When pandemic lockdowns threatened NewFest's survival, the film festival faced an existential challenge to reinvent itself beyond physical screenings. Research showed LGBTQ+ people were disproportionately isolated in unsupportive environments. To fight, we positioned the festival as a safe place for the community to connect, share and celebrate queer art, love, and representation in media.

In 2020, we launched a digital-first campaign celebrating queer resilience, partnering with an LGBTQ+ artist to create powerful visual storytelling that rallied the community around streaming content. As NYC reopened in 2021, we capitalized on the post-pandemic QR code frenzy, creating Times Square's largest code installation alongside its first queer kiss display.

The digital pivot maintained vital community connections during lockdown, while the bold Times Square comeback turned millions of photos into festival engagement opportunities, establishing NewFest as a symbol of queer resilience.