Emerald Winter Pride Art Awards 2016

EMERALD WINTER PRIDE ART AWARDS 2016 Emerald Life, the UK’s first full-service insurance provider designed and tailored for the gay and lesbian community, has announced its headline sponsorship of the Emerald Winter Pride Art Awards. Heidi McCormack, CEO Emerald Life, who will be announcing the Winner of the 2016 Emerald Winter Pride Art Awards on 15 April said “Art is such a fundamental part of culture and community, of defining and recording who we are and how we see the world. It is a delight that by supporting the Emerald Winter Pride Art Awards, I am able to combine passion for the arts with passion for equality, both areas are so very important to me. As Chief Executive of Emerald, I am proud we are supporting this event and am looking forward to seeing all the Finalists at the Islington Arts Factory.” Headline sponsor Emerald Life is awarding £1,000 Prize Money to the overall Winner of the Emerald Winter Pride Art Awards, an international art competition that champions emerging artists regardless of their sexuality. The Fashion and Textile Museum will introduce the shortlisted Finalists at a breakfast Preview on 14 April (8.30 - 10.30am) and Emerald will host a free public exhibition of the Winner and Runners-up at the Islington Arts Factory from 15 - 29 April. Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell will open the Art Awards on Friday 15 April 2016 at 6.30pm. Peter Tatchell said "The Emerald Winter Pride Art Awards is an example of how art can help shape people's attitudes towards the LGBT+ community. Don't accept the world as it is. Dream about what the world could be - then help make it happen." Steve Wardlaw, Chairman Emerald Life said, “We are proud to sponsor the Emerald Winter Pride Art Awards 2016 – an important arts initiative that reflects Emerald's aim to help abolish inequalities and make sure the LGBT community gets true equality of experience in all areas of life." The Emerald Winter Pride Art Awards selection panel is made up of arts industry professionals, comprising Royal sculptor Frances Segelman, artist and curator Simon Tarrant, Islington Arts Factory Director of Visual Art Eleanor Pearce, freelance art writer and editor Anna McNay and philosopher and writer Daniel Barnes. Simon Tarrant, Emerald Winter Pride Art Awards Director said, "In response to our theme, Line of Beauty - exploring sexuality, gender and identity, artists have submitted work that really challenges binary norms - the resulting exhibition will be a celebration of sexual and identity freedoms in all of their diversity. Stephen Fry said, "The Emerald Winter Pride Art Awards is a unique opportunity for up-and-coming artists to showcase their creativity at a key LGBT+ artistic and cultural event - creative ventures of this kind are all-important for both the arts and LGBT+ communities." EMERALD WINTER PRIDE ART AWARDS EXHIBITION Headline sponsor Emerald will host an exhibition of the Finalists at the Islington Arts Factory from 15 - 29 April presented alongside Layers, a portrait exhibition celebrating the stages of a woman’s life, which is running concurrently at the Southbank Centre and Women's Equality Party. The Art Awards exhibition will also showcase work by featured artist Jane Moore, who will be exhibiting intricate drawings that evoke an inquisitive response from the viewer and allow us to see beauty in perhaps the most unlikeliest of forms. Peter Tatchell will open the Emerald Winter Pride Art Awards at 6.30pm on Friday 15 April. The evening will include the announcement of the overall Winner by headline sponsor Emerald's CEO Heidi McCormack, a poetry reading by LGBT Poet Laureate Trudy Howson and a live performance by acclaimed classical trio the Korros Ensemble comprising flute, clarinet and harp. These are free events and all are welcome - No tickets required. STUDENT WORKSHOPS For the first time the Emerald Winter Pride Art Awards will introduce a series of works developed by students from Middlesex School of Art and Design who have participated in workshops on gender identity and sexuality politics. CASS Art Islington will sponsor an LGBT+ life drawing drop-in workshop at the Islington Arts Factory on 17 April, tutored by Sketch a Day artist Jane Moore. The workshop is a free event and will explore the concept of beauty, sexuality, gender and identity. For more information email hello@janemooreart.com LGBT+ PARTNERSHIPS Earlier this year Winter Pride, in partnership with Pride In London, presented the sell out Smirnoff Winter Pride Music Festival at the Coronet in Elephant and Castle. Winter Pride founder Rebecca Paisis said, "Our partnership with Pride In London means that we are supporting pride in the capital’s LGBT+ community all year round." The Emerald Winter Pride Art Awards has also started working with the charity Camden LGBT Forum to promote equality and diversity by the elimination of discrimination in relation to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people for the benefit of the public. EXHIBITION DATES 15 April 2016 (6 - 9pm) Emerald Winter Pride Art Awards - Press Preview, Opening & Music Performance Islington Arts Factory 2 Parkhurst Rd, London N7 0SF Google map 6.30pm - Peter Tatchell will open the exhibition 6.45pm - Heidi McCormack, CEO Emerald Life, announces Winner 7.15pm - Poetry Recital by LGBT Poet Laureate Trudy Howson 7.30pm - The Korros Ensemble will perform a 20 minute performance piece FREE 17 April 2016 (1 - 5pm) CASS Art LGBT+ Life Drawing drop-in Workshop - Tutor Jane Moore Islington Arts Factory 2 Parkhurst Rd, London N7 0SF Google map For more information email hello@janemooreart.com FREE 15 - 29 April 2016 (10am - 5pm) Emerald Winter Pride Art Awards - Exhibition Islington Arts Factory 2 Parkhurst Rd, London N7 0SF Google map A Public Exhibition of the Finalists FREE PRESS CONTACT Simon Tarrant 07711335350 info@simontarrant.com www.winterprideuk.com