Preservation in Print

Collectors play a pivotal role in safeguarding gay art for the future

In the digital age, analog has never been more important. 

Since the Trump administration took over, many government websites have been scrubbed of data and facts — a disturbing and alarming example of how quickly and easily censorship can be implemented in digital spaces.

With a few clicks and keystrokes, entire histories are rewritten or erased and the realities we’re all operating within can be reshaped. 

That’s why I write in a journal every morning, creating a physical record of our world for future historians.

And that’s why I’m so passionate about the physical, printed version of this magazine. 

Printed materials are time capsules and records; and because multiples can exist across the world, the more copies out there, the harder it is for authorities to destroy them or silence their testimony. 

“I don’t know if fascists are going to arrest me, destroy my art, or burn my house down, but here is the truth: They can do all that, but I have my artwork all over the world; it’s out there, I created it, and I am proud that I did it,” [March 2026] cover artist Marc DeBauch mentioned in his interview. 

Marc’s life and iconic works not only highlight the freedom gay artists find in expressing our innermost selves, but also the importance of collectors, clients, and patrons who support us and our art around the globe. 

To buy gay art is to preserve gay art.

This symbiotic creative ecosystem gives rise to a more vibrant gay community, which is a crucial lifeline to many artists who might not otherwise have that locally, like Trevor Foley, who faced artistic censorship at an event in his Arkansas town. 

Or Verediex and Insanelad, who have both grown artistically as they’ve connected with the global gay art community and found support from artists and non-artists alike. 

Each of us — artists and collectors — play an important part in ensuring our gay art communities thrive and continue. 

Artists (and future artists): thank you for your courage and vulnerability. Sharing parts of your souls is not an easy task, especially in scary, uncertain times. But each piece is a flame that lights the next fire, so keep creating and sharing your work!

Collectors: Thank you for supporting the gay art community, even in troubling times. Your likes and follows are encouraging, and your purchases — big or small — go a long way in supporting gay artists and keeping a record of our current creative world for generations to come.