Charity to crowdfund £40,000 for new LGBTQ+ arts hub on Greenwich Peninsula

Unveiled by cultural charity Queercircle, plans are for a permanent cultural space for LGBTQ+ art and artists, opening this winter in a pioneering district of south east London.

Announced during Pride Month, the charity say they are looking to the future with a "ground-breaking community focused programme."

And the project is to be crowdfunded, with Queercircle attempting to raise £40,000 for the 'vital space' which they hope will open in the winter of 2021.

The money is needed to pay for the 2,800 sqft site for a minimum of five years to establish a queer safe space for art in the capital.

"We hope to foster an ecology of artists, curators, writers, thinkers, community organisers, grassroots organisations and charities who collectively work together to build a stronger, more creative and collaborative community."

The new queer arts venue, located on the Greenwich Peninsula - Queerspace

So far the team have raised close to £4,000 after around 24 hours.

The new cultural venue is designed by David Kohn Architects, and will comprise of a main gallery, a library and project spaces, with an annual programme of 'boundary-pushing' physical and digital exhibitions, commissions, residencies, education programmes and events.

Sited in the new Greenwich Peninsula Design District, Queercircle will be at the heart of London’s first permanent, purpose-built hub for the creative industries.

Support has been secured from Arts Council England, the Greater London Authority and a host of other commercial backers.

The new queer arts venue, located on the Greenwich Peninsula - Queerspace

Queercircle say that the space is needed more than ever after London has witnessed a 'staggering' loss of artist studios, with over 50% of LGBTQ+ venues closing in the last decade.

"The need for such a space has been exacerbated by the effects of COVID-19. A report into its impact on the LGBTQ+ community highlighted that 69% had shown depressive symptoms, rising to 90% among those who had experienced homophobia or transphobia."

Isaac Julien CBE RA, an artist, filmmaker and trustee of Queercircle, said: “I’ve been inspired by queer community spaces like the LGBT centres in NYC and in San Francisco and was excited by the prospect of a safe space here in London for all members of the community to have and to use.

"The UK needs a solid base for allyship and safe space for all members of the community to feel welcome and to share their stories and I’m proud to support QUEERCIRCLE in their work to establish this space this year.”