Sponsorships for IDKE XII

IDKE XII needs the support of local businesses,individuals, and organizations. Please consider how YOU can help us make this exciting event happen! Your sponsorship will help make this year's IDKE conference become a reality for hundreds of eager gender performers from all over the globe.

The International Drag King community Extravaganza is the largest gender exploration of its type in the world, attracting attendees from all over the globe include 35 US states, Canada, Australia, France, England, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, and Japan. An estimated 75% of attendees return each year eager to recharge, connect and network resources and ideas. IDKE provides a space for performance artists, service providers, entrepreneurs and businesses to interact and thrive.

Why should you be an IDKE XII Sponsor?

IDKE XII puts its proceeds back in the local community

Proceeds from IDKE XII will be invested back into the local Baltimore community. A portion of our proceeds will be given to Fusion Group, an organization that provides programs that build community for social change in schools, organizations and communities. It also serves as an incubator and fiscal sponsor for grassroots community based programs and projects.

IDKE supports arts & culture

IDKE provides a venue for local, national, and international art forms that celebrate the diversity of gender expression. Drag and gender performance are vibrant and unique art forms that are all too often underfunded and undersupported, at a time when arts programming and funding are being threatened across the United States. IDKE will bring these performers, artists, and the academics who study them here to enrich Baltimore’s already-diverse and innovative artistic culture.

IDKE provides a forum for youth support and education

Our GLBT youth are in crisis: the US Department of Health and Human Services reports that this group is two to three times more likely to commit suicide than other youth. IDKE provides a forum for GLBT youth to meet and connect in a safe, supportive environment. Youth will also have the opportunity to meet, work with, and perform side-by-side with adult mentors and facilitators, allowing for the sharing of experience and ideas across generations.

IDKE creates another space for social justice in the Baltimore community

IDKE is a valuable site for networking and organizing among members of the gender performance community. The Gender Justice Collective envisions IDKE XII as a great opportunity for broader social justice oriented groups and organizations to come together and build connections. In a state where GLBT civil rights are limited, IDKE in Baltimore will provide critical sites of community debate and strategic planning.

IDKE promotes accessibility & outreach among marginalized populations

IDKE XII strives to ensure inclusion, representation, and visibility of all members of the drag king community, with a particular focus on representation of racial minority and youth populations. The Gender Justice Collective is committed to making IDKE as accessible and affordable as possible. We will award scholarships to many IDKE attendees, and we will arrange for hosted housing for as many participants as possible. All events will take place in wheelchair-accessible buildings, and sign language interpreters will be available whenever possible.

In addition to these great reasons to support IDKE XII, also consider the promotional benefits– your business or organization will have a captive audience of over 1000 conference attendees!

And finally...

Baltimore has a long-running history supporting a burgeoning and diverse artists community, and we seek to enhance that history by having our conference that will ultimately benefit the local Baltimore community in addition to the world-wide gender performance community.

In return for your corporate or individual support, we are pleased to offer a valuable benefits package, of which a large portion will be tax-deductible. Your generous gift will help us put on a conference that offers workshops, art, film and science festivals, performances, keynote speaker Tristan Taormino, specially focused youth track opportunities, and provide a safe, friendly and welcoming space for gender performers from all over the world.

We have several sponsorship opportunities available to brand and position your company as a supporter and leader of gender justice, LGBTQQI issues, art, and performance. Many sponsorship levels give you access to many of our other marketing opportunities including:

Ad space in the IDKE XII Program Guide
Be part of documented history and direct your potential customers to your website and/or vending booth in our official IDKE XII Program Guide. For details, visit the Program Guide page.

A booth at the Dragstrip Vendor Area
Space for vendors, educators, and performers to give demonstrations, distribute literature and products, as well as sell items. Space includes on six-foot table with two chairs. Electricity is available upon request. For details, visit the Vendor page.

Access to Promotional Distribution
Have your company's pre-printed promotional material (fliers, coupons, business cards, etc.) added to our registration Drag Bags and give yourself even more opportunity to interact with our conference attendees.

Join the list of companies and individuals that support IDKE XII.

Take the first step and fill out the Sponsorship Form.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us.