Meet the stars of Canada's a Drag Season 2

Hello! You're reading the CBC Arts newsletter, and if you like what you see, stick around! Sign up here, and every Sunday we'll send you a fresh email packed with art, culture and a metric truckload of eye candy, hand-picked by our small and mighty team. Here's what we've been talking about this week.

Hi, art lovers!

Your streaming options are about to get a lot more fabulous. Canada's a Drag returns for Season 2 starting Feb. 13, so...

Watch the trailer!

Learn everything you could ever want to know about the series!

And then start brainstorming excuses for why you'll be ditching work this Wednesday, because that's when the entire series drops on CBC Gem.

But in case you'd prefer to watch it with friends — like, real live people-friends — some of this season's stars are throwing pop-up screenings in cities around the country. So far, we've heard of parties in Kelowna, St. John's and Vancouver.

(Are you throwing a viewing event where you live? Let us know about it!)

Plus, our team will be hosting a special preview event at Toronto's Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema on Tuesday, Feb. 12. (Tickets are free, and it's not too late to reserve a spot. Do it!)

This season's going to take you inside the lives of kings and queens from nine Canadian cities. "We were looking for people who are pushing the boundaries of drag who are also community builders," says Peter Knegt, who produced the series with Mercedes Grundy.

So, who are these 13 game-changers? Here's where to find them on Instagram before Season 2 kicks off.

This drag is your drag, Canada. From Bonavista-ish to Vancouver Island, here are your Season 2 stars.

Irma Gerd, St. John's (@queen.irmagerd)

Crystal Slippers, Montreal (@crystal.slippers)

Icesis Couture, Ottawa (@haus.of.couture)

Savannah Couture, Ottawa (@randyvenus)

Manghoe Lassi, Toronto (@_humzer)

Yovska, Toronto (@yovska)

Tynomi Banks, Toronto (@tynomibanks)

Duke Carson, Calgary (@thedukecarson)

Jenna Telz, Kelowna (@jennatelzofficial)

Alma Bitches, Vancouver (@alma_bitches)

Quanah Style, Vancouver (@quanahstyle)

Eddi Licious, Victoria (@eddi.licious)

You've got to see this

Love this tattoo? Get in line - Liz Kim is one of Instagram's favourite tattoo stars. ("No DMs, please!") And on the latest episode of Art Hurts, the Edmonton-raised artist gives you a peek inside her life in Los Angeles.

Holy sheet! That dress is paper - Around this time last year, Montreal artists Pauline Loctin and Melika Dez started the Plié Project. Melika photographs incredible dancers around the world and Pauline custom designs gorgeous costumes using nothing but folded paper —and beyond being gorgeous, the work is sending a message about ballet's diversity problem. They told us all about it.

You're looking at the world's first AI-made sculpture - So, how'd it do? Watch this video before sharing your hot take, because Mat Chivers (the artist behind the project) is about to give you a thorough explanation of how it came to be.

Follow this artist

Curtia Wright (@curtia) - This is why you should never stop playing with pencil crayons. Check out more of Curtia Wright's drawings, and remember the days when happiness was a fresh pack of Laurentiens. The Scarborough-raised artist is this week's Exhibitionist in Residence.

Got questions? Typo catches? Story ideas?

We're just an email away. Send us a note, and we'll do our best to get back to you.

And if someone forwarded you this message and you like what you've read, here's where to subscribe for more.

Until next week!

XOXO, CBC Arts