qtella

“It has become a global queer haven” BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE PROVIDED Picture this: LGBTQIA+ women and non-binary people from around the world laughing, dancing, singing, sharing stories and coming together in meaningful conversation, with the Mediterranean stretching out along Palma’s coastline. This is ELLA Festival. In 2026, ELLA celebrated the 10th Summer edition of ELLA Mallorca – a week-long celebration of music, culture, food, travel, connection and community for LGBTQIA+ women and...

Photo credit: Jonathan Phang When Nicola and I returned from Mallorca last year, it was not only the programme, the conversations or the events that stayed with us. It was the people we met, the friendships we made and the feeling of being part of an international community of queer women and non- binary people coming together from different countries, cultures, generations and life experiences. There was something special about ELLA. Conversations started during sessions and carried on over...

There is a moment, just before everything begins, in which nothing has yet happened. The lights are ready. The audience waits. The stage remains silent. And someone breathes. For Martina Benvenutto , that moment matters. Before going on stage, she allows herself a few minutes to be silent, review the script, and remember something seemingly simple: it's not about doing it perfectly. It's about being present. Perhaps that phrase explains his way of understanding communication better than any...