Queer Britain has again partnered with Madame F wine for our third year of The Madame F Queer Britain Art Award. The theme was to celebrate Queer Creativity, inspired by illustrator Justin Kemp, who designed the Susy the Frog image featured on the Madame F wine labels.

Entries were illustrations, paintings, drawings and tapestry that celebrated queer creativity. Prizes of £1500, £1000 and £500 were awarded at a special reception on 4 June at the museum in Granary Square. The winning artworks will also help support Queer Britain, by featuring on merchandise. Thank you to everyone who entered.

£500 PRIZE WINNER

Finlay McInally

THIRD PRIZE

“Queer Fear in the Thriller Villa is an A6 zine, reproduced here as a graphic short story. The idea was developed from when I was house-sitting an old and vast villa, high in the hills of Spain. The zine project has helped me heal the period in my life when I was a frightened teenager exploring my sexuality in a hostile environment. It also acknowledges my current exploration of gender fluidity, and supports that we can be whoever we want to be.”

£1000 PRIZE WINNER

Johnny Humes

SECOND PRIZE

“Early 20th Century Britain was home to a vibrant queer culture. From the writings of Radclyffe Hall and Virginia Woolf to the silky frocks of Lady Austin’s camp boys, queer people in the 1920s and 30s were becoming more open and expressive. With language still evolving, the term ‘invert’ was used during this period to describe people demonstrating gender nonconformity. With everything to lose, they sang, danced, wrote, minced and loved. This painting is for the inverts!”

£1,500 PRIZE WINNER

Tony Mentel

FIRST PRIZE

“I work using recycled textiles and embroidery and I explore themes of Queer history and identity. This large scale tapestry is three metres tall and illustrates an idealised scene of Brighton's infamous cruising area on the beach, Dukes Mound, which was destroyed by the city council during lockdown. I wanted to celebrate a place which brought so much joy for generations of Queers, inspired by the stories I have gathered from Queer elders.”

E.M. Parry / Jason Carr / Julie Prieur / Matthew Toresen / Naysha Satyarthi / Sarah Jane Moon / Sarah-Joy Ford

SPECIAL MENTION

MEET THE JUDGES

PAUL HARFLEET

Artist and previous

Award winner

ALIA ROMAGNOLI

Photographer and artist

“I am proud to be on this jury. It’s a great opportunity to celebrate LGBTQ+ people, of all ages, and our artistic endeavours. Queer Britain is working very hard to set up a national LGBTQ+ museum, and this award shows that queer creativity is at its very heart.”

KATE CHARLESWORTH

Cartoonist, artist and Award judge

ROBERT TAYLOR

Photographer and artist

MARK KING

Head of Design and Special Projects, Queer Britain

KATE CHARLESWORTH

Cartoonist and artist

OLIVER FREESTON

The judges looked for originality, overall artistic impression, and response to theme

IAIN MUGGOCH

Founder of Madame F wine

ASIFA LAHORE

UK’s First out muslim drag queen