Tara Belmont

As a young gun Queens-based art director, Tara Belmont is passionately taking on the perpetual boys’ club that is the advertising industry with little mercy for tendentious marketing jargon and heaps of dark humor. “I once thought that my dream would be to produce work that felt rewarding, that made a difference and felt wholly personal,” Belmont tells GO. “Yet, as I progressed in my career, the intersection of art direction and my sexuality became central to my identity… I began to find clarity and purpose for helping others to find comfort in their skin, wherever that may be.” Although she specializes in both luxury fashion and beauty on the corporate side of her career, Belmont has been taking her creative vision over to the world of short film, garnering high praise and acclaim with multiple small festival awards already under her belt for art direction and production design. While Belmont is comfortable in herself enough now to give others space to express themselves, she didn’t really come to peace with her sexuality until she was 25. It was then that she adopted a “f*ck it” attitude, immersed herself in the New York City lesbian scene, and discovered a community of people just like her. Through that community, Belmont learned to always make her professional spaces safe and open. “In an industry that can often be harsh, unforgiving, cruel and misogynistic, I hope that I can be a small beacon of light that provides a constant stream of fun, talent, love and—as always—a sprinkle of dark humor.” —DT