The QLD Camping Bears have released their 2027 calendar, promising a whole host of furry fun. But beyond the thirst, this year’s edition comes alongside discussion around AI image generation in queer spaces, as well as the financial future of small queer groups.
The QLD Camping Bears are an LGBTQ+ group formed in 2020 by and for bears in the Queensland (QLD) state of Australia. The group runs events focused on bringing people in the bear community together.
President and Co-Founder Todd Hammond spoke to QNews about the Camping Bears’ ethos as well as this fundraising calendar: “We don’t run on membership fees, dance parties or anything like that… How we generate funding is limited compared to others, so we decided to get creative. Every year, the calendar raises a lot of funds for us to keep things going.”
The 2027 calendar is now the fifth annual calendar the group has created, and one of the most popular so far, with 50% of their total stock already sold on preorders.
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This year’s QLD Camping Bears calendar theme is inspired not only by the location of the photoshoot (the Oakey Ridge Farmstay), but also by the months of the zodiac.
Photographer Dylan Hodgon spoke to QNews about the process, saying, “It was a beautiful, chaotic time filled with last-minute ideas for the shoot, and everyone had a great time. The brilliant connection Todd and I have, and one of the reasons we work so brilliantly together, is that he has an idea but will let me run with it.”
Hodgon added, “That beautiful symbiotic nature gives me enough direction, and I love his ideas so much that he lets me run with it.”
“Each year, we aim for the calendar to get better and better,” said the QLD Camping Bears Co-Founder. “And I do genuinely feel that this year once again, we’ve done that. I remember Dylan saying that last year was his favourite, and now he’s saying this year is his favourite…
“But it’s not just about all the photos; there’s something to be said for having something physically printed. That’s really important. We are starting to see so much AI imagery around, especially in queer spaces. I find it’s making the queer community feel a little bit disconnected from what is real.”
Evidence of this AI imagery is not hard to find; searching for other similar LGBTQ+ calendars online will yield a large amount of machine-generated artwork. However, with the Camping Bears’ calendar, you can find comfort in knowing it not only offers you a photo to look forward to every month, but your money is also going towards supporting queer people making queer art.
Todd Hammond put it best, saying, “Having something created by real members of the community, and presented in something physical and tangible, that’s really important. Because it helps connect the community.”
Copies of the QLD Camping Bears 2027 Calendar are available online; grab one while you can!
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