Festival Finale – Finding Queertopia: What We Can Learn from LGBTQIA+ Artists with Gemma Rolls-Bentley plus AFLO. the poet + Surprise Guests

Gemma Rolls-Bentley believes passionately that art has the power to change the way we think, to share different perspectives and provoke empathy. She has dedicated her career to supporting queer and female artists and curating projects that explore LGBTQIA+ issues. Her new book Queer Art: From Canvas to Club, and the Spaces Between brings together almost 200 artworks that reflect the richness, self-expression and resilience of queer life. The book has been described by artist Catherine Opie as a ‘liberating space where individuals may see themselves reflected, while art, politics, and humanity converge in a powerful narrative’. Join Gemma as she takes us on a journey through queer art. From the high-brow to the low, blue-chip artists to Instagram creatives, and the racy to the fabulous, Gemma will explore what LGBTQIA+ artists can teach us about ourselves, the world we live in and the potential to build better futures.

Gemma Rolls-Bentley has been at the forefront of contemporary art for almost two decades, working passionately to champion diversity in the field. Her debut book Queer Art; From Canvas to Club and the Spaces Between was published in Spring 2024 by Frances Lincoln and has been highlighted as a must-read by Them, Dazed, Timeout, The Guardian, Cultured and the FT. Her curatorial practice amplifies the work of female and queer artists and provides a platform for art that explores LGBTQIA+ identity. Gemma has curated for a range of international galleries and institutions, most recently Carl Freedman Gallery, Leslie Lohman Museum of Art, Somerset House, the Tom of Finland Foundation, London Art Fair and Kkweer Arts. In 2022 she curated the Brighton Beacon Collection, the largest permanent display of queer art in the UK, for Soho House Brighton. Gemma has taught at numerous institutions including the Royal College of Art, the Glasgow School of Art, and Goldsmiths. She co-chairs the board of trustees for the charity Queercircle, sits on the Courtauld Association Committee and the Leslie Lohman Museum Acquisitions Committee.

AFLO. the poet is an award-winning Brighton-based spoken word artist, activist and academic who embraces creative expression to disrupt the status quo and inspire social change. From protests on the streets of Brighton, to celebrations in hills of Jamaica, AFLO. has shared her rhythmic rhymes far and wide and has no intentions of stopping.
Her highlights from 2024 so far include continuing her residency at Brighton Dome, featuring in Verve Poetry Festival, and heading to the magical fields of Glastonbury to share her work and host the open mic on the Poetry & Words stage.

Festival Finale – Finding Queertopia: What We Can Learn from LGBTQIA+ Artists with Gemma Rolls-Bentley plus AFLO. the poet + Surprise Guests

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