20 June

LGBTQ+ professionals and their allies celebrated by photographic exhibition at Guildhall

Over 100 portraits of LGBTQ+ people, accompanied by their accounts of being ‘out and proud’ in their working environment, will be featured in an outdoor exhibition in the City of London Corporation’s Guildhall Yard. Photographer Fiona Freund’s ‘CorporateQueer’ (24 June - 2 July) provides a personal insight into the lives of professional people who want to celebrate their own ‘queerness’, and how they are supported by their allies.  

At the heart of the exhibition is the question: “how do you hold down a demanding job in the UK’s corporate world and balance that part of your life with how you identify?”

City Corporation Elected Members Edward Lord and Tim Hailes are joined by Lord Mayor of the City of London Nicholas Lyons as an LGBTQ+ ally. ‘CorporateQueer’ is part of the City Corporation’s flagship Destination City programme, which sets out a vision for the Square Mile to become a world-leading leisure destination for UK and global visitors, workers, and residents to enjoy. Principal sponsor of the exhibition, Investec, stands with the City of London Corporation, Linklaters, and The Phoenix Group in being very proud to support ‘CorporateQueer.’

Chairman of the City Corporation’s Culture, Heritage, and Libraries Committee Munsur Ali, said: 

“My colleagues and I at the City of London Corporation are delighted to host this exhibition, as part of our Destination City programme. The City Corporation, which has its own Pride Network and flies the Pride flag over Guildhall every year, applauds everyone who was photographed by Fiona Freund for this exhibition, all of them proud to celebrate their identity and tell their stories.”

Ian Clark, Marketing Director of Wealth Investments and Banking at Investec, which features 14 of the company’s staff in ‘CorporateQueer’, said:

“We strive to embrace diversity, inclusivity, and equality for all individuals. Supporting initiatives like the ‘Corporate Queer’ in the City’s campaign is part of our commitment to creating a more inclusive society. We believe in fostering an environment where everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, can feel empowered and respected.”

Angela Ogilvie, Chief People Officer of Linklaters, said: 

“Linklaters is delighted to sponsor this exhibition featuring some wonderful depictions of a number of our fantastic colleagues celebrating their lives and careers. Destination City builds on a long track record of culture investment in the Square Mile. The City Corporation is already the fourth largest funder of heritage and cultural activities in the UK and invests over £130m every year."

‘CorporateQueer’ will be held in Guildhall Yard, EC2V 5AR, from 24 June to 2 July. FREE entry.