Statement of support for GFEST

It is a great pleasure to provide a statement in support of the GFEST Gaywise FESTival 2010. GFEST is growing as an important, annual event in the LGBT Arts calendar of London building, year on year, bigger audiences drawn from the diverse range of London's communities and, importantly, from way beyond the LGBT community itself. The success of cultural initiatives such as this remind us the importance of the arts as a key tool in promoting awareness and community cohesion.

I particularly welcome that this year's festival will welcome not only artists from our own shores, but LGBT artists from all over Europe and beyond across a broad range of arts media - the only London-based LGBT arts festival to celebrate and provide this cross-arts LGBT platform.

I wish all those involved every success.

Rt. Hon. Ben Bradshaw MP