Now we're investigating the potential of locating a Pride Centre right here in the Inner West Local Government Area (LGA) and we invite you to help vision the project.

We've already delivered a number of initiatives to support LGBTIQ people including setting up a LGBTIQ Working Group, installing Pride Seats, the annual Feel The Love Mardi Gras reception, commissioning a gateway mural and employing a dedicated Council Officer.

Council recognises and highly values the population of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, and other diverse sexual orientations and gender identities people in our community.

Council recognises and highly values the population of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, and other diverse sexual orientations and gender identities people in our community.

We've already delivered a number of initiatives to support LGBTIQ people including setting up a LGBTIQ Working Group, installing Pride Seats, the annual Feel The Love Mardi Gras reception, commissioning a gateway mural and employing a dedicated Council Officer.

Now we're investigating the potential of locating a Pride Centre right here in the Inner West Local Government Area (LGA) and we invite you to help vision the project.



Why a Pride Centre in the Inner West?

The elected Council identified the need for a Pride Centre and commissioned a report on 31 October 2017. Councillors discussed the report on 12 June 2018 and resolved to progress the project.

Read the Pride in the Inner West reports to Council here

The Inner West would be a logical location for the establishment of a Pride Centre because the area is home to a large and vibrant LGBTIQ community. One of the ways this is measured is that the LGA has over four times the number of same sex couples at 2.24% compared to Greater Sydney at 0.56%*.

We've also been guided by direct feedback from Council's Rainbow Roundtable forum in August 2017 which prioritised the need for diverse wellbeing and health support programs and services to be locally accessible for LGBTIQ communities. These could help to address issues of social isolation, sense of belonging, bullying, harassment and include mental health services, for example to support people transitioning.

*Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2016 Census data for Inner West Council LGA





How might a Pride Centre work?

One way to go might be a co-location model where support services in conjunction with wellbeing programs are based in the same building along with social spaces and community resources.



Worldwide there are a number of existing spaces such as the Pride Centre of Edmonton, Canada, Pelangi Pride Centre, Singapore and the San Francisco LGBT Centre, all demonstrating great outcomes for their local community.



In Australia, the Victorian government has allocated $15 million to the development of a purpose built Victorian Pride Centre in St. Kilda which is due to open in 2020. We will be doing further research into successful Pride Centre models to inform the project.





Contribute to the vision

Over the next few weeks we'll be talking with you about your vision for the centre and also working with community groups, service providers, agencies and others to progress funding and governance ideas.

We want to know

What should happen there?

Where should it be located?

What would make it safe and accessible for you?

Have your say in person

Mardi Gras Fair Day engagement stall on Sunday, 17 February 2019 in Victoria Park 10am - 4pm

Ashfield Carnival of Cultures Your Say Inner West stall on Sunday, 24 February 2019 in Ashfield Park 10am- 4pm

Or online

Please fill in the Pride Centre Visioning Survey.

Survey closed 24 March 2019.





Suggest a location

Use the interactive map tool to zoom in on a neighbourhood, drop a pin and tell us why you chose that location for a new Inner West Pride Centre.



What happens next

Council is now progressing the project using the information gathered from the community and other research. Keep updated with the project on Council's website.





Inner West LGBTIQ Working Group - If you're interested in joining the LGBTIQ Working Group to assist with future events, advocacy and programs, please get in touch. All enquiries to Josie Leeson 9392 5756 or Josie.leeson@innerwest.nsw.gov.au.