This year, Sydney’s iconic Queen Victoria Building is set to undergo a major transformation, as Vicinity Centres celebrates Sydney World Pride and honours five powerful people from the LGBTQIA+ community and their longstanding fight for equality.
To mark this momentous occasion, the building will be renamed and re–imagined in magnificent fashion. The campaign, named Pride 2023, will see the QVB pay tribute to five inspiring individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, by capturing them as ‘Real Queens’ in a series of royal–style portraits.
The Queens being honoured as part of the campaign are entertainer, trans icon and cabaret star Carlotta, queer activists Ken Davis, who convened the Gay Solidarity Group which initiated the first ever Sydney Mardi Gras in 1978, Independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich, Janine Middleton who fought for marriage equality in Australia and Indigenous drag queen and performer Felicia Foxx who advocates for the visibility and empowerment of young Indigenous queer people.
The launch of Pride 2023 will include a building renaming and ribbon–cutting ceremony which takes place at 11:30am tomorrowQueens and other celebrities from LGBTQIA+ Community including Ru Paul’s drag queen Kita Mean, Alright,Hey! and Dom Skii will all be in attendance.
The campaign will also feature a physical installation in the dome, transforming the area into an engaging spectacle with large–scale portraits of the ‘Real Queens’, as well as in–centre activations with charities and influencers to generate further awareness.
The queens themselves shared their excitement about being involved in the project.
“It’s an honour to be a part of the QVB SWP Campaign and having the QVB renamed after myself and other incredible queens shows how far we’ve come over all these years,” said leading queen and trans icon Carlotta.
“The QVB is such an iconic building that all Sydneysiders are proud of. It’s great to see this activation happening at the QVB in and around Sydney World Pride. It sends a powerful message of inclusiveness of diversity and of celebration of Sydney’s LGBTQIA+ Community, so I’m thrilled to be a part of this campaign,” says Alex Greenwich, Independent Sydney MP and Co-Chair of Australian Marriage Equality.
Vicinity Centres Head of Brand, Marketing and Experience, Corrinne Barchanowicz, said: “The QVB is one of Australia’s most iconic places in the heart of Sydney’s CBD. It is a destination that aims to make everyone feel welcome. It is of utmost importance to us to support Sydney World Pride, honouring our beautiful and inspirational queens as part of this campaign. They have fought tirelessly for change and representation over the decades. Our aim is to celebrate inclusivity, diversity and equality with this campaign and bring awareness to the LGBTQIA+ Community. The QVB will continue to support the community with our ongoing partnerships with ACON.”
This inspirational campaign is sure to be celebrated by Sydneysiders and visitors alike, and will create a one–of–a–kind cultural experience that celebrates Mardi Gras and reinforces the QVB’s status as a premium Australian icon. So come join us at the QVB and honour these incredible queens and the fight for equality they have fought over the last 45 years!
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