Maidstone Pride Art Exhibition 2026

Maidstone Pride Art Exhibition is a celebration of queer identity, creativity, and community, calling out to local creatives across Maidstone and Medway. We invite artists who want to explore and express what their queerness means to them — how it shapes their lives, their relationships, and their sense of self. This exhibition is about pride in all its forms: loud and defiant, quiet and tender, joyful, political, and deeply personal.

Pride is more than a parade or a single day on the calendar. For many, it represents survival, visibility, chosen family, resistance, and self-acceptance. Through this exhibition, artists are encouraged to reflect on why pride matters to them, what it has given them, and why it remains vital today. Each contribution adds to a wider conversation about identity, belonging, and being unapologetically visible.

We welcome a wide range of creative practices, including film, painting, performance, music, and poetry. By bringing together different voices and disciplines, the exhibition creates a shared space where stories can be told, heard, and celebrated. It also offers emerging and underrepresented artists the opportunity to showcase their work, gain recognition, and connect with the local community in a supportive and affirming environment.

Following the great success of last year’s exhibition, we return with a renewed focus on the importance of pride and identity. This year, we aim to go deeper — not just celebrating visibility, but highlighting meaning, connection, and the power of queer expression to inspire, challenge, and unite.

Dates: 

• Open Call Release: 18th February
• Open Call Closes: 30th April 2026
• 16^th – 18^th June to hang the exhibition
• 19^th June – 4^th July exhibition
• 6^th July removal of artwork

Theme:

Pride, What Pride means to you?, Pride icons, Colour, unity, self-expression, gender identity

Submissions are accepted via this link:
https://forms.gle/fMPSTpVz3oYzwxUp7