Rainbow events tour to celebrate victoria's regional LGBTQIA+ communities
Victoria is gearing up for another spectacular summer filled with a range of vibrant pride events across the state, starting with a diverse program in its regional and rural communities.
The Regional Activation Program of Victoria’s Pride is made up of 13 events that will paint the state rainbow and culminate in a one-day free arts and cultural street party in Melbourne's iconic Gertrude and Smith Street precinct on Sunday, 11 February 2024—Victoria's Pride, a grand celebration of LGBTQIA+ communities from across the state.
Minister for Equality Harriet Shing unveiled the exciting regional line-up of Victoria's Pride’s Regional Activation Program, promising a diverse array of events that will unite and uplift the LGBTQIA+ communities.
This program includes a bigger and better Pride Fair Day in Wangaratta, the Sounds Gay, I’m in! Picnic in Sunbury and, the Bass Coast Youth Pride Prom, a celebration designed by LGBTQIA+ young people, for LGBTQIA+ young people and their allies to come together in a safe, welcoming, inclusive environment.
Highlighting the unique cultures and artistic expressions of LGBTQIA+ communities, the program will also involve a podcast series, Transcending the Narrative, a workshop program Celebrating Deaf LGBTQIA+ Pride, and an anthology published by Q-Lit of diverse works from regional communities.
Spanning across Victoria, the Victoria's Pride regional event locations will be spread from Wangaratta to Bendigo, Ballarat, Geelong, Echuca, Mildura, Shepparton, Gippsland, and across the Bass Coast, and are expected to be enjoyed by tens of thousands of attendees.
Adding to the splendour, three touring projects will traverse regional and rural communities throughout Victoria, while digitally accessed events will ensure that everyone in the state who desires to be a part of Victoria's Pride can participate.
In partnership with the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH), Midsumma has delivered Victoria’s Pride for 2 years.
The regional program was determined through Victoria’s Pride event partner, Midsumma, which provided funding of up to $15,000 each to 13 arts and culture projects that highlight regional LGBTQIA+ voices and stories and showcase locally based talent.
The festival will give people across the state an important opportunity to demonstrate their pride in and support for LGBTQIA+ people and learn more about the great diversity of sexualities, genders and sex characteristics that make up our Victorian communities.
Victoria’s Pride is brought to life through Victorian Government funding of $6.8 million, which confirmed this statewide celebration of rainbow communities will be a staple in Victoria’s events calendar for years to come.
For more information on the Regional Activation Program of Victoria’s Pride program, please visitwww.midsumma.org.au/regional-activations
Quotes attributable to Minister for Equality Harriet Shing
“I’m delighted to see such diversity in the activities put forward by an ever-increasing number of passionate and dedicated LGBTIQ+ community groups and organisations who are working hard towards a more inclusive Victoria.”
“Our regional and rural LGBTIQ+ communities are strong and thriving, and along with providing more opportunities for rainbow communities across the state to connect and express pride in who they are, events like these give all Victorians the chance to show support for LGBTIQ+ people.”
Quote attributable to Midsumma CEO Karen Bryant
"We are excited once again to see the diversity of statewide representation for LGBTQIA+ arts and cultural culture projects which will showcase regionally based LGBTQIA+ artists and highlight diverse LGBTQIA+ voices, their creativity, and their stories from all across Victoria."
A SNAPSHOT OF VICTORIA’S PRIDE ACROSS THE STATE
- A series of 5, 3-part podcasts that utilise creative writing techniques to transcend queerphobic narratives about trans bodies, lives, and experiences - Transcending the Narrative
- A series of workshops and interviews supported by Expressions Australia to increase connections and opportunities of Deaf LGBTQIA+ people living in Regional Victoria - Celebrating Deaf LGBTQIA+ Pride – OCT 2023
- A continued tour of mapping queer Victoria by Queer-ways: Retracing Regional Footprints – Shepparton, Ballarat and Geelong - adding to their series of queer augmented reality maps of Victoria.
- In its second year – Gippsland Pride Festival – will be delivered over 6 regional shires – NOV 2023 – FEB 2024
- Local, regional LGBTQIA+ young people will work with LGBTQIA+ elders to capture and showcase their lived histories at several queer cultural/arts events with Our Queer History Museum | Under the Big Top – NOV 2023 – FEB 2024
- LaNCE TV Panel - The intersection of Disability and LGBTQIA+ in Rural Victoria will broadcast across social media and C31 – DEC 2023
- LGBTQIA+ short film – fourteen-and-nine-months
- Queerthentic – Regional LGBTQIA+ Art Prize – revealing authentic stories from regional LGBTQIA+ artists; from the mundane, fabulous culture, or influence of queer history on past, present, and future.
- A celebration event designed by LGBTQIA+ young people, for LGBTQIA+ young people and their allies to come together in a safe, welcoming, inclusive environment, supported by YES Youth Hub/YMCA – Bass Coast Youth Pride Prom – FEB 2024
- LINE Wangaratta will coordinate a Pride Fair Day to celebrate and express LGBTQIA+ pride and diversity in regional Victoria – FEB 2024
- The Big Book Of Queer Bendigo - A Victoria’s Pride Celebration – is a hardback, full-colour coffee table book exploring and celebrating LGBTQIA+ history of Bendigo and the goldfields region.
- Delivered by the Sunbury Aboriginal Corporation – Sounds Gay, I’m in! Picnic event will provide a unique intergenerational opportunity for First Nations LGBTIQA+ community, non-indigenous LGBTIQA+ community and allies to come together and celebrate intersectional Pride – FEB 2024
- A self-published anthology by Q-Lit of diverse works from regional Q-Lit festival participants – FEB 2024
