The ArQuives is thrilled to announce The Pussy Palace Oral History Project won Heritage Toronto’s Public History (Large Project) Award.
The winners of the annual Heritage Toronto Awards were announced on October 21, 2026 at The Carlu in downtown Toronto. Seven winners were named from 75 nominees in three categories: Book, Public History, and Built Heritage. Six of the winners were independently chosen by a jury of experts, with the seventh category, the People’s Choice Award, chosen by Heritage Toronto donors and Awards ticket holders. The 2026 Volunteer Service Award was presented to Gilles Huot, for his sustained dedication, creative excellence, and investment in the next generation.
The Pussy Palace Oral History Project (PPOHP) documents the rise, police raid, and enduring cultural legacy of Toronto’s Pussy Palace bathhouse events (1998–2014), a landmark queer women’s and trans public sex space. Led by the LGBTQ Oral History Digital Collaboratory at the University of Toronto in partnership with The ArQuives, the project preserves and publicly shares a vital chapter of Toronto history.
At the centre of the project is the September 2000 Pussy Palace raid, the last major queer bathhouse raid in Canadian history. Through oral histories with organizers, patrons, volunteers, and activists, the project situates the raid within broader histories of queer organizing, feminist activism, sexuality, public space, and policing in Toronto.
The PPOHP combines oral history, archival research, and digital research-creation to preserve histories often marginalized within institutional archives.
Additional Project Attribution
CORE RESEARCH TEAM
Elspeth H. Brown | Principal Investigator
Alisha Stranges | Lead Oral Historian / Research Manager
Elio Colavito | Co-Oral Historian
Ayo Tsalithaba | Creative Producer
Emily Mastragostino | Interview Coder
ARCHIVAL PARTNERSHIP SUPPORT
Raegan Swanson, Executive Director, The ArQuives
Lucie Handley-Girard, Archivist, The ArQuives
Jordan Saroya, Administrative Assistant
DIGITAL EXHIBIT
Peter Luo, UX Designer
Jesse Sinfield, Developer (final build)
Matt Lefaive, Developer (prototype)
WORK STUDY STUDENTS (2022-2025)
Aisling Murphy, Social Media Manager
Katherine Zheng, Social Media Manager
Ashley Gold, Social Media Manager
Chase Thomson, Social Media Manager