Episode 1: The Power of Joy, Visibility, and Community — A Conversation with Queer as Funk
We’re kicking off Season One of Third Space with a conversation that embodies everything this podcast is meant to explore: joy, belonging, community, and the power of showing up fully as ourselves.
For our very first episode, we’re joined by Queer as Funk, one of Canada’s most beloved queer bands. Known for their electric performances and vibrant, soul-lifting energy, Queer as Funk has become a community touchstone — a band whose music does more than entertain. It brings people together. It creates visibility. It sparks joy. It makes space.
Why Queer as Funk — and why this conversation matters
Photo from The Hope Standard
For years, Queer as Funk has been filling dance floors, community halls, Pride festivals, and concert venues with music that celebrates queer life in all its complexity and brilliance. But behind the music is something even more powerful: a commitment to community care.
In this episode, we explore:
The role of joy as a form of resistance
Why visibility still matters — especially for rural and small-town queer communities
How art and performance can create safer, more inclusive spaces
This is not just a story about a band. It’s a story about how creativity, courage, and connection help communities grow stronger — even in challenging times.
Music as community-building
For Queer as Funk, music has always been both an artistic practice and a community project. Their shows are more than performances; they’re gatherings. People often arrive as strangers and leave with a sense of connection — to the music, to each other, and to themselves.
That transformation is at the heart of this episode, and it aligns deeply with our mission at Thrive & Connect: to build spaces where everyone feels seen, supported, and able to belong.
What you’ll take away from this episode
This conversation is for anyone who cares about:
Photo from The Hope Standard
Community development
Arts and culture
2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion
Rural and small-town queer life
The healing power of joy
What it really takes to build spaces where people feel welcomed and celebrated
Whether you work in community development, run a nonprofit, organize local events, or simply want a reminder of what is possible when people show up with intention and heart — this episode will leave you inspired.
Listen now
Episode 1 of Third Space featuring Queer as Funk is now live.
Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms
Join us in our Third Space
This season is full of voices that challenge, inspire, and invite us to see community in new ways. Starting with Queer as Funk feels right — because joy is not only celebration, but a catalyst. A spark. A starting point for deeper belonging.
We’re so glad you’re here with us.