The City of West Hollywood is a proud co-sponsor of One Institute’s Circa: LGBTQ+ Histories Festival. The month-long festival will feature more than 40 programs centering LGBTQ+ history, art, and culture. The festival will offer a diverse array of events, spanning from panel conversations, exhibitions, lectures, performances, screenings and more, in venues throughout Los Angeles County.

As part of One Institute’s commitment to making LGBTQ+ history accessible, Circa will once again feature programs at low to no cost to the public and host events for all ages and audiences. Visit www.circafestival.org to view the schedule of events and to purchase tickets, where applicable.

Circa: Queer Histories Festival 2025 celebrates the theme “Reclaiming Freedom” within the LGBTQ+ community. With marginalized voices and lives being threatened under the Trump Administration, Circa – the first and only festival of its kind – honors the expansive and resilient nature of queerness and showcases the LGBTQ+ artistic talent of Los Angeles and beyond.

Circa will open with the festival’s headlining exhibition The Sky is Always Falling, showcasing never-before-seen materials from ONE Archives at the USC Libraries, alongside original works by artists, curated by Anuradha Vikram. The exhibition highlights moments of radical queer resistance, and the resilience of LGBTQ+ activists and artists in Los Angeles during the HIV/AIDS crisis. The Sky is Always Falling will be on view to the public from September 28 through October 31, 2025 at the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Advocate & Gochis Galleries at The Village at Ed Gould Plaza, located at 1125 N. McCadden Place in Los Angeles.

As part of the Circa Festival and in recognition of the City of West Hollywood’s 40^th anniversary, the City will host Stuart Timmons WeHo@40 LGBTQ History Tour on Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at 6 p.m. in the City’s Council Chambers/Public Meeting Room, located at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard. First created as a walking tour from Timmons’ unfinished manuscript and later reimagined as a live performance for the City’s 30th Anniversary, the project has become a beloved celebration of queer history and community storytelling. This one-night program will feature highlights from the 2021 and 2025 filmed versions, rarely seen archival footage from the original live events, and a presentation about Timmons’ life and work. Produced by Jason Jenn, the evening blends history, performance, and reflection – with a light reception before and after.

Debuting in 2023, Circa: Queer Histories Festival is the first and only LGBTQ+ History Month festival in the United States. This month-long celebration showcases an array of programs from hundreds of queer artists, writers, filmmakers, activists, and community organizations throughout October. With sections including conversations, screenings, exhibits, and more, the festival offers a unique and enriching experience for attendees across Los Angeles County and beyond.

Founded in 1952, One Institute (formerly ONE Archives Foundation and ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives) is the oldest active LGBTQ+ organization in the United States. One Institute produces one-of-a-kind exhibitions and public programs that elevate queer and trans history and embrace emerging stories. Through K-12 teacher trainings, lesson plans, and youth mentorship programs, One empowers the next generation of teachers and students bringing queer and trans history into classrooms and communities. Additionally, the Institute assists in promoting the materials within ONE Archives at the USC Libraries, which houses the largest collection of LGBTQ+ materials in the world. Learn more at oneinstitute.org, and connect on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @oneinstitutela.

For up-to-date information about City of West Hollywood news and events, follow @wehocity on social media, sign-up for news updates at www.weho.org/email, and visit the City’s calendar of meetings and events at www.weho.org/calendar. City Hall services are accessible by phone at (323) 848-6400 and via website at www.weho.org. Sign up for the City’s text message pilot program by texting “WeHo” to (323) 848-5000.

For reporters and members of the media seeking additional information about the City of West Hollywood, please contact the City of West Hollywood’s Public Information Officer, Sheri A. Lunn, at (323) 848-6391 or slunn@weho.org.