Drag begins as a performance and lives on in queer community. Drag artists create spaces to reflect and critique culture, process nuanced emotions, protest bigotry, and grow beyond the arbitrary boundaries of cishet norms. The connection and joy shared in drag spaces empower people with the confidence to show up authentically in everyday life. As the wildly talented performer behind Scum Bouquet, Art Schultz brings clowning, tenderness, political dissent, and community care to truly unforgettable performances. They fully embody silly, seductive, and sacred energies within a single song. After a packed Pride month, Art generously took the time to let us learn more about the person and purpose behind Scum Bouquet.
Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. You seem to be involved in every corner of Denver’s queer community. Between performing, organizing events, and creating art, Pride month must be especially busy.
What shows, events, or projects are you most excited about this season?
I was most excited for my Fatherless Father’s Day show which featured a cast of ALL drag kings and was hosted by Creepatorium! I think it’s so important to create space and platform kings every month but especially during Pride where we see significant lack of representation on the big stages.
The next show I’m most excited for is Haus VelvIT’s “It’s Soul Eclectic!” which is fully BIPOC produced and cast, and it’s an audience-interactive cabaret gameshow paying homage to the iconic Soul Train!
For people meeting Scum Bouquet for the first time, how would you describe yourself as a performer?
Scum Bouquet is a silly dude who loves to dance, create whimsy in style/makeup, and interact with the crowd. I love Scumbo because he is gender expansive and not afraid to make a fool of himself; in fact, that’s his whole shtick! He brings clown king and gender-ambiguous drag thing energy and is here to remind you drag is whatever the hell you want it to be! Scum’s goal is to create seductive magic and artistry out of the silly nature of life, to inspire you to be your goofiest most dramatic self and never hide your gifts from the world. In a world where everyone is always comparing and competing, Scumbo is just here to have fun, dance his ass off, and hopefully share a smile with you.
What does it feel like to step on stage in front of a crowd? What’s your favorite part of performing?
It feels scary! Even after three years of performing, I still get nervous every time I step out on stage because it’s a very intimate thing. Performing is choosing to do the scary thing for the sake of sharing your art with the world. But my favorite part is that it allows me to connect with my community through reclamation of my body and my art, to be vulnerable and to allow yourself and your art to be seen by community who is there to hold space for you is just really special to me.
Your makeup is incredible. What are your best tricks for making it survive a long night of performing?
I am honestly probably not the one to ask for a lasting look, as I rarely use setting spray or anything. My pro tip is I just powder to high hell and wish upon a star it makes it through the night (laughs).
Your costumes, dance routines, and song choices always keep audiences guessing. Clownery seems to show up in all of your drag work in different ways. What are some of your favorite clown aesthetics, themes, or visual elements to bring into your performances?
I loveeee to make a mix that is campy and silly and dramatic. And I think those elements of clownery help support what it is I will bring to the stage! I think mockery is a theme that is always fun to play off of. Whatever the theme of the show, how can I mock myself, a character, an artist, etc. in ways that make it fun for me and the crowd?
Visually, I love exploring traditional clown face aesthetic with the big nose and big lips as a reclamation of the clown look. Not many white clowns care to do the research, but those specific elements were culturally appropriated based off of the features of Black people. In my look, I exaggerate my own features, and I make sure to include my culture in the ways I style my wigs and create my costumes. I try to make sure my Blackness shows up in every number I do in some way or another.
What first drew you to clown aesthetics, and what do you enjoy most about bringing that energy to the stage?
As I have aged and have been on a journey to heal generational and individual trauma, what helps me most is nurturing my inner child. I return again and again to bringing whimsy and silliness into my life, and clowning is all about that. A jester’s life depended on their ability to bring laughter and joy to the court. Actors and Clowns were the only people who could safely comment on the dissent of the people through mockery.
Clowns have been used on the frontlines of protest to disrupt and distract opposing forces. In my opinion, clowning has always been a community role. And with a world that tries to breed hate and individualism, personally, I clown to encourage us to gather in community and laugh like our life depends on it! I clown to share my political dissent and share my tender heart! I clown to bring attention to the importance of creating space for alternative drag! There are so many reasons why I enjoy bringing that energy to the stage, but those are just a few.
You seem to collect creative skills wherever you go, from drag and tattoos to jewelry and visual art. How do you discover new creative outlets, and which ones bring you the most joy?
I wanna shout out my mama and father for this one. All my life, I was encouraged that there was nothing I couldn’t do. No problem I couldn’t solve, no hurdle I couldn’t make it over, no trial, no tribulation I could not survive. My parents and the way I grew up encouraged me to try and supported me in learning anything and everything I desired. And this transferred over to “no skill I can’t learn,” that paired with being a Sagittarius, I just yearn to learn new things.
The creative outlets I enjoy the most are those that connect me with my community! Tattooing, drag, poetry, and even creative vegan catering are all of my most loved endeavors because they are all about sharing with my community skills. I am so lucky I was encouraged to build up.
Your shows include fun, interactive consent talks. How did those become part of your events, and what impact do they have?
Luckily, I learned from those before me, and unluckily, I learned from personal experience. Before I started producing, I took note of what those I admired did. Something I always appreciated as a casted performer was starting with a consent talk. And all of the times I have been touched unconsensually are the times producers have failed to start with these talks.
Like we say, consent is not only sexy, but MANDATORY. This matters when we are exchanging trust with one another. I am trusting those in my community to hold safe space for and respect my art and body, and they are trusting me to respect their boundaries around their space and body. The consent talk is a mutual agreement that we will do this in order to create the safest container we can for our bodies to coexist during a show.
I also want to note that the majority of the times I have been touched have been by intoxicated white, queer fems, so I say this directly and to hopefully end the behavior: You are not a safe person simply because you are not a cis man. You are not a safe person simply because you are fem. You are not a safe person simply because you are queer, and you are not entitled to touch my body because YOU feel like you are not the stereotypical predator. Asking for consent still applies to you.
The drag king community often seems supportive and collaborative. Who are some of your favorite people to perform, create, or work with?
I love my king community with my entire heart! Some of the kindest, sweetest, and MOST talented humans in Denver, in my opinion.
ToeKING aka the Drag King alter ego of TOKYN 666 is my favorite person to perform with and for. He produces ALL BLACK shows and he always includes kings and POC in his cast. They are a vocal advocate for king representation and they carry more talent in their pinky finger than most of Denver! I feel so inspired by them, and I feel challenged to step up my game just by them simply existing in this world at the same time as me. They are always speaking up about injustice and are at the forefront of creating safer spaces in Denver for all performers and patrons alike.
My next fav performer is Indie InHerPants. Indie was the first trans masc dancer I had ever seen on a stage. Indie is the blueprint for a Black King for real! He has opened so many doors for trans masc people in the entertainment scene. And for the longest time he was the only person who looked like him on the stage, and he never let that make him feel small. He takes up space in a way I admire and in a way I think many of us need to see on top of being one of the funniest dudes out there! I know it’s always going to be a hoot and a holler when we are booked together.
I wanna also shout out Morningstar Darkling and King Vaughnz, some other very important members of this community who were/are at the forefront of Drag King representation here in Denver. Vaughnz opened the door for all King productions and Morningstar has kept the flame alive and burning bright both Kings who have worked their asses off to get us space on stages and both who are super talented!
Which performers are you excited to watch right now?
I am so excited to watch all of those performers mentioned as well as Trash!? the sexy Drag Thing coproducer of Voltaire Collective, Benjamin Banjee Misdemeanor the people’s choice Denver’s Drag King of the Year, Bobbi Pin the Puerto Rican Papi, who stole ya girl, Geo Conjure THEE Hoodoo Queen of Denver, The ENTIRETY of the House of 666 who inspire Black alt drag every day, Stoic, Mario Wanna, Doily Moon, Wizic, ALLurrr’Em VelvIT, Thee Black CrocoDahlia, Viviana Luxe, and every other Black and Brown artist out there!
Special shout-out to my fav white performers Daliy Paradise a super strong aerialist/pole king, Duke Dazzlewood, a creative genius sweetie pie king, and Bambi Ballgag, the funniest guy and producer of the infamous dyke jello wrestling and Fingerbang!
Many people don’t realize how much work goes on behind the scenes. Would you be willing to share some of the challenges and rewards of being a performer?
For being a performer, the biggest challenge I face is lack of representation and diversity in casts. The biggest bars and clubs don’t think of kings or Black performers as often as they should. And those few producers who do book kings every now and then will be the same ones to put out a Pride lineup with not a single king on the poster. It’s a constant battle for king and Black representation with the producers with the highest paying gigs.
Another challenge I face is the fact that this isn’t cheap. I thrift, DIY, or shop local for every part of my drag because I refuse to give Bezos or fast fashion my money and have my art be created through unethical means. That means I spend a lot more money on my costuming and a lot more of my time and energy, which is worth more than money to me these days. It’s also a challenge on my physical body. I tore two muscles in my hip flexors while performing once, and I feel like it’s an injury I will be nursing for the rest of my life.
Rewards are COMMUNITY CONNECTION! I connect with so many folks I wouldn’t have otherwise if not for performing. I get to express myself and draw near people who connect with my art in real time, and that’s a pretty special part about live performance art that’s unique to this medium. I get to see such talented individuals and get to know them behind the glitz and glam. I get to travel!
As I’m writing this, I’m currently on my way to my first out of state booking in Portland, Oregon! I get to share Black art and uplift Black artist with the community, and I get to tend to my inner child who was just a young black person dancing in their room alone. It’s a magical community that inspires me constantly.
What are some of the best ways audiences can support drag performers?
The big one is always going to be tipping; we put lots of energy and money into this art form, so tip us like you appreciate that work and effort. But … in this economy? DURING A RECESSION?! It’s not always an option for queer folk to have disposable income, so my next offer is INVITE FOLKS TO OUR SHOWS!
Promo is worth a lot these days. If you can’t personally tip but want to attend shows, bring some friends! Even if they can’t tip either, your ticket typically goes towards getting us paid. Show up and show out, and MAKE NOISE! If a drag artist so much as breathes on stage, cheer like you are trying to leave that show without your voice!!
And another important thing, if you don’t have tip money, and you see someone in the crowd trying to stretch to the front with money, make space for them! Let those with the ability to tip get closest to the artist because we can’t always reach or stretch or even see that far half the time. If we miss your dollar from your hand, don’t put it back in your pocket. THROW IT! Shower us with that paper!!
Where would you like to take your career and community work in the future? How can others support your creative vision?
When the government paused food stamps and people lost access to food me and a few other artists hosted community feeds. We cooked a big meal, collected pantry items and other personal care staples to distribute, and we gathered to help support one another. it was genuinely one of the most important things I could have done at that time for my community, and I want to continue showing up for my community in every way I can.
I don’t have a dream job; I have a dream community role. In my dreams, I am tattooing art that helps folks love their bodies; I am clowning to heal and clowning to bring joy; I am cooking and organizing for the health and security of my community.
In my dreams, the people who love me and the people who hate me all benefit off of the work I do. We will not always be in community with people we like, but it is important that we show up and we hold space and engage in healing conversations and do the work that needs to be done. That is how you can support me in my vision.
Show up for one another, show up for your arch nemesis, show up for that one really annoying kid, show up for the loves of your life, show up for your chosen family, show up and talk to your neighbors, show up and support alternative art, show up and uplift Black and Brown creators in all of their endeavors, show up and support drag kings and things, show up for our environment, show up for yourself, and treat your own heart with tenderness!
I believe it’s the day-by-day building of systems of mutual care that will create the strength we need to get through our current political climate. I wish to see the end of fascism and capitalistic individualism/greed. Even if it doesn’t happen in my lifetime, I wish for the care we foster day by day to fuel future generations for the rest of the time that humankind inhabits this earth.
No one is free until we are all free so do what you can for the freedom of your neighbors: the unhoused, the immigrants, the disabled, the “undesirable” members of community, the Black and Brown folk, the trans community, and anyone who has ever existed with a target on their back for existing outside of patriarchal white supremacist ideals. Recognize where your privilege lies and use it for the good of all and harm to fascists.
Follow Scum Bouquet here.
Photos courtesy of the artist
