Support for Pride Organisations and LGBTQIA+ Events.

The production of Pride events has always been challenging and having the right support for event organisers is essential to their ongoing success. What resources can organisers reach out to for support and advice in developing their cause and creating inclusive events for all to enjoy.

From big city Pride marches and festivals attracting hundreds of thousands to small local events and workshops many LGBTQIA+ groups and organisations globally face a multitude of challenges to maintain funding and promote their cause. There has been great progress in the last two decades but there are still 71 countries that continue to criminalize homosexuality including any associated events and activities. Support to combat any prejudices and legal issues comes from the numerous local and national organisations but more needs to be done on a global scale.

Associations and Support Organisations.
In 2020 there was the formation of Global Pride 2020 which was a collaboration of numerous organisations including InterPride, European Pride Organisers Association and national Pride networks in several countries including:  

• CSD Deutschland.
• Fierté Canada Pride.
• OLA – Orgullo Latin America.
• Svenska Pride.
• Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras.
• UK Pride Organisers Network.
• US Association of Prides.
  

Global Pride 2020 was an essential platform in bringing together the LGBTQIA+ community during the coronavirus pandemic. The key 3 organisations continue their work in their respective jurisdictions although the largest of these is InterPride who represent 400 organisations in 70 countries. Their aim is to support the production of Pride events for diverse global SOGIESC (Sexual Orientations, Gender Identities and Expressions, and Sex Characteristics) communities.

Resources. 
Most LGBTQIA+ organisations provide a variety of resources to their members including advice, policy formation and reach out programmes. InterPride help to connect organisations and also run a grant and scholarship scheme in addition to fundraising activities. For localised organisations running their own Pride events InterPride also provide support and advice on how to organise events and festivals. A key role of many LGBTQIA+ organisations is to provide training and policy formation advice to businesses, corporations and government institutions.

Future Prospects. 
The aims of LGBTQIA+ support organisations are evolving with changes in society and attitudes but the push for full equality in all countries and societies continues to be the key challenge. The emergence of some in fighting between different sub groups in the LGBTQIA+ community is an unwelcome distraction from the overall focus. Challenges to Pride events and festivals around the world continues to come from political movements as well as extreme religious groups. A meeting of international government representatives at The Equal Rights Coalition in Buenos Aires in September 2022 focussed on developing inclusive national laws and policies, supporting civil society responses to the global anti-gender movement and mapping the progress towards decriminalisation around the world.

Festival Pro work with numerous Pride event organisers around the world to help them with their event management. For Pride and festival organisers planning their events using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

Photo by Rosemary Ketchum via Pexels

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