Public Relations
Pittsburgh Lesbian & Gay Film Society Press Information
OUR ORGANIZATION PLGFS MISSION STATEMENT
The Pittsburgh Lesbian and Gay Film Society is to celebrate LGBT culture and foster appreciation and visibility through film media.
A New Direction
In 2006 the Pittsburgh International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival officially changed their name to the Pittsburgh Lesbian and Gay Film Society (PLGFS) in an effort to demonstrate their commitment to expand their direction. As the 6th oldest LGBT Film Festival in the world we are committed to our mission by not only showing films in October during our festival but also have a year round presence. With a new, enthusiastic board we are making the Pittsburgh Lesbian and Gay Film Society an important LBGT resource and becoming an active and driving force in the arts community of Pittsburgh.
The Pittsburgh Lesbian and Gay Film Society is committed to providing an exceptional level of value for the Pittsburgh community. We have successfully established a standard of excellence that is reflected not only in the quality of films presented each year but also in the professionalism of the production of Film Society events.
We are a very energized organization and continue to keep our eyes focused on making the Pittsburgh Lesbian and Gay Film Society an important LBGT resource and to be an active participant and driving force in the arts community of Pittsburgh. We will continue our outreach efforts with community groups and local colleges to show that as a community we can work together to achieve great results. With these great results we will drive Pittsburgh to the forefront of LGBT Festivals.
In 2012, we re-branded of our film festival. Now called Reel Q, The Pittsburgh International LGBT Film Festival, we are no longer just Gay and Lesbian!
With our focus on quality year round events and positioning ourselves for the future we want to broaden our audience range. We have started activities that are fun to attend, attract a wider audience and yet still provide a sense of community. We facilitate “meet and greets” and panel discussions. We also work with other organizations in order to bring organizations together and hold joint activities.
Celebrating 29 years of LGBT Filmmaking!
Now in our 28th year, Reel Q, the Pittsburgh International LGBT Film Festival is an annual celebration of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered writers, directors, actors and their work. Each year in October, hundreds of movie-goers from Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and the surrounding areas are treated to ten days of high quality entertainment, including feature films, shorts, and videos from the hottest national and international LGBT filmmakers of our time.
BUSINESS CASE FOR SPONSORING A LGBT EVENT
Why sponsor an event that is directed specifically towards gays and lesbians? Copernicus Marketing publishes and an e-magazine every few months regarding various marketing topics. Here is a quote from their issue regarding the LGBT market:
“While a small group relative to the total population, the gay male market – estimated by some experts to be worth $500 billion – and the lesbian market – which has sustained the Subaru brand among others – are hardly anything to poo-poo or to lump into general consumer marketing efforts. More than a decade ago, the Wall Street Journal proclaimed the gay and lesbian community “a dream market.” Members of this market likely have unique needs, attitudes, and brand preferences from the general consumer market, and meeting their unique needs could represent significant profit potential for companies. Unfortunately, removing the mass mentality for marketing has proven easier said than done. ”
OUR DEMOGRAPHICS
PLGFS’s core demographic is urban gay men and lesbians between the ages of 25 and 60, living in the city of Pittsburgh and the surrounding Allegheny County suburbs. On average, most of our film festival attendees identify themselves as gay or lesbian, and make, on average, $50,000 of total household income.
In addition, a growing number of individuals that attend our events identify themselves as heterosexuals.
Patron Demographics:
Email Distribution Lists:
3500 Active Email Addresses
Average Number of Email blasts per year:
Gender
| Female | 48% |
| Male | 51% |
Age
| <25 | 12% |
| 25-55 | 79% |
| >55 | 9% |
| Median Age | 45 |
Income
| <20 | 19% |
| 20 – 60 | 45% |
| 60 – 100 | 20% |
| >100 | 16% |
OUR PURPOSE
The Pittsburgh Lesbian and Gay Film Society has been organized for educational and charitable purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. Its primary goal is to provide opportunities for the LGBT culture to come together and celebrate the community at large.
PENNSYLVANIA STATE REGISTRATION
The Pittsburgh Lesbian and Gay Film Society is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt fine arts organization registered with the Pennsylvania Commission of Charitable Organizations. A copy of the official registration and financial information can be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling 1-800-732-0999, or by visiting http://www.dos.state.pa.us/. Registration does not imply endorsement.
WEBSITE
The Pittsburgh Lesbian and Gay Film Society Corporation maintains a website that is used to provide information on our events as well as provides information and links to funding Sponsors and Foundations. We also have a very active email distribution lists. We use e-mail blasts to advertise all of our events as well as other events that may be of interest to our patrons.
