Following this year’s call-out for local artists, Northern Pride has announced the artists selected to bring their creative vision to the Newcastle Pride Fringe Festival and Newcastle Pride 2025.
Together with Northern Pride and Curious Arts, Creative Central NCL offered new opportunities for artists and creatives, asking them to respond to the theme ‘Unapologetically Visible,’ using their chosen art forms to make powerful, expressive statements.
Among the artists receiving the two Creative Commissions grants of £2,500 are Christopher Niari and Sam Barley (pictured below), local fashion designers known for their striking custom pieces for drag artists. The grant will enable them to develop new pieces that will be unveiled during the Pride Fringe Festival, amplifying their bold aesthetic and celebrating the queer fashion community in the North East.
On being selected for one of this year’s creative commissions, Christopher Niari said: “To us, ‘unapologetically visible’ means being unashamedly yourself, and outwardly expressing your queerness boldly and unapologetically. Receiving this funding is absolutely amazing, it gives us a license to create without limitations, therefore allowing us to express our points of view as artists completely unchained.
“We really hope to put a spotlight directly on the talent within the fashion and design community within the North East, and really champion the queer excellence that runs deeply through it; a spotlight that will hopefully be lasting.”
Christopher Niari and Sam Barley, two local fashion designers, photograph from Northern Pride
The second commission has been awarded to Lady Kitt, a sculptor whose work explores important themes through compelling, social conscious installations. For Newcastle Pride 2025, Kitt’s project will provide a space for festivalgoers to pause, reflect, and connect, serving as both a sanctuary and a physical tribute to the work it takes for LGBTQIA+ people to be unapologetically visible.
Two further artists have been awarded Research and Development Get Ready grants, offering them the chance to develop or refine their creative projects.
Amy Langdown is one of the creatives who will have the opportunity to showcase their talents with Out Of Your Head! (OOYH!), a themed poetry night where Amy will look to create an event that dispels attitudes around spoken word.
EJ Raymond will use the Get Ready grant to screen their short film, Ye Olde Wishing Well, to raise awareness of the deaf community and highlight the barriers deaf creatives continue to face.
Vix Leaney, Project Manager at Creative Central NCL said: “We are really pleased to announce the winning artists for this year’s Pride Festival. We received so many incredible submissions for the creative commissions with local artists from all walks of life, and it’s really inspiring to see the talent that is right here in the North East. It’s brilliant to be working in partnership with Northern Pride to give them a unique platform to showcase their creativity in Newcastle city centre this summer.”
For more information about the Pride Fringe Festival and Newcastle Pride 2025, visit: http://www.northern-pride.com/2025.