ALTBALL PRESENTS
SUBVERSION
MAKE THE THING NOBODY ASKED FOR
MAY 14, 2027
Some of culture’s boldest moments happen when someone refuses the rule. They always have. Warhol made the party his own moving artwork. Willi Ninja turned the floor into a language of the body. Leigh Bowery transformed into something closer to sculpture. No rules. No permission. Only uninterrupted self-expression. And somehow their uniqueness helped shape spaces, communities and movements where others could show up, “wear themselves” and live in their own power.
ALTBALL 2027 calls back to the communal personalities and spaces where movements started: the self, the art and the floor. SUBVERSION is an homage to those that rewrote what art, fashion or performance could be and gave alternative culture its platforms. Low light, an intimate crowd, no separation between the art, the show and the room. This year, the runway doesn’t hold still – it melds and moves through the entire space.
But this isn’t nostalgia. SUBVERSION is about the world only you can see and have the nerve to share with others. This is a space that welcomes what’s next.
For over 35 years, DOORWAYS has provided emergency housing and supportive services for individuals affected by HIV, illness and poverty in St. Louis and across Missouri & Illinois. Each year DOORWAYS’ programs serve over 3,500 clients with wrap-around services to stabilize and rebuild their lives.
ALTBALL celebrates the strength, resilience and beauty of this community—demonstrating what’s possible when everyone is free to be and express themselves at the height of their potential. Designers, artists, drag queens, musical acts and ballroom legends will showcase avant-garde creations on the runway while raising funds for DOORWAYS’ programs.
Part artistic spectacle, part fashion show, part underground ball—ALTBALL is a unique creative showcase that is both *of* the community and *for* the community.
All proceeds to benefit the mission and programs of DOORWAYS—which improves the quality of life of people affected by HIV, illness, and poverty, advancing their stability and well-being through housing, health, and empowerment services.
FOR NEARLY FOUR DECADES DOORWAYS HAS PROVIDED clients HOUSING, HEALTH & HOPE
DOORWAYS, based in St. Louis, is dedicated to providing housing and supportive services for those in our community affected by HIV. Founded in 1988 as an interfaith organization offering hospice care at the height of the AIDS crisis, DOORWAYS’ programs have expanded to six platforms of housing services. Today, they serve over 3,500 individuals each year with emergency housing and supportive services across the St. Louis metro and MO/IL communities.
Their Annual Impact Report and other information outlining their work and impact can be found at doorwayshousing.org
SEE YOU ON THE RUNWAY
MAKE A TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION TO SUPPORT DOORWAYS’ CRITICAL WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY.