
Beyond the Flag Pride exhibition at the Assembly House
The exhibition will aim to raise enquiry points around the legacies, histories and futures of the pride flag.
Submissions open 1 May – 24 June
Successful artists informed no later than 1 July
There will be a £5 hanging fee for artworks which will be a donation to Norwich Pride. This fee will be waived for unwaged, students and those with refugee status.
Commission on sales – 20%
Hanging Saturday 23 July
Preview Sunday 24 July
Youth Group Workshops 25 July
Open to the public 26 – 30 July
Exhibition Brief
The exhibition aims to raise enquiry points around the legacies, histories and futures of the rainbow flag. It questions what it stands for, or if we still need it? Are we bigger than the sum of our individual parts? Can other symbols of Queer power be appropriated and diluted? Or do we rejoice in reclaiming our rainbow.
In light of its adoption as a unifying symbol of community cohesion and perseverance for the NHS in 2020, it can be argued that the flag was neutralised as a symbol of a community that had already adopted it for the same reasons. A symbol associated specifically with safer zones for those who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community was deleted.
LGBTQIA+ artists are often marginalised, discriminated against and overlooked, as are many Queer people generally. Beyond the Flag exhibition enables LGBT+ artists to exhibit work without the concern of being othered. The exhibition offers validation for all our community.
Beyond the lockdowns, we must now start to think beyond the flag. Without it who are we, what can we be?
The exhibition will include work from East Anglian artists who identify as LGBTQIA+. The selection panel comprises of –
· Rachel Collier-Wilson – Artist, and Norwich Pride Arts Champion
· David Shenton – Artist and Cartoonist, and Patron of Norwich Pride
· Richard Sawdon Smith – Professor of Fine Art and Director for Fine Art and Photography Norwich University of the Arts, and Pride Trustee
Submission Form
We have created an online exhibition form that should take no more than 5 minutes to fill in. Click here to fill in the submission form