Short summary:
In May 2025, an online exhibition sharing the voices and art of queer people in Russia reached over 100,000 people globally but fell short of its fundraising goal.
Full description:
In January 2025, ComingOut, in partnership with AllOut, launched an ambitious multilingual digital exhibition called “Love vs Fear” to share stories of queer people living and resisting in Russia under extreme repression. ComingOut curated real stories and matched them with inspired artwork, while AllOut managed the platform, global reach, and translations into six languages. The campaign successfully reached over 100,000 visitors, gained impressive press coverage, and saw strong engagement through a two-month social media campaign. However, it fell short on donations, revealing a crucial lesson: reaching new international audiences, especially on sensitive topics like LGBTQ+ rights in authoritarian regimes, involves relationship-building rather than instant fundraising. This campaign was seen as the start of a long-term effort.
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