BQC Community Center
Our BQC Community Center provides a critical inclusive third space—a community space outside of home and work—for our 18+ intergenerational LGBTQ+ community members to gather downtown. All events and activities are free at the BQC Center.
The BQC Center opened in June 2024 and is the first ever nonprofit LGBTQ+ community center space between Seattle and Canada.
Our Center hosts:
Affinity group meetups; common interests or identities
Workshops, classes, game and movie nights
A book lending library and a quiet reading/work space
Co-working space and socializing space
Meeting space for other queer organizations
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The BQC Center is located in the vibrant Downtown Arts District of Bellingham, across the street between the Pickford Film Center and the new Pickford on Grand. We are in the historic 100 Prospect Building, next door to Voxel Gallery: 310 West Champion Street, Bellingham WA 98225
Co-Working Cafe
Monday through Friday | 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM.
This time is reserved for quiet time for those who would like to work, read, or study in a quiet and safe space with the community. We invite you to take advantage of our free Wi-fi, snacks, drinks, book lending library and office supplies.
BQC Center Schedule
Volunteer greeters are scheduled to support the programming and events at the Center throughout the week. Our goal is to utilize our space for a variety of needs and wants that have been suggested by our community. Below is a short description of each program on the schedule.
Co-Working Cafe: Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM. This time is reserved this time for quiet time for those who would like to work/read/study in a quiet space with the community. Visit our Co-Working Cafe page to learn more.
Affinity Groups: Evenings and Weekends as scheduled. Volunteers pair up to start social groups that share a common interest or identity and meet about once a month or more for a couple of hours. Most groups meet in the Center, while some meet out in town. Visit our Affinity Group page to learn more.
Fun Fridays: Each Friday night from 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM members will host a community drop in night to play games, watch a movie, learn an art/craft, maybe read some poetry or sing karaoke.
Social Hours: Drop in to visit with friends, make a new friend, hang out on your own, check out a book (soon), play a game, read, help yourself to a hot or cold beverage and snack. Check out our Center calendar for upcoming drop-in times.
Upcoming Events at the BQC Center
The Mindfulness Meditation Group welcomes both inexperienced and experienced meditators to a weekly offering that will be hybrid-- both online and in person. It is facilitated by Jill Stansbury, the BQC Wellness Coordinator, who is a trained Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction facilitator through Brown University. This group meets weekly.
The BQC Center is reserved on weekday mornings for quiet time for those who would like to work, read, or study in a quiet and safe space with the community.
We invite you to take advantage of our free Wi-fi, snacks, drinks, book lending library and office supplies while you are working.
The BQC Center is reserved on weekday mornings for quiet time for those who would like to work, read, or study in a quiet and safe space with the community.
We invite you to take advantage of our free Wi-fi, snacks, drinks, book lending library and office supplies while you are working.
The Intentional Living and Dying Well group was inspired by the heartfelt and transformative conversations we had during a Rainbow Elders led book club focused on The Art of Dying Well by Katy Butler. We found it invaluable to be able to discuss living according to our values through life changes, aging, and, ultimately, death. And we appreciate how helpful it is to discuss navigating life choices with a group of friends who also understand what it is to be queer in today's America.
Do you identify as coming out late in life? Coming out recently? Please join us for friendship and support.
The BQC Center is reserved on weekday mornings for quiet time for those who would like to work, read, or study in a quiet and safe space with the community.
We invite you to take advantage of our free Wi-fi, snacks, drinks, book lending library and office supplies while you are working.
Drop in to the BQC Center to visit with friends, make a new friend, hang out on your own, check out a book (soon), play a game, read, listen to music, help yourself to a hot or cold beverage and snack, and more!
We seek to build queer community together through collaborative storytelling. We meet once a month to play tabletop roleplaying games. All skill levels welcome!
The BQC Center is reserved on weekday mornings for quiet time for those who would like to work, read, or study in a quiet and safe space with the community.
We invite you to take advantage of our free Wi-fi, snacks, drinks, book lending library and office supplies while you are working.
Drop in to the BQC Center to visit with friends, make a new friend, hang out on your own, check out a book (soon), play a game, read, listen to music, help yourself to a hot or cold beverage and snack, and more!
We are a group of queer people who like to share our crafts; knitting, crocheting, drawing, coloring, pixel art, or whatever you want to bring along. We're here to share stories and experiences, ask questions or just hang out.
The BQC Center is reserved on weekday mornings for quiet time for those who would like to work, read, or study in a quiet and safe space with the community.
We invite you to take advantage of our free Wi-fi, snacks, drinks, book lending library and office supplies while you are working.
This is a group for people with chronic pain and chronic illness to seek and find support and connect with other people experiencing similar symptoms and diagnoses. This includes but is CERTAINLY not limited to: fibromyalgia, POTS, EDS and other connective tissue diseases, ME/CFS, chronic back pain, sciatica, degenerative disc disease, lupus, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, Crohn's, IBS, and many more.
Bellingham Queer Collective is thrilled to host an eight-week mindfulness series designed for prismatic parents, caregivers and educators. Participants in this course will be introduced to mindfulness in the caregiving relationship and will experience both automatic and aware parenting/caregiving. In addition, mindfulness home practices and resources to support them will be explored.
Sessions will be held at the BQC Center (310 W Champion Street in Bellingham). We will meet on Sundays from September 13 - November 15 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm. Our session on Sunday, October 25 will be from 9:00 - 4:00 pm.
The Mindfulness Meditation Group welcomes both inexperienced and experienced meditators to a weekly offering that will be hybrid-- both online and in person. It is facilitated by Jill Stansbury, the BQC Wellness Coordinator, who is a trained Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction facilitator through Brown University. This group meets weekly.
The BQC Center is reserved on weekday mornings for quiet time for those who would like to work, read, or study in a quiet and safe space with the community.
We invite you to take advantage of our free Wi-fi, snacks, drinks, book lending library and office supplies while you are working.
The BQC Center is reserved on weekday mornings for quiet time for those who would like to work, read, or study in a quiet and safe space with the community.
We invite you to take advantage of our free Wi-fi, snacks, drinks, book lending library and office supplies while you are working.
The BQC Center is reserved on weekday mornings for quiet time for those who would like to work, read, or study in a quiet and safe space with the community.
We invite you to take advantage of our free Wi-fi, snacks, drinks, book lending library and office supplies while you are working.
Drop in to the BQC Center to visit with friends, make a new friend, hang out on your own, check out a book (soon), play a game, read, listen to music, help yourself to a hot or cold beverage and snack, and more!
No matter what you're working on or where you are in the process, we offer space and community to support creativity.
The BQC Center is reserved on weekday mornings for quiet time for those who would like to work, read, or study in a quiet and safe space with the community.
We invite you to take advantage of our free Wi-fi, snacks, drinks, book lending library and office supplies while you are working.
Drop in to the BQC Center to visit with friends, make a new friend, hang out on your own, check out a book (soon), play a game, read, listen to music, help yourself to a hot or cold beverage and snack, and more!
This is a group for Rainbow Refugees, 2SLGBTQIA+ people who have moved here from red areas. We will discuss things like being new to Bellingham, dealing with moving/starting over, survivor’s guilt, and getting used to being in a safer area.
The BQC Center is reserved on weekday mornings for quiet time for those who would like to work, read, or study in a quiet and safe space with the community.
We invite you to take advantage of our free Wi-fi, snacks, drinks, book lending library and office supplies while you are working.
Join us for a different activity every Friday night at the BQC Center! Just drop in and join the fun. This week we’re hosting a Queer As Folk watch party!
Join us for a casual and inclusive Queer Women's Social Hour at the BQC Center. We will meet, introduce ourselves, and talk about a variety of topics of interest, including our needs, vision and expectations for future meetings of this group. This event is for those who feel more comfortable gathering in a more female-centered environment rather than a group of mostly cis-males. If this applies to you, then please join us to make new friends, share experiences, and build a supportive community together.
Join us for Advocacy Hour as we come together to discuss and amplify critical issues affecting our community.
BQC Sacred Misfits: Spirituality on the Margins is a peer-led group for anyone interested in exploring spiritual practices outside of dominant religious frameworks. We center queer, trans, and other marginalized voices while creating space for self-inquiry, sacred play, and community connection. We gather to study divination, explore our weird spiritual selves, encourage stepping outside the mainstream, and find community beyond the binary, the dogma, and the gatekeeping. All genders, paths, and vibes welcome. No specific beliefs or experience required—just openness and respect.
The Mindfulness Meditation Group welcomes both inexperienced and experienced meditators to a weekly offering that will be hybrid-- both online and in person. It is facilitated by Jill Stansbury, the BQC Wellness Coordinator, who is a trained Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction facilitator through Brown University. This group meets weekly.
The BQC Center is reserved on weekday mornings for quiet time for those who would like to work, read, or study in a quiet and safe space with the community.
We invite you to take advantage of our free Wi-fi, snacks, drinks, book lending library and office supplies while you are working.
The BQC Center is reserved on weekday mornings for quiet time for those who would like to work, read, or study in a quiet and safe space with the community.
We invite you to take advantage of our free Wi-fi, snacks, drinks, book lending library and office supplies while you are working.
This group is a welcoming and affirming social group created specifically for transfeminine people to connect, share experiences, and build community in a supportive environment. Open to anyone who identifies with transfeminine experiences—including trans women, transfeminine nonbinary people, and those exploring gender—this group offers a space for casual conversation, mutual support, creative expression, and friendship. Whether you're looking to meet others with similar identities, talk about gender journeys, or just hang out in a space where you feel seen and celebrated, BQC Transfemme group is here for you.
The BQC Center is reserved on weekday mornings for quiet time for those who would like to work, read, or study in a quiet and safe space with the community.
We invite you to take advantage of our free Wi-fi, snacks, drinks, book lending library and office supplies while you are working.
Drop in to the BQC Center to visit with friends, make a new friend, hang out on your own, check out a book (soon), play a game, read, listen to music, help yourself to a hot or cold beverage and snack, and more!
Volunteer in the Center
The BQC Community Center is staffed by dedicated volunteers who have completed training in customer service, de-escalation, and other important skills. We are always looking for volunteers to help with:
Greeting visitors
Leading Affinity Groups
Hosting Fun Friday social activities
Leading wellness classes and activities
Making Costco runs for snacks, drinks, and supplies
Cleaning and organizing
Maintenance projects… and more!
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