Liverpool Pride to revise
format of forthcoming 2015 event
Photograph by David Munn.
THE organisers of the Liverpool Pride
has announced details of a revised format of the event for 2015 due to the
charity's financial constraints; taking it back to its 1st principles around
inclusivity and equality with FREE events
for the LGBT community.
Changes to the event on Saturday, 1 August 2015, mean that there will be no
event at the Pier Head, as 1st announced, or road closures at the Stanley Street
Quarter. There will no outdoor alcohol drinking zones.
However, event highlight the Pride March will go ahead making its way from St
George's Hall through the City Centre, and the Michael Causer Vigil will remain
key parts of the event.
A programme of activities will also take place across the City, including
market, education and community zone, workshops, guest speakers, acoustic music,
a mobile cinema, and a family zone, with locations including Stanley Street
Quarter.
Established in 2010, Liverpool Pride is a charity run entirely by volunteers.
This year the organising charity has faced difficulties in attracting additional
sponsors to help fund the format that attendees have come to expect in recent
years, due to the current economic climate and escalating event costs.
Despite the changes, the Pride team is keen to stress that an event will go
ahead for the 6th consecutive year, but in a new scaled down format for 2015
while they go through a transitional year.
Liverpool Pride is 1 of the City's most popular, visual and flamboyant events in
the calendar. It attracts thousands of colourful characters in creative
costumes, as well as families, who take to the streets to support the Pride
cause.
This year's theme, as voted for by the public, is 'Love Is No Crime',
and attendees are encouraged to take part in the programme dressed in their most
wild and wonderful interpretations of the theme.
The date of Liverpool Pride always coincides with the anniversary of when
murdered gay teenager Michael Causer tragically lost his life. Michael died on 2
August 2008, and the festival was specifically created in his memory as a way to
celebrate his life and empower the LGBT communities. This year's Liverpool Pride
takes place a week before what would have also been Michael's 26th Birthday.
Liverpool Pride 2015 is being supported by main sponsors Homes For Everyone and
Liverpool City Council. Supporters also include After Adoption, Merseyside Fire
and Rescue Service, Hugh Baird College, Unison North West LGBT, and Barefoot
Wine.
Joan Burnett, Trustee of Liverpool Pride Charity said:- "This has been an
extremely difficult year for the Liverpool Pride charity in financial terms,
after the weather affected 2014's event adversely. We have worked very hard to
bring the charity out of a deficit situation, meaning we can focus on a
different kind of event this year, whilst working towards sustainability for
2016. Our theme, Love Is No Crime, will focus on the Pride March and positive
messages about LGBT lives. Liverpool Pride is a registered charity so we have to
stay within our financial restraints, therefore the event will feel less
commercial and more community driven, with lots of free activities. We are
extremely grateful to our sponsors and supporters for continuing to champion the
Pride cause. It's a day for remembering why we hold Pride; to try to ensure that
what happened to Michael Causer never happens again. LGBT people in our region
still undergo violence and prejudice simply for who they are, and Liverpool
Pride is a campaign for equality and dignity for everyone. By putting the March
at the centre of our attention, we're giving the campaign the profile it
deserves. However this is Liverpool Pride, so visitors can still expect fabulous
celebrations across the Stanley Street Quarter, and we aim to announce a great
line up of brand new music, dance and film, and health and wellbeing in venues
across the City, but we do still need support."
There will be extra activity leading up to the increasingly popular and poignant
Liverpool Pride March from St George's Hall, which remains the main part of the
day. This will include an extended muster time on St George's Plateau from
10.30am, with a programmed schedule of activity running through until the march
start time of 12pm.
Liverpool Pride will also host a free to visit Community Pride zone, sponsored
by After Adoption. This includes workshops, face painting, crafts and games,
drama classes, acoustic music, market traders, and a speakers' corner where
specially invited guests from around the world will focus on life issues facing
the LGBT community. This will run from 1pm to 5pm with a site still to be
confirmed.
There will also be Pride At The Pictures. The 100 seater mobile Picturehouse
Cinema will screen four feature films, 1 of which will be the premiere of a new
LGBT film made in Liverpool. The cinema will be open between 2pm and 10pm, and
tickets are £6 per screening and available to book in advance via Picturehouse@FACT.
The winners of the Out On Stage competition organised by The Michael Causer
Foundation, will also be performing on the day, the unprecedented music prize
offered the chance for Liverpool's best unsigned music stars to perform with
headline slots at Liverpool Pride.
Liverpool Pride 2015 will be brought to a poignant close with the Michael Causer
Vigil on Sunday, 2 August 2015, the vigil will take place in Temple Square
(between Victoria St and Dale St from 5.30pm.
A new fringe event for 2015 is the Stanley Street Quarter Pride Weekend, which
will run alongside Liverpool Pride, from Friday, 31 July to Sunday, 2 August
2015. The Stanley Street Quarter venues are hosting entertainment to complement
the festival and some bars will be ticketed. Stanley Street will not be closed
and outdoor drinking is not permitted.
Andy Herring, Chair of the Stanley Street Quarter, added:- "It is a great
shame that Liverpool Pride will not take place in its usual format this year,
but on a positive note, the Stanley Street Quarter and its venues are working
together to create a fantastic weekend festival to run alongside the event. We
have lots of exciting entertainment planned and we're looking forward to seeing
everyone over the weekend."
Liverpool Pride charity are reaching out to the business and local community for
support to enable a Pride event to continue in the future. If anybody would like
to support they should get in touch via the Liverpool Pride website.
Keep up to date with Pride Liverpool announcements by visiting:-
LiverpoolPride.Co.UK where people can also register to volunteer
or find out about sponsorship opportunities.
Read this page.
