CLAW is the annual conference for Gay men that is dedicated to fundraising, education, volunteerism and other charitable needs of the Leather community. CLAW stands for Cleveland Leather Annual Weekend.

At a moment of unprecedented creativity in men’s fashion and reflection on gender, this exhibition explores how designers, tailors and artists – and their clients and sitters – have constructed and performed masculinity, and unpicked it at the seams.

CLAW Corp and Tom of Finland Foundation invite artists to submit up to five artworks of Leather, Fetish or BDSM eroticism for the Kinky Art Show & Store at the LA Leather Getaway.

Deadline for entry is Saturday 15th October.

"There are lots of big bulges and muscle-bound leathermen, tough-looking bikers and overt depictions of Gay sex, so candid and unapologetic between all the fisting, masculine bravado and cop outfits within his work."

The entire weekend kicked off Friday night at the Eagle London with a party and viewing of Gay Propaganda, a program of short films curated by Slava Mogutin featuring the work of Bruce LaBruce, Matt Lambert.

More than 65 years ago, Tom of Finland first began exhibiting his now-iconic erotic artworks in beefcake magazines, circumventing the strict laws that prohibited homosexual art at the time. In the decades that followed, his subversive illustrations would lay the blueprint for other artists to explore sexuality in their work, a legacy that is celebrated by his namesake Foundation, which he cofounded in 1984.

Now that you know pretty much the most important things, it’s also worth mentioning that this will be the first edition of the Festival to be held simultaneously in two locations. You read that right, unbelievable but true. Do you know how many hours of work that is? If organizing one festival is already crazy, imagine two.

The yearly programming effort from ToFF – a non-profit in memory of the titular, famed artist – is part of a wider initiative to help protect, preserve, and promote the erotic arts while allowing artists a social setting to network and buy and sell work.

Bringing a slice of West Coast ToF to the UK, a special VR experience of TOM House transports visitors to the legendary bungalow in Echo Park where Tom of Finland once lived – a treasure trove of erotic history relics – while works by the likes of Stuart Sandford, Rick Castro and Pol Anglada will decorate the space.

On a mission to position Tom’s work at the height of the art and fashion world, the Foundation has exhibited its archive all over the world. Now the Foundation is looking to do the same for the next generation of Queer artists with its 27th Art & Culture Festival – Tom Unites.

The Festival is ToFF’s yearly programming effort to bring together artists, galleries and patrons from all over the globe in a socially friendly setting so that they can network as well as buy and sell works.