New Art Exchange’s VOICE Committee Selects Quilla Constance for Nottingham Exhibition
Arts & Toast with Kirsty Corbett
Wednesday, 7 October 2026 - 21 minutes
In this episode of the Arts & Toast podcast, Kirsty Corbett talks to acclaimed British-Jamaican multidisciplinary artist Quilla Constance (QC) about her creative journey, performance art and her most ambitious exhibition to date, Activating Intersections, at New Art Exchange in Nottingham.Opening on 10 October 2026, Activating Intersections brings together monumental oil paintings, costume, video and live performance. Selected by New Art Exchange’s pioneering VOICE committee, the exhibition explores identity, cultural stereotypes, power, activism and participation, blurring the boundaries between contemporary art, performance and popular culture.In the conversation, QC shares the childhood experience that first sparked her confidence as an artist, the contrast between her naturally shy personality and her bold artistic persona, and the challenges of creating an ambitious new exhibition while responding to the expectations of both audiences and the VOICE committee.The exhibition will extend beyond the gallery, with audiences invited to interact with QC’s wearable costumes and become part of the artwork. The project will culminate in a carnival-inspired public performance through Nottingham city centre on 16 January 2027, giving people the chance to wear QC’s costumes and experience her work in a completely different way.Known for combining anarcho-punk feminism, carnival, humour, activism, performance and painting, Quilla Constance has exhibited widely and recently appeared on Sky Max’s Rob & Romesh Vs (Art), where she led a performance art workshop culminating in a performance at London’s Saatchi Gallery.This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in contemporary art in Nottingham and the East Midlands, performance art, socially engaged practice and the artists shaping the region's cultural landscape.Exhibition: Quilla Constance: Activating IntersectionsVenue: New Art Exchange, NottinghamDates: 10 October 2026 – 16 January 2027Admission: Free
