Greens Demand State Pride Fund Following Yet Another LGBTQ+ Loss: Tamworth Pride

The Greens are once again urging the NSW Government to establish an LGBTQ+ pride events fund following the cancellation of Tamworth Pride. It comes after the NSW regional festival failed to secure the desired funding for its 2026 Fair Day and After Party, adding to a growing list of cancelled Pride events in NSW this year, including the Sydney Mardi Gras After Party, and the permanent dissolution of Wagga Wagga’s Mardi Gras.

“Cancelling Tamworth Pride’s Fair Day and After Party was a very difficult decision to make and one where we explored as many options as possible before making it,” said Tamworth Pride President William Weller. “We were devastated by this decision and we feel the pain of the community at the loss of this event this year.”

According to Weller, NSW’s existing grant infrastructure had not been sufficient to keep Tamworth Pride afloat, which already relies heavily on small volunteer committees whose members are already juggling work and family commitments.

“Regional events especially struggle to be successful in grant applications due to lack of local council support [and] competition with much larger metropolitan organisations,” said Weller. 

The Loss Of Tamworth Pride Was Preventable; The Greens Tried

Prior to the cancellation, NSW Greens spokesperson Dr Amanda Cohn had advised against exactly this outcome, petitioning the NSW Government to create a dedicated pride events fund, similar to Victoria’s, so LGBTQ+ community events didn’t need to rely on “piecemeal fundraising”. 

Addressing Minister for Arts John Graham at Legislative Council Hansard in February, Dr Cohen condemned the government’s valuing of Mardi Gras and other pride events as mere “tourist attractions”.

“That ad hoc approach where events are considered with destination funding and valued as a tourist attraction misses the point about community connection and wellbeing created by some of these events,” said Dr Cohen. 

“Not all of them are tourist attractions; they are incredible pride events across the State—the Illawarra Trans and Friends Festival, Newcastle Pride, Eurobodalla Pride, Tamworth Pride, the Broken Heel Festival and so many more. They are critical to every single one of those communities.”

Following the cancellation of Tamworth Pride, Dr Cohen is again inviting the community to consider signing The Green’s petition.

“Pride events are more than tourist attractions,” said Dr Cohn. “They are opportunities for queer people to connect, celebrate and show communities that LGBTQIA+ people belong and matter. This is crucial at a time where hatred and threats towards queer communities is on the rise.”