David Allen, founder of Men on Men gay art prize, awarded Queen’s Birthday honour – ABC News

When David Allen, from Agnes Water in central Queensland, received a letter informing him he was part of the 2022 Queen’s Birthday Honours List, he assumed it was a mistake.

But the letter had found the correct recipient and Mr Allen can now put OAM to his name for his service to visual arts.

“I actually thought they had made a mistake and sent it to the wrong person,” Mr Allen said.

“It’s a very humbling experience, I’ve got to say.”

For 10 years, the award-winning artist has been involved with the 1770 Art Show, after relocating from Melbourne and travelling around Australia.

The annual exhibition has become an important part of the regional Queensland arts calendar, but it is not the first time Mr Allen has been involved in helping provide an avenue for artists to display their work.

The launch of Men on Men

In 2001, Mr Allen and his partner Ron Watkins founded a gay art prize titled Men on Men Art Exhibition and Competition when they were running The Laird Hotel in Collingwood, Melbourne.

The pub is one of the longest running gay-owned and operated venues in Australia and many of Mr Allen’s regulars at the time were involved in the arts, but unable to find spaces to display their work.

“Back in the early 2000s, it was very difficult to get into art galleries at any rate, let alone if you were coming from a gay perspective,” Mr Allen said.

“We had a lot of gay customers who were artists and they were really struggling to find places where they could exhibit their artworks, so we created one.”

The exhibition was immediately popular and attracted artists displaying work that reflected their lifestyle and culture.

Men on Men is still running more than 20 years later.

“It was phenomenally successful from day one,” Mr Allen said.

“All we had to do was provide a venue, marketing, prizes and things like that to get people involved.

“Once you give artists an opportunity, they take it.”

Sea change to Queensland

In 2007, Mr Allen and Mr Watkins hit the road to travel and paint around Australia and discovered the town of Agnes Water in Queensland’s Gladstone region.

After 25 years of life in inner-city Melbourne, the relaxed coastal lifestyle and “spectacular beauty” of Agnes Water tugged at Mr Allen and the couple relocated.

“We moved up to this neck of the woods, and there is an art show up here and it was the perfect fit for me to meet new people in the community,” Mr Allen said.

“And now it’s 10 years later, 10 art shows later, the 1770 Art Show Festival is very successful. It’s now established itself as a mainstream show in regional Queensland.

“But it’s always been a team effort and my partner has always been along.”

Mr Allen will travel to Brisbane later this year for the formal presentation of his award.

His only issue is what to wear.

“There will be a function at Government House and I will have to try and find something to wear,” Mr Allen said.

“Board shorts and thongs, which is the usual wear in Agnes, is not going to cut it.”

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