Queer Youth Art Collective: What Was, What Is, What Could Be

Camberwell Space is pleased to present What Was, What Is, What Could Be - an exhibition by Queer Youth Art Collective (QYAC) following on from their three-month residency.

Queer Youth Art Collective is the UK’s only national LGBTQIA+ youth service working specifically in the arts. During their Camberwell Space residency, creatives aged between 18-28 were selected through an open call and introduced to what a studio practice could look like. This included workshops and mentorship from technicians as well as other members of staff at Camberwell College of Arts.

This exhibition marks a turning point, handing the reins of the organisation over to the young artists, alumni and community which has surrounded QYAC. Since 2019, QYAC has curated four group exhibitions with hundreds of queer artists from across the UK including at Bluecoat Liverpool, Glasgow Zine Fest, Curious Arts Newcastle, Studio Voltaire and QUEERCIRCLE.

The work of the residents in the exhibition will be accompanied by an archive of seven years of QYAC, curated in partnership with The Museum of Transology (MoT). The archive will then move to Bishopsgate Institute following the show.

Alongside this, a newly commissioned textiles piece called The Hanging Archive will be in display, co-produced by QYAC attendees, facilitators and alumni as well as contributions from The Brunswick Centre LGBTQ+ yOUTh Service (Kirklees and Calderdale), Out Together (Leeds), HuGG Huddersfield Gay Group, Frutti Tutti (Leeds), Proud Terriers (Huddersfield), and Curious Arts Middlesbrough Curious Young Creatives.

In the words of QYAC - ‘We refuse censorship or judgement. In doing so we make more art possible’.

With generous support from Arts Council England, David Family Foundation, UAL and Awards for All.

Please note: The gallery will be closed on 3, 4 and 11 April.

Opening times: Tuesday – Friday, 11.00am - 4.00pm.

The exhibition will also be open on Saturday 18 April.

Free entry, no booking required.

For more information about the residency: www.arts.ac.uk/colleges/camberwell-college-of-arts/whats-on/camberwell-space/queer-youth-art-collective