This Pride Month, Southampton Pride presents a series of artworks to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS.

Six artists from across the UK have been shortlisted through an Open Call to create artworks that explore the ongoing risk and impact of HIV/AIDS. You are invited to vote for your favourite work that will be commissioned as a large public artwork for Guildhall Square on the window of John Hansard Gallery.

The selected artists are Ozzy Crawley, Cat Easeman, Emily Foster, Terry Milligan, Jane Shepherd, and Richard Sawdon Smith.

Through this project, Southampton Pride hopes to raise awareness of the ongoing risk, stigma and impact of HIV/AIDS on all communities and generations.

The HIV/AIDS Awareness project is led by Southampton Pride in partnership with John Hansard Gallery, GO! Southampton, and City Eye, with support from Arts Council England, and University of Southampton.

View the artworks at the bottom of the page, and vote for your favourite by scanning the QR Code below, or visit https://qrco.de/HIV-AIDS.

About HIV/AIDS

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus which affects the immune system – the body’s defence against diseases. HIV can be passed on through unprotected sexual contact, pregnancy, blood and breast milk. HIV stays in the body for life, but treatment can keep the virus under control and the immune system healthy.

Without medication people with HIV can develop AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), although this is now rare in the UK. HIV/AIDS was first observed in the gay male community in the early 1980s it has since been recognised that the virus affects all communities.

Despite remarkable advances in treatment and prevention, significant challenges remain. For further information and links to support services please see: www.tht.org.uk