MINGLE with The ArQuives Hosts a Free Toronto Fundraiser for Trans History on November 12
Toronto’s queer arts community will gather on Thursday, November 12, for MINGLE with The ArQuives. The free fundraiser pairs live comedy and music with a longer-term aim: preserving Canada’s trans histories.
The event takes place at The Well bar in the Church-Wellesley Village. Performers will donate their time. Raffle sales and optional contributions will help maintain The ArQuives’ Trans Collections in 2027.
Expect short performances, music from DJ Relentless and a chance to support archival work without paying a cover charge.
MINGLE with The ArQuives: Event Detailsj
- Date: Thursday, November 12, 2026
- Time: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.; performances and raffle begin at 7:30 p.m.
- Venue: The Well bar, 487 Church Street, second floor, Toronto (venue information)
- Admission: Free; raffle tickets and donations are optional
- Age: 19+ according to the event announcement
- Presented by: POZ-TO and POZPLANET Magazine
- Hosted by: Jade Elektra, with DJ Relentless on music
- Event listing: The ArQuives’ official event page
Jade Elektra Leads a Lineup of Comedy and Live Music
Drag performer and HIV/AIDS advocate Jade Elektra will host the November 12 gathering. Known offstage as recording artist Alphonso King Jr., Jade has long connected performance with community organising, including work through POZ-TO.
The show features comedians Bee Bertrand and Ava Val, musician Meryn Cadell, and jazz singer and storyteller Sistah Lois. Each is contributing a short set in support of the fundraiser.
Bertrand’s comedy draws on his life as a transgender man. Val has appeared on Canada’s Got Talent and Roast Battle Canada. Cadell is known for the song “The Sweater,” while Sistah Lois brings jazz vocals and storytelling to the lineup.
Organisers have outlined six-minute performances starting at 7:30 p.m. DJ Relentless will provide music, and the dance floor will open after the live acts.
A Raffle With Prizes From Toronto Restaurants
The fundraising raffle will feature gift certificates donated by The Lunch Lady, Bar Allegro, Lyla and Aburi Hana. Additional prizes are expected from local businesses and community supporters.
Guests can purchase raffle tickets at the event or make a voluntary donation. The organisers have not published a raffle ticket price, so attendees should confirm the cost on arrival.
Money raised will go toward archival labour, data management and storage costs for the Trans Collections in 2027. Those ongoing needs matter long after the evening’s performances finish.
How The ArQuives Preserves Canada’s Trans Histories
The ArQuives began in 1973 with material connected to the newspaper The Body Politic. Today, the Toronto-based organisation collects and preserves records of 2SLGBTQIA+ life across Canada. It is among the world’s largest independent archives in this field, with a national collecting mandate.
Its Trans Collections include photographs, personal papers, publications and records of activism. These materials document the work, relationships and everyday lives of trans and gender-diverse people. They also preserve stories larger institutions have overlooked.
The ArQuives also offers a public Trans Collections Guide, which helps students, researchers and community members locate material in the archive. Maintaining the records takes trained staff, careful description and both physical and digital storage.
Archivist Tobaron Waxman says trans priorities shape how The ArQuives receives donors and describes their materials. That approach gives community members a direct role in shaping the historical record.
What to Know Before Going to The Well
Doors open at 6 p.m., leaving time to order food from The Well’s menu before the live show. The raffle and performances are scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m., and the event wraps up at 10 p.m.
The gathering is upstairs at The Well bar, 487 Church Street. It is not at the similarly named shopping complex on Front Street West.
Accessibility is an important consideration. According to the supplied event information, the second-floor event space has stair access only and no elevator. A livestream has not been confirmed, so guests needing remote access should check the organiser’s latest updates.
There is no ticket purchase required for entry. Check the event listing for last-minute changes. Bring identification, as the announcement specifies a 19+ audience.
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