Q: What happens when you bring a gaggle of country queers together for a weeklong audio workshop and retreat in rural coastal Maine?

A: Rural Queer Maine Audio MAGIC!

In November 2024 a group of rural and smalltown LGBTQ+ folks from across the state of Maine, spent 5 days together in Passamaquoddy territory / Washington County on the coast of Maine at a rural queer audio retreat.

The retreat was organized and hosted by Out in the Open - a multiracial, majority working class, grassroots, movement and capacity building organization based in Wabanaki territory working throughout the states of Vermont and Maine to connect rural LGBTQ+ people to build community, visibility, knowledge and power.

Participants produced short audio pieces, start to finish, over the five days that we spent living, learning, eating, walking, and laughing together. These pieces were produced with support from Out in the Open staff HB Lozito and Grace Johnston-Fennell, Michele Christle of Torchlight Media, and Rae Garringer of Country Queers.

*****These pieces contain audio that may be challenging to hear or bring up emotions for listeners. Please take care of yourself!*****