IT'S a Wednesday morning and Earp Distilling Co in Carrington is closed to the general public.
Even if the sleek bar room was packed to capacity nobody could miss Abork.
The six foot-plus drag queen performer and artist is decked out in her full cabaret outfit, complete with high heels, a pink and lime green dress and an eye-catching wig.
"You're always nervous going on stage, but once you're there and everyone is looking at you and smiling and laughing, all the worries wash away," Abork says.
Abork is at Earp Distilling to help launch Newcastle's Diverge festival. Earp Distilling is hosting the inaugural "celebration of queer excellence" on Sunday with 17 acts performing music and cabaret across two stages.
Diverge is being presented by newly established arts organisation Queer and Now to close the This is Not Art Festival and is supported by the City of Newcastle through a community support grant.
Performers include Newcastle indie-pop artist Rachel Maria Cox, Newcastle-based Palestinian/Iraqi rapper Meer and Paxton-raised electro-pop singer Chloe Grant-King, aka Djanaba.
It's an event Queer and Now director, Jasmine Fletcher, says is long overdue.
"Essentially they're invaluable to our community," Fletcher says.
"It's really important to have representation, so we need events that showcase queer arts, help people, foster social connections and help increase that representation.
"They present that sense of belonging for people in the queer community."
It's a sentiment strongly shared by Abork.
Four years ago the former drama teacher started drag performing. Within a year the hobby became a profession as she says, "instead of being behind the stage, I wanted to be on stage."
These days Abork is in high demand, performing at bingo and trivia nights, as well as hens parties and baby showers. She's also performed at fringe festivals in Newcastle, Sydney and Melbourne.
However, Abork says more events like Diverge are needed in Newcastle to bring the diverse elements of the LGBTQIA+ community together.
"The community here is not so much hidden, but it's very tucked away," she says. "You don't always see all the hidden gems that are going on in Newcastle.
"I feel an event like this can bring everyone out to figure out who they are as individuals and their sexuality, and above all, just have a good time and not feel like they're being judged at all. It's a safe space, which we need more of in Newcastle."
Emerging 22-year-old R'n'B artist Elijah Amoss is also performing at Diverge.
"It's very needed because there isn't much diversity in Newcastle, so I think it's very important," Amoss says. "As a trans man I very much need a safe space."
In 2018 Newcastle lost its only recognised "gay bar" the Gateway Hotel when the new owners of the Maitland Road institution renamed it Newcastle Hotel and shifted its focus on a more mainstream clientele.
Since then venues like the Sydney Junction Hotel and Crown & Anchor Hotel have hosted LGBTQIA+ events, and not-for-profit organisation Newcastle Pride has held a variety of events, including last Saturday's Twisted Cabaret at Newcastle City Hall as part of their month-long festival.
Fletcher says those events are vitally important, but Newcastle needs a permanent home for the LGBTQIA+ community.
"I think it's super necessary, but it just feels out of reach for me," Fletcher says.
"From a broad perspective it's definitely needed. Something people don't need to necessarily spend money at, they can just hang out at. They can just pop in and say hello to people, it doesn't have to be a loud event.
"The reason we need a space is it would allow for people who don't enjoy quite large events."
Fletcher also points out the straight community are more than welcome at Diverge.
"I encourage it. Obviously allies are always welcome," they say. "For me, I really want to not only create a safe space for the queer community, but it's also just creating a safe space full stop."
Diverge begins at 2pm on Sunday at Earp Distilling Co.
