Culture

Camberwell Space to celebrate seven years of Queer Youth Art Collective with new exhibition

Camberwell Space, the public gallery at Camberwell College of Arts, is set to open What Was, What Is, What Could Be, a new exhibition marking seven years of the Queer Youth Art Collective (QYAC). The show runs from 2–22 April 2026 and highlights the work of the UK’s only national LGBTQ+ youth arts service.

The exhibition follows a three‑month residency at Camberwell College of Arts in which 30 LGBTQ+ artists aged 18 to 28 took part in an open-call programme supported by college technicians and staff. Participants were encouraged to develop their studio practices through workshops, mentoring and skills training.

Alongside new work created during the residency, the exhibition draws on QYAC’s expanding archive. Highlights include The QYAC Quilt (2023), a textile piece reflecting on the legacy of the AIDS Memorial Quilt; a collaboratively produced Recipe Book (2024); and Deck of Many Things (2025), an artist-designed oracle deck featuring contributions from 49 queer artists.

Deck of Many Things (2025). Part of What Was, What Is, What Could Be exhibition at Camberwell Space

A newly commissioned textile work, The Hanging Archive, will also be unveiled. Co-produced by QYAC attendees, facilitators and alumni, the piece incorporates contributions from LGBTQ+ community groups including The Brunswick Centre LGBTQ+ yOUTh Service, Out Together, HuGG Huddersfield Gay Group, Frutti Tutti, Proud Terriers and Curious Arts Middlesbrough’s Curious Young Creatives.

QYAC is also working closely with the Museum of Transology (MOT) to organise and curate its archival material ahead of the collection’s move to Bishopsgate Institute after the exhibition. Through dedicated workshops, MOT is guiding the young artists in archival practice, including how to document and preserve lived experience.

More than simply a showcase, What Was, What Is, What Could Be marks what QYAC describes as a “pivotal moment” as the organisation shifts towards a model shaped and led by its young artists, alumni and wider community. Since its founding in 2019, QYAC has supported hundreds of queer artists across the UK, staging exhibitions with partners including Bluecoat Liverpool, Glasgow Zine Fest, Curious Arts in Newcastle, Studio Voltaire and QUEERCIRCLE.

The QYAC Quilt (2023). Part of What Was, What Is, What Could Be exhibition at Camberwell Space. Credit Gavin Li

Fred Lanka, Director of QYAC and Associate Lecturer across Camberwell, Chelsea and Wimbledon Colleges of Arts, said: “I hope people visit the show and realise the value of taking chances on young creatives and trust that wonderful things will erupt just by offering up the space and freedom to be creative.”

Ruth Lie, Public Programme Manager at Camberwell Space, added: “It’s been wonderful to see the ways in which both the work and confidence of the QYAC artists have developed during their time in the Camberwell Space residency, and we look forward to seeing some of those outcomes within the exhibition.

"Now more than ever, it feels hugely important to think about how we support access into the creative sector, and to continually challenge our thinking about ourselves and the public programme we offer, keeping inclusivity and accessibility at the forefront.”