos (artistic advisor for Queer Con, journalist), Alexandros Synodinos (Paola Team Documentaries), Rafaela. Meanwhile, the theater stage comes alive with the explosive Drag Cabaret, entirely dedicated to Paola and her subversive legacy. Featuring the following drag artists: Atropos, Darla Qubit, Imiterasu, Sweet Butch Marachi, Sirena, and Umbrianno. Hosted by Lala Kolopi. Curated by Manolis Vamvounis (Queer Con Events Director)

A Discussion on the Contemporary Greek Queer Music Scene
How does the queer experience influence artistic creation? What challenges do openly queer artists face, and to what extent does queer musical expression contribute to the social acceptance of LGBTQI+ identities? Featuring Matina Sous Peau, Lou, and Capette. Moderated by Andromachi Koutsoulenti (ANTIVIRUS Editor)

Stand Up Comedy by Snap

The Snap Queer Comedy Club troupe takes the stage for an evening filled with sharp humor, self-deprecating wit, and liberating laughter, proving that comedy is a powerful vehicle for visibility and empowerment. Cast: Christina Voulgari, Kangela Tromokratisch, Mary Logothetis, Yiannis-Stelios Tzirvelakis, Panagiotis Baklesis. Special Guest: Lionder. The performance will feature simultaneous interpretation into Greek Sign Language by Androniki Xanthopoulou.

Featured Artist: Kanellos COB & “Promenades | Walks” Exhibition (18+)

The featured artist of Queer Con 3 is the distinguished illustrator and comic artist Kanellos COB, who also created the event’s official artwork. The 2nd-floor foyer hosts his solo exhibition Promenades | Walks, a bold, sensual, and deeply atmospheric visual journey.

Screenings That Captivate: Cinema and Animation

The moving image takes center stage throughout the three-day event:

City of Lost Souls (Stadt der verlorenen Seelen, 1983): In collaboration with the Goethe-Institut Athens, this cult gem by pioneer Rosa von Praunheim will be screened. A groundbreaking punk musical set in the underground hangouts of West Berlin, starring the legendary Jayne County and Angie Stardust.

Greek Short Film Program: Contemporary Greek cinema makes a strong showing with the films Lala’s Land by Thanasis Fousekis, Dracaena by Sofia Priovolou and Ioannis Panagiotidis, The One Who Once Was by Kostis Theodosopoulos, and Hopepunk by Vasiliki Lazaridou. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers. Moderated by film critic Dimitra Kyrillou.

Animation by TAF: In collaboration with the Thessaloniki Animation Festival, we present a selection of international and domestic animated films that stand out for their queer themes and imaginative aesthetics.

Music Panels, Discussions & Games

Delving deeper into this year’s theme, the festival hosts thematic discussions with artists, journalists, and academics on how music has shaped queer liberation. At the same time, interactive music quizzes and games await visitors, giving them a fun way to test their knowledge.

Artists Alley
The pulse of queer creativity beats relentlessly. Dozens of talented illustrators, comic creators, and visual artists are in attendance, inviting visitors to discover original works, zines, prints, and handmade creations, thereby actively supporting the local artistic community.

All is Fashion

From David Bowie and Grace Jones to contemporary K-pop, the fluidity in musicians’ styling and outfits has influenced not only global fashion but also how each of us expresses ourselves. Queer Con coordinator and journalist, Anna Fardi, joins forces with fashion stylist Filippos Missas and performance artist, stylist, and designer Dynno Dada to look back at the icons who laid the groundwork for gender fluidity on stage, as well as those who continue to reshape the landscape to this day—and many of them come from musical genres you’d never expect!

Dance Takes Center Stage

Physical freedom and expression are brought to life. In collaboration with the Rainbow Dancers, open, interactive dance workshops are held: from the intimacy and role reversal of the tango to the rhythm, dynamic poses, and self-confidence of the catwalk.

Book Presentations & Readings

The written word has its own permanent presence with presentations of new titles, such as The Symmetry of Attraction by Aris Mentis, “I Am Not Odysseus” by Iris Maira Stavridi, and “Unprotected Asses” by Aris Batsioulas / SUBBOY25, as well as the academic treatise “Gender—Forms and Configurations” by Parvy Palmou, PhD, as well as a rare literary encounter between two prominent authors from different generations—director and writer Takis Spetsiotis and writer Nikos Adam Voudouris—in which they discuss each other’s most recent books and engage in a conversation with the audience.

At the same time, readings of contemporary lesbian poetry bring voices, verses, and emotions to the forefront. Participating poets include Krystalli Glyniadaki, Christina Kalliroi Garbi, Electra Lazar, and Diana Manesi. The event is moderated by Barbara Roussou.

Rounding out the festival experience are, among other things, workshops on lip-syncing, an activity that combines the art of Shibari with sketching, discussions on the collaborative creation of queer comics anthologies, a presentation of the European project “Reclaiming Voices,” which highlights LGBTQ+ stories connected to the Holocaust, as well as the exciting Treasure Hunt by the Paradox Project, which invites visitors to explore the building’s spaces by solving puzzles.

Finally, throughout the three-day event, a fully stocked bookstore/gift shop will be open, where the public can purchase selected queer publications, graphic novels, zines, and souvenirs.

As it does every year, the Festival provides space to activist organizations and collectives, actively supporting their work and contributions to society.

Stay tuned to Queer Con’s social media, because more events will be announced soon, along with the big party celebrating the community and all it has contributed to music!

Queer Con is co-organized by Comicdom Press (organizer of the international Comicdom CON Athens festival) and the Hellenic-American Union.