MESSAGE FROM THE MARDI GRAS BOARD Welcome to the 40th anniversary of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. No matter whether you are joining us from near or far, your journey brings you to a place that always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We acknowledge and pay our respects to the traditional custodians of the land on which our celebrations are held, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. Our history as a community and as an organisation is remarkable and this year we look back and celebrate 40 Years of Evolution. At our events, including Fair Day, Queer Thinking, Parade and Party, we will revel in a brighter future as we remember and rejoice in everything that has brought us to where we are today. Mardi Gras’ Museum of Love & Protest will provide a forum for us all to reflect on the stories and artefacts that have so richly coloured our shared history. Mardi Gras is a time for us to come together and stand united. It is a celebration of what makes us unique and makes us a community. The past year has been incredibly hard for members of our community. Our events are spaces to come together and support each other, reach out and make new connections and nurture those we love. We especially welcome those among us who face additional barriers; young people, First Nations people, the trans community and our LGBTQI elders. In 2018 the whole world will be watching Sydney and we invite you to share in this journey. No matter whether you are joining us for the first time or for the 40th, this promises to be an unforgettable Festival. You are part of our history and you are part of our future. You are part of our Evolution and we can’t wait for you to be a part of our 40th anniversary. Happy Mardi Gras! CEO’S WELCOME Welcome to Mardi Gras 2018 – 40 YEARS of EVOLUTION! We are so excited to share our 40th celebrations with you and hope that you will fully immerse yourself in the wonderful Festival program that is on offer. Our 2018 Festival has something for everyone – carefully crafted to ensure we are embracing and welcoming to our wonderful and diverse community. Mardi Gras is for everyone and this year you will see new spaces and events for more of our community and families to enjoy and share - from our Museum of Love & Protest, Queer Thinking programs, Koori Gras, to our fabulous Luna Park Family Fun Day and Mardi Gras Season at Seymour Centre. Our 2018 events will be more accessible for those with mobility needs or experiencing disability and we welcome a number of new creative and corporate partners to work with us to ensure Mardi Gras is for everyone. Through our truly authentic partnership with ANZ, we are thrilled to announce our wonderful ANZ Mardi Gras Community Grants Program that will provide grants to community groups from across Australia for a broad range of activities that benefit LGBTQI communities. We are also delighted to welcome back Google who work with us to provide the Google Mardi Gras Parade Grants to assist a range of community groups develop their creative ideas for the Mardi Gras Parade. Our history is our strength and Mardi Gras is built on the backs of those that came before us. The amazing activists, leaders and staff over four decades who have worked tirelessly within and for our community. While we celebrate all we have achieved over 40 years, we remember and acknowledge our older LGBTQI community including our 78ers who have paved the way and fought for our rights. At the same time we invite new friends from across Australia and the world to join us at Mardi Gras, and we encourage our younger community to celebrate, to protest and share their stories that will in turn inspire others and transform into new histories. It is time to be bold, have your say, meet new friends and come dance with us to celebrate 40 years of Mardi Gras amazingness! It’s all possible at Mardi Gras and we do change the world! Terese Casu CEO, Mardi Gras Arts PREMIER’S WELCOME The NSW Government is pleased to support the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, one of the largest and most successful LGBTQI events in the world. This year we mark the Festival’s 40th anniversary with a celebration of our vibrant and diverse culture. The event has grown over the past four decades to become such an important annual fixture. I congratulate all those who have been involved over the years to make the Mardi Gras the huge success that it is. I warmly welcome everyone to this year’s event and wish you all a happy Mardi Gras! Gladys Berejiklian NSW Premier MINISTER’S WELCOME I am pleased to welcome you all to the 2018 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, the 40th anniversary of this iconic event. This is a hallmark event on the NSW calendar, with the 2017 event attracting 38,000 overnight visitors to Sydney and injecting $39 million into the NSW visitor economy. This year’s event is expected to be bigger and better than ever as the city comes together in celebration of pride and diversity. I encourage all visitors to take some time during their stay to explore everything the city has to offer. For those with more time, I also encourage you to expand your visit to enjoy regional NSW. From stunning coastlines and beaches, to iconic landmarks and world- renowned restaurants and shops, there is something for everyone. I wish everyone an enjoyable stay and a happy Mardi Gras. Adam Marshall MP Minister for Tourism and Major Events LORD MAYOR’S WELCOME The 40th anniversary of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is a milestone in the long history of this important cultural event. This year’s theme is ‘evolution’, highlighting the journey for social justice that the LGBTIQ community has been on since the first event in 1978. The City of Sydney is proud to have a long history of support for one of Sydney’s most significant community festivals. Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras attracts visitors from all over the world and contributes to our reputation as a diverse, welcoming and inclusive city for all. As we celebrate the significant achievements throughout the history of the event, we also acknowledge the barriers to equality that continue to exist. We will continue to support the LGBTIQ community to celebrate diversity, achieve equality and deliver social justice for everyone. The City is proud to support the annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in its 40th year, and I look forward to joining all our communities to celebrate throughout the Festival. Clover Moore Lord Mayor, City of Sydney CREATIVE DIRECTOR’S WELCOME The 2018 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras program is big, really big - full of sensational shows, spectacular celebrations, fabulous community events and wild parties. With more than 100 diverse events, there is something for everyone just about everywhere. For 17 hot days and nights we take over Sydney and celebrate our extraordinary 40-year history together. Showcasing four decades of specialMardi Gras memories, immerse yourself in the Museum of Love & Protest at the National Art School in the heart of ‘Darlo’ - the original ‘gay ghetto’. There will be special moments honouring our 78ers, and you’ll see stunning showpieces from the entire history of the Festival. In the inner-west, our new venue partner Carriageworks will be transformed into a new Mardi Gras hub over the middle weekend of Mardi Gras featuring Koori Gras and Queer Thinking – plus a new event for the under 30s, the inaugural SISSY BALL with the support of Red Bull Music. Just down the road the Seymour Centre becomes a performance hub throughout the Festival, with theatre, cabaret, play readings and live music. In the city, kick off your celebrations in style at Trevor Ashley’s Mardi Gala at the Sydney Opera House, get your gear off at the Pool Party at Ivy, experience Queer Art After Hours at The Art Gallery of NSW or bring the kids along to our a fabulous new family day at Luna Park. We look forward to seeing you all at our most iconic events too. Fair Day’s back taking over the huge Victoria Park, and the Parade and Party will both set new benchmarks for Mardi Gras entertainment. We have plenty of surprises up our sleeve that are sure to delight our partygoers, including new chill-out spaces and the return of some old favourites. Mardi Gras is gearing up to be bigger and better than ever for 2018, as we highlight our amazing evolution, momentous achievements, extraordinary individuals and wonderfully diverse communities. See you there! Greg Clarke Creative Director, SGLMG ________________________________________________________ Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, who are the traditional owners of the land on which our celebrations are held on. Always was, always will be Aboriginal Land. ________________________________________________________ 40 YEARS OF EVOLUTION 40 years on from the original 1978 street Festival turned protest, Mardi Gras continues to evolve as a platform for social justice, providing a voice for our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex people across Australia and around the globe. Join us as we salute four decadent decades of love, protest, diversity, acceptance, endurance, activism, satire, pride, family and fabulous creativity. Our 2018 theme is 40 YEARS of EVOLUTION, which will be woven across our entire season of events and will showcase how our lives, communities, culture and society have evolved over four decades of Mardi Gras.