Award-winning cultural initiative Art of London today announces its latest art showcase, ‘Brighter Future’, developed with the National Gallery X (NGX) – a space that explores new kinds of cultural experiences for the Gallery – and other prestigious arts institutions.
To be unveiled across the West End in Summer 2022, this new programme will display vivid, vibrant and interactive art installations from up-and-coming artists, showcasing their individual artistic impression of the brief: building a ‘Brighter Future’. Each artist taking part has been chosen by an esteemed judging panel from the world of art, which is headed up by famed comedian and Royal Academy artist, Harry Hill, whose work will also feature within the programme.
Art of London and NGX invited artists to submit their interpretation of building a better, brighter future in the city. Whether through colour or immersive experiences, artists were encouraged to use a multimedia of art forms. Each piece will represent the artist’s vision of the future and showcase their optimism for the next generation.
From an array of applicants, artists were selected to have their eye-catching installations publicly come to life in some of London’s most iconic locations, such as Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus. This outdoor exhibition will be on display from August 2022, in what promises to be one of the city’s biggest and most accessible public art initiatives ever, with support from Westminster City Council.
Artists who won the funding include Zarah Hussain, who combines contemporary digital art with hand-drawn Islamic geometry; Sam Williams, a visual artist and creative producer, who creates immersive environments that encourage people to ‘find their play’; and Fiona Quadri, a multidisciplinary artist with a focus on photography and illustration, who hopes her interactive installation will illustrate London’s uniqueness.
An expert panel of judges across the arts and culture sector selected the winning artists, which included Art of London, NGX and Arts Council England. Heading up the judging panel is comedian Harry Hill, who has been a prolific name in both public television and in the West End for his extensive work in comedy and theatre. In recent years, Hill has become an artist in his own right, with his latest works having been displayed at the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition in 2021.
Westminster City Council is one of the many partners supporting this initiative, and Art of London’s installations will form part of Inside Out Festival. The festival is produced by Westminster City Council and brings art, entertainment and culture to the streets of Westminster, and the council will support more independent artists and designers throughout the summer.
Alongside the extensive support, production and public exhibition of the final pieces, the chosen artists will also receive funding for their time for each installation.
Harry Hill, comedian and judge of Art of London’s Brighter Future programme, says: “I’m thrilled to support and judge Art of London’s public art project which will brighten up the London city I love. Whenever I’m stuck for inspiration, I go to an art gallery or an exhibition. Good public art can make a huge difference to our mood, how we face the day and how we view the world in general”.
