"There were choirs from Vancouver, all the way to St. John’s, and everywhere in between. It was a huge event for us. People were excited to come to the east coast."
In May 2023, the Halifax Convention Centre was buzzing with a rainbow of over 700 voices at the 2023 UNISON Festival – a choral celebration for the LGBTQ community delivered in song. The Halifax Gay Men's Chorus and the Women Next Door Choir led the charge in getting UNISON 2023 to Halifax.
Held every four years, UNISON draws choirs from all across Canada for electrifying performances in an inclusive and supportive atmosphere. This year, the Halifax Convention Centre welcomed 22 choirs and over 1,100 guests for four days of performances and LGBTQ community and celebration. As a Rainbow Registered venue, the Halifax Convention Centre creates a welcoming space for events like UNISON, and ensures that guests feel safe and accepted while in our Centre.
To celebrate UNISON, three new musical pieces were commissioned by the LGBT Purge Fund, which were debuted and performed for the first time at UNISON. The pieces -- The Commanded Heart, Hushed Injustices, and Before You Even Knew performed by the TTBB Festival Chorus, the SSAA Festival Chorus, and the SATB Festival Chorus, respectively-- honoured the histories of LGBTQ people who were forced out of military and civil service in Canada for decades. Watch each rendition below. The powerful performances garnered standing ovations. Hosting moments like these helps Canadians recognize systems of oppression of the past, and to live and love with respect and dignity now and in the future.