Private Lives, Public Fictions; Sex Work, Stigma and the Struggle for Justice

Immersive exhibition on the lived experiences of sex workers and sex working artists in Wales, created in close collaboration with those within the sex work community.

Q&A discussion with leading international experts from Safety First Wales, Amnesty International, US PROStitutes Collective and the English Collective of Prostitutes.

Venue has step-free access with accessible facilities.

What do we really know about sex work in Wales, and whose voices are we listening to?

This exhibition invites you to step into the lived experiences of sex workers and sex working artists in Wales, challenging assumptions and amplifying voices too often left out of public discourse. Created in close collaboration with those within the sex work community, this installation confronts misinformation and well-worn stereotypes of prostitution and prostitutes. It offers reflections on daily life, as well as aspirations and imaginations for the future.

Following the exhibition, we invite you to join us for a Q&A discussion 2-3.30PM on 28 October with leading international experts from Safety First Wales, Amnesty International, US PROStitutes Collective and the English Collective of Prostitutes. The discussion will reflect on the exhibit and its resonance with the global sex workers’ rights movement. It will consider issues relating to rights, safety and well-being and explore the implications for policy and practice in Wales.

Dr Sam Hanks, Lecturer in Criminology at Swansea University

Partner organisations: Amnesty International, US PROStitutes Collective, Safety First Wales and the English Collective of Prostitutes

Ages 16+ (the exhibition will not feature explicit content)

Artists, activists, and members of the public interested in social change and community storytelling are warmly encouraged to attend.

Of particular interest to professionals working in criminal justice, social justice, and community safety, as well as those based in third sector organisations, including advocacy and support services. It will also be of interest to policy-makers focused on sex work, human rights, and public health.

Exhibition open as a drop-in on the above dates; booking required for launch event with panel & Q&A

Exhibition launch on 28 October with Panel & Q&A 2pm-3.30pm; open exhibition drop-in from 28 – 31 October.