In 2011, Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) announced that it was interested in funding a number of large festivals – including a GLBT festival. This led to a number of public meetings, which led to the organisation of a group that would build the framework of Auckland Pride and the discussion of how a festival would take shape. It all seemed very reasoned and mature, building on the successes and failings of the Hero Festival, which folded in the early 2000s.


Then, 14 December came, and the level of methodical care that had gone into the early organisation was kicked into high gear.


ATEED issued a call for submissions:


The ATEED sponsorship window is now open for all major events scheduled to be held within the 2012/2013 financial year. The sponsorship window is the annual opportunity to secure investment from ATEED for events, which assist in delivering the outcomes sought by Auckland’s Major Event Strategy.


The catch? The deadline was Waitangi Day and Auckland Pride had to move it or lose it.


Interim chair Gresham Bradley has a bit of a chuckle as he recounts the amount of work that went into finalising the application; the ink was still drying as we spoke to him.


“We poured an incredible amount of hours, resources and knowledge into that document and got it together in time; the generosity of information that we’ve been able to gain has been just amazing. I think it’s a credit to the talent of the people who brought the Auckland Pride framework together. I’d like to especially credit OUTLine’s Vaughan Meneses, whose breadth of contacts and friends were especially invaluable for this application.”


Along with Gresham and Vaughan, the steering group included ALBA’s Lindsey Rea, local board member Simon Randall, former Hero Trust chair Anne Speir, lawyer Tony Walker, financial advisor Wayne Lockwood, UNIQ’s Antony Ovens, Rainbow Youth’s Sam Shore and sexual health and networking assistant Nick Lange. 
Gresham’s huge list of people pulled in continues.


“We’ve worked very closely with a lot of groups, in particular the NZAF. We’ve been talking with people like Paul Heard, who works for NZAF and also Bear New Zealand – we’ve talked to people who already have the expertise to become integral in the organisation of the festival. It’s not as if the festival would necessarily take these events over – remember that during the process, we agreed that the trust would be a managing organisation and most of the major events would be up to other people to actually put on. But obviously under the ATEED funding we have to provide the resource for those things to happen.”


One of the big bones of contention at earlier meetings was the matter of a parade. From a small pride march, a car-free eco march, to a massive Hero-style parade was tabled. But the question remained – would the application to ATEED include a parade? Good news, marchers!


“A parade is included as part of the application to council,” says Gresham. “It’s the most expensive part but it’s also the event that is potentially the greatest revenue in terms of sponsorship and the like. If you look at the incomings and outgoings, it’s not too bad. 
“I don’t think council wants a small little introspective kind of festival – they want something that will ‘celebrate the diversity of Auckland’s communities’; this is the language that’s in all of their descriptions of what they want. 


“If we have Auckland Pride Festival and don’t have a key element that every other Pride festival in the world has – some form of open, public celebration – then where’s the major event. It’s not just a parade though – there’s a whole proposal of a big festival at Aotea Square and a major gala concert. We’re talking culture, a parade, parties; all of those key elements that the community would sit and think about when they think about what a festival would mean.


“We’re going to build on the Get it on! Big Gay Out and on movies being shown and artists doing exhibitions, food festivals celebrating our culinary expertise. We’ve put forward something diverse and ambitious, but it’s time to be ambitious.” 


The steering group has the full support of a range of politicians, all of whom want to see Auckland draped in rainbow flags in 2013. 
Auckland Central MP Nikki Kaye got the ball rolling last year by calling for a feasibility study, and is pleased at the work done towards this initiative.


“I called for this larger GLBT celebration because I believe it could have a number of benefits including creating a culture of greater tolerance and respect for the GLBT community. There could also be an economic benefit by bringing more international and domestic tourists to Auckland. I am hopeful [the Auckland Pride Festival] will be successful and I congratulate all people involved for their effort in putting together the application.”


Louisa Wall, Labour MP for Manurewa, says “To show such pride in the diversity which is our community is very important for the next generation of Rainbow members so they can fully express themselves and be loved and celebrated for who they and we are.”


And Jan Logie, new list MP for the Greens, says, “A well-funded, well promoted festival has real potential to bring our communities together in a way we haven’t seen in recent years. Major scale events give us an opportunity to highlight our issues to mainstream New Zealand as well helping GLBT people who may feel as if they’re alone in their queerness. The need for affirmation, self-validation and community is not past. Discrimination still exists and by joining together and demonstrating our Pride in ourselves and each other we will be making a real contribution to ourselves and others.


“A well-funded major event that put Auckland Pride on the same footing as Mardi Gras in Sydney would certainly have the potential to boost tourism and the GLBT community profile for New Zealand. A glorious Auckland Pride would be a win socially and economically. Not to mention it would be a tonne of fun!”


Gresham says this support gives Auckland Pride a huge amount of confidence regarding their application.


“Auckland Pride has a huge amount of support at the highest level – multi-government support. Nikki called for the feasibility study, the Labour MPs came along to the meetings, as did deputy mayor Penny Hulse. This cannot be anything but a positive indicator of our chances.
“It’s very much a reflection of the maturity of Auckland as a Super City, instead of a bunch of feuding councils. We have a council and mayor that understand what a diverse vibrant city culture is all about. We don’t have to look back very far to remember the days of Les Mills and John Banks. 


“This is a business decision for Auckland – we think we meet all the business requirements that they are asking for. Auckland Council is putting its money where its mouth is and going about developing events, culture and diversity in Auckland and becoming an A-class city.


“When do we find out? Not sure. I think we will have a response around the end of February if not early March; hopefully we will get a dialogue underway. The application is a conceptual and broad top level application, there’s a lot of details that are ifs – if we are selected to negotiate, we will have to answer a lot of questions… but that’s okay, we’ve got all the answers. I think we have a very, very good chance.


“We’re not celebrating just yet – there’s a lot of work to be done – but we’re confident we’ll be popping some bubbles.”

| Hannah JV


Vintage photos courtesy of the express Hero Festival archive