We’re so excited to introduce the artists joining our QueerCore 2026 cohort, a brilliant group of LGBTQIA+ creatives bringing bold ideas, fresh perspectives and seriously exciting work into the year ahead.
This year’s cohort spans painting, textiles, performance, animation and more, and we can’t wait to support and uplift their practices over the coming months.
Running from April to December 2026, QueerCore is Homotopia’s artist development programme designed to support LGBTQIA+ creatives to grow, experiment and take their ideas further.
We work closely alongside each artist to shape the programme around what they need, whether that’s developing a project, testing new ideas, or building confidence in their practice. Just as importantly, QueerCore is about community: connecting artists with each other, with past cohorts, and with the wider network of creatives, producers and spaces we work with across Liverpool and beyond.
QueerCore is more than a programme, it’s a springboard for ideas.
Meet the artists:
Harry Garner (He/Him)
A Liverpool-based painter originally from rural Leicestershire, Harry creates figurative works that sit somewhere between narrative and mystery. Drawing on historical references, his paintings invite viewers to step in and make their own meaning, never offering easy answers, but always sparking curiosity.
Kiya Major (She/They)
Kiya is a multidisciplinary artist working across rug-making, illustration, animation and events. Their bold, playful work explores humour, failure and the grotesque, often through large-scale textiles bursting with colour and character. Alongside their practice, they run workshops and create spaces for others to get involved, bringing a vibrant, community-driven energy to everything they do.
Stephanie Trujillo (She/Her)
Stephanie is a multi-media artist exploring identity, belonging and healing through her Peruvian-German heritage. Working across painting, collage, photography and performance, her practice is deeply rooted in community, spirituality and connection to nature. Her work is both personal and powerful, holding space for reflection and growth.
No Funny Business (She/Her & She/Her)
No Funny Business is a theatre and comedy collective by Rachel Barry and Cordelia Stevenson. Blending clowning, drag and character comedy, they create playful, subversive performances built around a live connection with their audience. With years of experience across fringe theatre, this new collaboration feels fresh, exciting and full of potential.
Some words from Ashleigh Owen, our Development Producer:
I’m genuinely buzzing to welcome our 2026 cohort to the programme. They are such an inspiring group of artists who are already bringing fresh energy, curiosity, and ambition to Homotopia HQ. It’s clear they’re going to do incredible things this year, and I’m so excited to support them as they grow, challenge themselves and produce meaningful work. Their art forms and projects are vastly different from one another, and I can’t wait to see the ideas, collaborations, and confidence that emerge over the course of the programme.
We’re so proud to support this cohort as they develop their work across 2026. and we can’t wait to share what comes next. Follow along as their journeys unfold.
Read more about our QueerCore 2026 cohort here: https://www.homotopia.net/queercore/