San Francisco searches for next drag laureate
(KRON) — The San Francisco Office of Transgender Initiatives announced Monday it is searching for the city's next drag laureate. The drag laureate is a role described as 'celebrating and uplifting the city's vibrant LGBTQ+ community,' according to officials.
City officials said applicants should be full-time San Francisco residents and have 'a strong understanding of the city's rich drag history, and have experience in community activism, engagement, or philanthropy.' The individual selected to be drag laureate will get a $105,000 stipend — or $35,000 annually — to support works over a three-year term.
The search comes after the tenure of D'Arcy Drollinger, San Francisco's first drag laureate and owner of Oasis nightclub, comes to an end. Officials said Drollinger 'defined the inaugural program through a series of key appearances and a new event in collaboration with Oasis Arts, the Civic Joy Fund, and drag performers Juanita MORE! and Honey Mahogany called SF is a Drag.'
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'D'Arcy has done an amazing job serving as San Francisco's first drag laureate, and I am thrilled that we are celebrating and honoring queer artistry and voices by opening the application process for our next drag laureate,' Mayor Daniel Lurie said in the announcement.
'It brings me so much joy to know that Mayor Lurie and the [San Francisco Public Library] are committed to continuing this legacy, and I truly hope that the Drag Laureate position becomes an integral part of San Francisco's cultural fabric, much like the Imperial and Ducal Courts and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence,' Drollinger said. 'These organizations have become pillars of our community, and I'm thrilled to see the Drag Laureate position become part of that same enduring tapestry.'
The call for applications closes on April 13, with the final selection to be announced in May. More information can be found on the Drag Laureate Program website.
The Drag Laureate Program is a collaboration between the mayor's office, the San Francisco Public Library, the San Francisco Human Rights Commission and the Office of Transgender Initiatives.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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