We’ll be there for you
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC, shares its time and talents to enlighten and enrich the lives of others.
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC sings to inspire equality and inclusion with musical performances and education promoting justice and dignity for all. But we also use our time, talents, and resources to give back to the community.
Examples of GMCW’s community outreach:
Sing Out: A Piano Bar Open Mic
Each month, GMCW hosts Sing Out: A Piano Bar Open Mic at Crush Dance Bar. Broadway show tunes, jazz standards, pop arrangements, whatever you like to sing! Just bring sheet music for our accompanist, sign up with the host, and have a great time. A few boxes of sheet music will be available for anyone to use as well. The event will be the third Wednesday every month. Singing kicks off around 8:00pm, and wraps around 11:00pm.
GenOUT Youth Chorus
The DMV area’s chorus for social justice champions ages 13 to 18. We are a vocal ensemble dedicated to using our voices to uplift the LGBTQ+ community and promote equality and justice for all. To learn more about GenOUT, click HERE.
Partners in Harmony
The GMCW mission to champion equality includes honoring and promoting others whose mission enhances and complements our own. There is a growing number of synagogues, congregations, churches, and other faith-based organizations that welcome, enfold, and celebrate LGBTQ+ persons. We call them our Partners in Harmony. To see a list and learn more, click HERE.
Various Voices & Gay Games 2026
At the end of June, our small ensembles Potomac Fever, Rock Creek Singers, and Seasons of Love are traveling to Brussels, Belgium, to participate in Various Voices, a quadrennial festival featuring 120 LGBTQ+allied choruses from over 20 countries. The following week, 30 members of GMCW will participate in the opening ceremony of Gay Games XII in Valencia, Spain, alongside 10,000 athletes from around the world. Additionally, our singers will join the Festival Coro, a chorus of 100 singers from 12 countries, to sing at sporting and social events throughout the Games. To learn more about Various Voices, click HERE. To learn more about Gay Games, click HERE.
Food & Friends
In addition to making complimentary tickets available to people living with HIV/AIDS through this worthy organization, the Chorus also provides volunteers to help provide meals to people in need.
Toy Drive
Begun by late founding member Bob Wonneberger and his partner Stanley Allen, GMCW hosts an annual toy drive during the holidays to provide new toys for under-privileged children through Community Family Life Services.
Night Out at the Nationals
Since 2006, GMCW has sung the National Anthem as part of Team DC’s Night Out at the Nationals. Team DC educates the LGBTQ+ community on the benefits of individual and team sports participation.
Christmas Caroling
Each Christmas Eve, members of GMCW visit the National Institutes of Health to sing carols for patients and staff to brighten their holidays.
Outreach Performances
In addition to high profile performances such as the annual Capital Pride Festival and annual MLK, Jr. Celebration (co-sponsored by the GLBT Arts Consortium of Washington and Capital Pride), GMCW lifts it collective voice at a variety of events in support of organizations including Human Rights Campaign, Whitman-Walker Clinic, Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington, Mautner Project, PFLAG-DC, and Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.
Questions?
Contact Outreach Manger, Michael Hughes at outreach@gmcw.org or call the GMCW office at 202-293-1548.
Were you moved by a GMCW performance you recently attended? If you have hosted or attended one of our outreach performances, please take a moment to answer this brief survey HERE.
