ImageOut

Are you looking for fun things to do locally and interested in supporting LGBTQ+ arts? Check out the new LGBTQ+ Arts Community Calendar, presented by Rochester LGBTQ+ Together in partnership with ImageOut! Here, you’ll find author readings, dance parties, drag performances, film screenings, burlesque shows, music concerts, arts exhibitions, festivals, and much more! Whether you’re looking for upcoming ImageOut programs and events, local LGBTQ+ arts events, or a comprehensive listing of LGBTQ+ events happening across Rochester and Monroe County, you can find it all on the ImageOut Calendars webpage at /calendars. Check back regularly for frequent updates too! 🌈📆

🌈📖 CALLING ALL WRITERS! ImageOutWrite, ImageOut’s LGBTQ+ Literary Journal returns for Volume X this Fall! To read all of the submission guidelines, as well as access the online submission portal, go to: ImageOut.org/ImageOutWrite. Submission deadline is May 31, 2026. Questions? Email [email protected].

SAVE THE DATES! ImageOut is pleased to announce the films for this year’s LGBTQIA+ Archival Film Series, a long-standing partnership program with Shoulders to Stand On: the LGBT History of Rochester, NY. 2026 Schedule & Film Selections: 🌈🎞️ May 20: Pride (2014) 🌈🎞️ July 29: Margarita with a Straw (2014) 🌈🎞️ September 16: Wild Nights with Emily (2018) 🌈🎞️ November 18: Saturday Church (2017) All films screen at 6:30pm in The Kate Gleason Auditorium, Bausch & Lomb Public Library Building of Central Library of Rochester & Monroe County NY and are presented free of charge. Complimentary light refreshments provided.

ENDING TODAY: Today is the final day to reserve/purchase tickets to the ImageOut Encore of our 6th annual First Cut LGBTQ+ Spring Film Festival! Don’t miss out on the three amazing shorts programs in our Virtual Cinema - including 3 ImageOut World Premieres! Spring passholders can continue to access the virtual shorts programs through the end of the day on Monday, May 4. No pass? Don’t worry! You can still purchase single admission tickets as well! 🎟️ Purchase Tickets: /imageoutfirstcut2026

Thank you to our 2026 ImageOut Grantmakers and Sponsors to date! We want to take a moment to recognize and thank all of the businesses, organizations and municipalities who have came on as grantmakers and sponsors this year. We are so grateful for your generous support! If your business or organization is interested in supporting LGBTQ+ arts and culture in Rochester and Monroe County, NY, go to /sponsorship for more information, or email us at [email protected] to get the conversation started.

Thank you to our fabulous, long-time ImageOut volunteer photographers Garnetta Ely and Gerry Szymanski for helping us to capture the amazing memories of our 6th annual ImageOut First Cut LGBTQ+ Spring Film Festival. Check out recent and past photo albums on the official ImageOut Flickr account now - and check back often. More Spring Festival updates are coming soon! 📸 ImageOut Flickr: /photos/imageoutroc/albums/

To all of you who attended our 6th annual ImageOut First Cut LGBTQ+ Spring Film Festival, both in-person or virtually: thank you for making this another great Spring Festival! Whether you’re a first-time or long-time attendee, thank you for showing up and supporting ImageOut and LGBTQ+ arts and culture in our greater Rochester community! Thanks to all of our amazing volunteers, members, sponsors, underwriters, visiting filmmakers and special guests, community partners, and venues who make this and every festival possible!

ImageOut will be closed for the remainder of this week (Wednesday, April 29 - Friday, May 1) for a well-earned post-Festival rest break for Staff and Volunteers. We will reopen for normal hours next week: available remotely Monday, Wednesday and Friday and in-person Tuesday and Thursday - or by appointment. As always, please feel free to reach out to [email protected] with inquiries and we will follow up as quickly as possible.

Not ready for the 6th annual First Cut LGBTQ+ Spring Film Festival to be over? Neither are we! We’re pleased to announce that we’re extending our Virtual Cinema for an ImageOut Encore! Spring passholders can continue to access the virtual shorts programs through the end of the day on Monday, May 4. No pass? Don’t worry! You can still purchase single admission tickets as well! 🎟️ Purchase Tickets: /imageoutfirstcut2026 Programming Note: These shorts programs include three ImageOut World Premieres: An Act of Love (Comedic & Romantic Shorts), This is Texas (Documentary Shorts), and My Dear Watson (Comedic & Romantic Shorts). We’re so grateful to these filmmakers for premiering their films at ImageOut!

HAPPENING TONIGHT: Join us on Monday, April 27 as we wrap up ImageOut’s Spring Film Festival in style with our Closing Party at Jack’s Extra Fancy (825 Atlantic Ave, Rochester, NY 14609), 6:00-8:00pm! This laid-back event is all about celebrating an incredible run of films, community, and connection with a fun, welcoming vibe. Enjoy complimentary food and a cash bar while you mix, mingle, and toast to another unforgettable festival weekend. Whether you’ve been with us all five days or are just dropping in, it’s the perfect way to close things out—relaxed, festive, and full of pride! 21+. $15.00 during the festival (on or after April 23). 🎟️ Purchase Tickets: /schedule/69d15dc5339c6f5e8b24683b 🅿️ Parking Note: There is limited parking available in the venue parking lot. Please leave these spaces for our disabled and senior guests. Additional street parking is available along Atlantic Avenue and nearby side streets. Mind parking restriction signs.

HAPPENING TONIGHT: Join ImageOut on Sunday, April 26 for 11. Bookends at The Little Theatre 1. 7:00pm doors, 7:30pm program. BIPOC Series. Presented with Closed Captions (available with personal captioning device) and Partial English Subtitles. $12.00 during the festival (on or after April 23). Military Veteran, Senior, and Young Adult discounts available. 🎟️ Purchase Tickets: /schedule/69d136e0a7bb332be94f54db 🎞️ About the Film: "Nate, an aspiring novelist, who can’t seem to actually put pen to paper, has thrown his full attention into nurturing his relationship with his wealthy boyfriend… right up to the moment he catches his boyfriend cheating and is shown the door. WIth nowhere to go and no money of his own, he has no choice but to leave NYC and head upstate to live with his grandparents in their Jewish retirement community. Suddenly Nate finds himself isolated from his friends, sneaking midnight snacks with his grandfather, and observing the sabbath with his electronics locked away in his grandmother’s room. This new life turns out to be both beneficial and difficult for Nate. On one hand, he gets some much-needed tough love from his overbearing grandmother, which helps to jumpstart his stalled career, but he also has to navigate his beloved grandfather’s rapidly declining health. Amidst all of this, Nate gets to know the retirement community’s attractive young doctor. Dr. Green is as charming as he is hot and he appears to have his eyes set on Nate. Nate’s not looking for love, but love just might be looking for him…" (Full writeup available on the festival website!) - Stephen Weisenreder (he/him), Narrative Features Programming Co-Lead 👥 Community Partner: JCC Rochester Jewish Film Festival

HAPPENING TODAY: Join ImageOut on Sunday, April 26 for 8. Love, Actually... But Make It Queer (Comedic & Romantic Shorts) at The Little Theatre 1. 11:00am doors, 11:30am program. This program is also available to stream virtually. $12.00 during the festival (on or after April 23). Military Veteran, Senior, and Young Adult discounts available. 🎟️ Purchase Tickets: /schedule/69d15d21d721de08cbdf9f50 🎞️ About the Program: “�This collection of comedic and romantic shorts spans everything from bathroom battles to healing journeys and falling in love, even if that love is for ourselves. Together, they invite audiences into a variety of engaging worlds, making the viewing well worth the trip.” 🎬 Films Include: Butt Stuff, Out of Checklist (Jen tak mimochodem), The D Word, Top, An Act of Love, Coming Out, Our Own Game (Ár gCluiche Féin), My Dear Watson (ImageOut World Premiere) 👥 Community Partner: ROC SRJ Programming Note: Due to filmmaker request, the short film Top from the in-person program will not be included in the virtual program.