Wise Thoughts Organized London's Gay Art Festival GFEST Faced Censorship
Wise Thoughts organized GFEST – Gaywise FESTival 2010 visual arts exhibition was held in London in November 2010. Management of Hampstead Town Hall, the exhibition venue, demanded to cover a list of the artworks on two evenings on weekdays and at weekends, when the exhibition was closed to the general public.
London, United Kingdom, December 17, 2010 --(PR.com)-- GFEST – Gaywise FESTival 2010 visual arts exhibition was held at Hampstead Town Hall in November 2010. While the festival organizers were putting up the exhibits they received a notification from Hampstead Town Hall management to cover a list of the artworks on two weekday evenings and weekends when the exhibition was closed.
GFEST is a showcase for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (glbt) artworks, films and performances that help challenge preconceived notions and combat prejudices. The festival aims to work with venues that attract diverse audiences including those from hard-to-reach-communities. Hampstead Town Hall was seen as one such venue.
The GFEST organizers say that reason mentioned to them by the venue management for this censorship was that very young people (4 to 5 year old) and their parents use the space after closing times and the images might cause offense and may create security issues.
Niranjan Kamatkar, artistic director of GFEST said, “It was a no-win situation and a very traumatic last minute decision forced upon us - either to take down the exhibition or be forced to comply with their decision while simultaneously managing the rest of festival activities. Considering the lack of resources and recourse to an alternative venue, we opted for the latter to ensure that the exhibition goes ahead and viewers can make up their own mind whether the work warranted the censorship."
The organizers had spent over six months in selecting, planning. The artworks had come from all over UK and across the world.
The exhibition was open during the official opening time for public and none of the images were covered during those hours. Images listed by the venue were covered during the venue stipulated period when the exhibition was officially closed for general public on two weekdays evenings and on the weekends.
The GFEST organizers have written to Hampstead Town Hall Trustees and board of management to seek their official response but haven’t heard anything as yet.
For any further information contact: info@wisethoughts.org or check GFEST blog: http://gaywisefestival.wordpress.com/
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GFEST is a showcase for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (glbt) artworks, films and performances that help challenge preconceived notions and combat prejudices. The festival aims to work with venues that attract diverse audiences including those from hard-to-reach-communities. Hampstead Town Hall was seen as one such venue.
The GFEST organizers say that reason mentioned to them by the venue management for this censorship was that very young people (4 to 5 year old) and their parents use the space after closing times and the images might cause offense and may create security issues.
Niranjan Kamatkar, artistic director of GFEST said, “It was a no-win situation and a very traumatic last minute decision forced upon us - either to take down the exhibition or be forced to comply with their decision while simultaneously managing the rest of festival activities. Considering the lack of resources and recourse to an alternative venue, we opted for the latter to ensure that the exhibition goes ahead and viewers can make up their own mind whether the work warranted the censorship."
The organizers had spent over six months in selecting, planning. The artworks had come from all over UK and across the world.
The exhibition was open during the official opening time for public and none of the images were covered during those hours. Images listed by the venue were covered during the venue stipulated period when the exhibition was officially closed for general public on two weekdays evenings and on the weekends.
The GFEST organizers have written to Hampstead Town Hall Trustees and board of management to seek their official response but haven’t heard anything as yet.
For any further information contact: info@wisethoughts.org or check GFEST blog: http://gaywisefestival.wordpress.com/
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Contact
Wise Thoughts
Niranjan Kamatkar
02088899555
http://www.gaywisefestival.org.uk/
Niranjan Kamatkar
02088899555
http://www.gaywisefestival.org.uk/
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