Queer Frontiers, founded in 2018, was set up by leading art consultancy ARTIQ as an expression of solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community globally, with a particular focus on profiling the work of LGBTQ+ artists and raising awareness of issues important to the community.
Last year, for the first ever Queer Frontiers event, ARTIQ took over a pop-up space on Old Compton Street during, and with the support of, Pride in London, to provide a platform for and showcase the outstanding talents of a diverse range of international artists, with all artworks available for sale and profits given to LGBTQ+ charity London LGBTQ+ Community Centre.
This year, Queer Frontiers is back, bigger and better than ever, with the exciting news that the event will be sponsored in 2019 by specialist insurer and arts supporter Hiscox. Artworks this year will be sold in aid of the event’s partnering charities, Albert Kennedy Trust (AKT) and Switchboard, and the event will once again take place during Pride in London week.
Patrick McCrae, CEO of ARTIQ commented. ‘‘We are absolutely delighted to welcome Hiscox on board as the new event sponsor this year. As a business, our whole ethos is about bridging the gap between the creative and business worlds. This event, with the new support of Hiscox, is a perfect embodiment of that.’
“Celebrating Pride wherever you are means different things to each of us’, added Richard Watson, Group Chief Underwriting Officer, Hiscox. ‘We’re looking forward to seeing all the artists bringing it to life in the exhibition and beyond.”
The 2019 event will feature a week-long exhibition in central London from 4 – 10 July, open to the public, alongside arts programming, including a life-drawing workshop for the young people AKT supports and a panel discussion with Creative Industries Federation.
To kick off proceedings, ARTIQ has released its call-out for artworks to be submitted for inclusion in the exhibition/event, with a final submission date for artworks of midnight, 13 May 2019.
Artworks – to be submitted by LGBTQ+ artists and allies – could take any form, from paintings and photographic work to sculptures or screenprints. For 2019, ARTIQ invites entries that celebrate our shifting world and growing awareness around notions of pride, community, and social progress. This could include works responding to the themes of diversity, inclusion, equality, creativity, optimism and kindness. Artists can elect either to give 50% or 100% of the sale of each artwork to our partnership charities, as they see fit, with ARTIQ foregoing all usual commission or fees. Further submission details are available at https://www.queerfrontiers.co.uk/entryform
Full exhibition details:
Thursday 4 July – Wednesday 10 July
ARTIQ & Hiscox present: Queer Frontiers, 8-10 Brewer St, Soho
OPENING TIMES
Thursday 4th July: 10am-5pm (charity workshop 12-2pm)
Friday 5th: 10am-5pm
Saturday 6th July: 3pm-5pm (Pride party)
Sunday 7th July: 10am-5pm
Monday 8th July: 10am-5pm
Tuesday 9th July: 10am-5pm (charity workshop 12-2pm)
Wednesday 10th July: 10am-3pm
Art consultancy ARTIQ, which celebrates ten years in business this year, encourages businesses to embed creativity into their cultures, harnessing the power of art to improve wellbeing, enhance experience and promote the values and character of their business or brand. To date, ARTIQ and its clients have paid out over £3million to artists, makers and arts institutions. The company also founded and co-sponsors The Graduate Art Prize, now in its 7th year in 2019, which promotes the best young artistic talent emerging from Britain’s colleges and universities.
