Over 4,000 attendees from communities across the West Midlands were welcomed to a showcase of first-class multidisciplinary arts, as part of one of the UK’s major LGBTQI+ celebrations last year.

Year-round outreach work by the Birmingham Pride team and partner organisations to engage with families from disadvantaged and impaired communities, matched with inclusive visitor and production facilities, delivered an enriching and memorable experience for thousands, many of whom had not had the opportunity to enjoy live performance for a year or more.

61% of those who claimed the free tickets to the event, which featured performances from Bollyqueer, Girl Grind, Natalie Maclean, as well as an operatic performance from Royal Birmingham Conservatoire graduate Oliver Barker, lived in a community with significant socio-economic disadvantage.

In line with Birmingham Pride’s aim to play a leading role in building a community free of fear or prejudice, along with creating safe spaces at its annual cultural spectacular, 65% of Big Free Community Day survey respondents in 2024 had not attended any other cultural events in the West Midlands in the last 12 months and 57% had not attended any other LGBTQI+ events in the same time.

Lawrence Barton DL, Festival Director of Birmingham Pride, said: “The mission of our Big Free Community Day is to enable everyone in our region and beyond, no matter their financial circumstances or background to participate in an inclusive, high-quality, and dynamic LGBTQ+ event at Birmingham Pride without the barrier of cost.

“We strive to do so in such a way that enables those who might find a large festival environment uncomfortable to have the space and freedom they need to feel at ease and included.”

The 28th edition of Birmingham Pride’s annual three-day weekend celebration of LGBTQI+ achievements, life and love will take place in May 2025, featuring the now world-famous parade, estimated to involve over 80,000 people moving through the City.

Mr Barton continued, saying, “The community day is so important; it not only recognises the great work of LGBTQI+ community leaders throughout the year and reflects on the journey of our community over recent history, but it also allows us to platform and showcase brilliant emerging and community LGBTQ+/allied artists who otherwise might never have an opportunity to perform on a world-class festival main stage.

“We were pleased to include new art forms in 2024 such as opera, enabling a wider and more diverse audience than traditionally seen to experience these inspiring classical arts. We are excited to continue building on the incredible outcomes of this venture and look forward to working with our partners to continue delivering on this transformational mission.”

Alongside performances from contemporary multidisciplinary artists, Birmingham Pride hopes to once again celebrate art forms with an LGBTQI+ focus, including many seen as traditionally elitist, helping break down socio-economic barriers through free and low-income ticketing schemes and via outreach work.

Vinay Jobanputra, founder of dance organisation Bollyqueer who performed on Birmingham Pride’s main stage for the Big Free Community Event, said: “To be able to celebrate our South Asian identity as well as our queerness on stage was an exciting feeling, especially on such a big platform.

“This experience was us reclaiming who we are and showing that love and joy exists within our communities and that queerness exists within our culture, and we’re not sorry about it! It felt great to be the representation that we needed whilst growing up.”

Birmingham Pride welcomes expressions of interest from partners keen to help deliver the 2025 Big Free Community Day. For more information email [email protected].