IDAHOBIT 2026: An Inspiring Afternoon of Queer Discussion and Art

Join the Goethe-Institut South Africa for IDAHOBIT 2026, a dynamic, multi-sensory celebration of queer art, dialogue, and community marking the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) on Thursday, 21 May 2026.

Taking place from 3pm to 10pm, the event brings together artists, activists, and audiences in a vibrant exploration of queer identity, language, and power under this year’s global theme, “At the Heart of Democracy.”

Free and open to the public, the event builds on past editions while expanding into an ambitious, multi-layered experience that reflects the diversity and complexity of queer expression across Sub-Saharan Africa. Here’s all you need to know.

IDAHOBIT at the Goethe-Institut | What's on in Joburg

What is the Goethe-Institut’s commemorative IDAHOBIT event about?

The International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia, and Transphobia falls on 17 May each year and is dedicated to inspiring communities and allies to take action against discrimination and violence experienced by LGBTQIA+ people.

The Goethe-Institut is commemmorating this important day with an afternoon featuring an exhibition, inspiring panel discussions, a screening of a queer film, music, and networking all in the name of queer allyship.

From 2025 to 2026: Growing the Platform

IDAHOBIT at the Goethe-Institut Johannesburg has steadily evolved into a key platform for cultural dialogue and community engagement. In 2025, the programme centred on an intimate evening of reflection, featuring the screening of Young, Gifted & Queer by Renaldo Schwarp, followed by a panel discussion and a music-led networking session.

That edition foregrounded storytelling, representation, and conversation, creating space for audiences to engage with queer experiences in a meaningful and accessible way.

In 2026, this foundation expands significantly. Rather than focusing on a single film and discussion, the programme transforms into a fully immersive cultural experience, inviting audiences to move through and engage with multiple forms of expression including art installations, live performance, and film.

IDAHOBIT at the Goethe-Institut Movie Screening Black Queer Identity | What's on in Joburg

A Continental Call for Queer Expression

At the heart of IDAHOBIT 2026 is a continent-wide open call that invited artists from across Sub-Saharan Africa to contribute to the exhibition. Led by curator and filmmaker Renaldo Schwarp, the call centred on a compelling curatorial framework: language as a site of control and resistance.

Artists were asked to reflect on how language has been used to:

define and police queer identities
exclude and silence communities

At the same time, the call emphasised how queer communities actively reclaim and transform language into a powerful tool for identity, belonging, and resistance.

The response brought together a rich range of perspectives, with selected works spanning visual art, performance, and film. The final programme reflects both deeply personal narratives and broader political realities shaping queer lives across the continent.

IDAHOBIT Goethe-Institut exhibition | What's on in Joburg

A Living, Immersive Exhibition

Curated by Schwarp, IDAHOBIT 2026 reimagines the Goethe-Institut as a living exhibition space, where audiences move through a carefully constructed environment rather than viewing static displays.

The exhibition brings together artists including Prince Rayanne Chidzvondo and Rachel Ngeitokondjo Sakeus, whose work explores identity, memory, and representation through visual media. They are joined by interdisciplinary practitioners such as Troye Shannon, Sisipho Madubela, Seth Riley, and Niza Jay, alongside the Phefumla Queer Collective, known for its community-driven performance work.

Film also plays a central role in the programme. Highlights include Tebogo, directed by Carl Collison, which addresses systemic injustice and lived experience, as well as projects by the OUT Moris Collective, focusing on trans and queer communities in the Indian Ocean region.

Across these works, the exhibition explores how identity is expressed and negotiated not only through language, but through the body, memory, performance, and visual storytelling.

An Evolving Programme Throughout the Day

The event unfolds as a dynamic, evolving experience beginning at 15:00 with a series of interactive sessions, workshops, and discussions developed in collaboration with cultural and human rights partners. These sessions create space for dialogue around diversity, equality, and social cohesion, encouraging participation and collective reflection.

The opening sequence follows, featuring a live performance by the Phefumla Queer Collective, a curated opening film, and welcome remarks that set the tone for the evening.

As the programme progresses, audiences are invited to move through the exhibition space, engaging with installations and live activations that bring the curatorial theme to life. The evening programme includes a selection of short film screenings, followed by a panel discussion moderated by Ditshego Ditshego, with contributions from Doreen Gaura, Dr Katlego Scheepers, and Professor Anthony Brown, focusing on rights, representation, and lived realities.

Further highlights include a drag performance, an interactive live photography installation by Troye Shannon, and a DJ-led networking session, which brings the evening to a close in a spirit of connection and community.

IDAHOBIT Goethe-Institut | What's on in Joburg

Collaboration Across Cultures and Institutions

IDAHOBIT 2026 is presented in collaboration with key cultural and human rights partners including the Austrian Cultural Forum, Institut Français (IFAS), Pro Helvetia, Heinrich-Böll-Foundation, Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation, and the Centre for Human Rights at the University of Pretoria. These partnerships support both the public programme and the development of the exhibition, reinforcing a shared commitment to dialogue, inclusion, and artistic expression across the region.

These partnerships reinforce the programme’s broader aim: to create a platform where cultural production, human rights, and public dialogue intersect.

Queer Voices at the Centre of Democracy

At its core, IDAHOBIT 2026 challenges audiences to reconsider the relationship between democracy and lived experience. By foregrounding queer voices from across Africa, the programme highlights the gap between formal rights and everyday realities, while also pointing toward new possibilities for inclusion and belonging.

Through its combination of art, dialogue, and collective experience, IDAHOBIT 2026 becomes more than a commemorative event. It is a space for visibility, resistance, and reimagining the future, placing queer expression firmly at the heart of democratic life.