Quilted: The Progression of Our Rights – Queer Elders Speak

In 2025, Bill Stearman travelled across Canada, speaking to groups about his activism through quilt making, and about the progression of Queer rights in Canada during his lifetime.

As he travelled, he interviewed a diverse group of Queer elders, placing an emphasis on the LGBT Purge during presentations and when selecting interviewees.

This exhibition is the culmination of those travels.

Bill has sorted out what he learned from 65 interviews into quilts based on Supreme Court decisions and legislative acts of Parliament that advanced Queer rights.

This exhibition is an interactive work in progress, with opportunities for Queer elders to add personal Queer history stories.

Queer history, told through our stories, matters!

Quilted: The Progression of Our Rights – Queer Elders Speak is on exhibition at the County Arts Lab July 23rd-August 10th, 2026, daily from 10 AM-6 PM. Bill will be hosting an ‘Artist’s Tour’ daily at 12:30 PM throughout the run of the exhibition.

Opening Reception: July 23rd, 2026 from 6-8 PM. 

Unit 2E, 206 Main Street, Picton.