About us

About Auckland Pride

Our Vision

Auckland Pride envisions an Aotearoa where Tākatāpui and Rainbow Communities are liberated, thriving, and connected. Through art, activism, and community building, we create spaces that celebrate belonging, spark conversations, and drive meaningful change.

Who We Are

Auckland Pride is the leading organisation championing Tākatāpui and Rainbow communities in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland. For over a decade, we have worked tirelessly to create a platform where creativity meets advocacy. Our mission is to celebrate and support our diverse communities by providing opportunities for expression, connection, and empowerment.

In 2025, Auckland Pride has expanded its team to strengthen our capacity to serve our membership and the communities they represent. Our passionate and experienced team includes:

Hāmiora Bailey (Ngāti Porou Ki Harataunga, Ngāti Huarere) - Executive Director
Katharine Atafu-Mayo (Malie, Falelatai, Sāmoa; Scotland) - Executive Producer
Blaise Clotworthy (they/them - Pākehā) - Partnership Manager
Vic Walsh (she/her - Tauiwi) - Operations Manager
Bunty Bou (he/him - Cambodia) - Digital Producer

Together, we bring over 20 years of combined experience in the Rainbow and arts sectors, driving a shared commitment to equity, creativity, and social transformation.

What We Do

At Auckland Pride, we believe that art is activism. Grounded in a Kaupapa Māori approach, we use the arts to create spaces where Tākatāpui and Rainbow communities can express their identities, demand their rights, and build stronger connections. Our initiatives include:

Te Tīmatanga

Te Tīmatanga is not just the annual opening event of Auckland Pride Festival—it’s a flagship residency program rooted in Te Aho Matua principles that fosters the sharing of kōrero tuku iho (ancestral knowledge) by pairing one emerging and one senior artist together for four months, creating a living legacy of storytelling and artistry. The residency culminates in the Festival’s annual opening event, showcasing the creative outcomes of this unique collaboration.

Proud Centres

Through the Auckland Council Proud Centres we offer opportunities for people to come together in their local neighbourhoods across Auckland, offering a vibrant range of events and activities that celebrate local Takatāpui and Rainbow community members. These community-focused gatherings create spaces for connection, creativity, and expression, making Proud Centres a welcoming presence in local neighbourhoods and a key part the Auckland Pride Festival.

Pride Empowerment

Each year, Pride Empowerment funds innovative and impactful projects across Takatāpui and Rainbow communities, from performances and workshops to exhibitions and creative gatherings that strengthen and celebrate our shared identities.

Pride Develops

Pride Develops is an Auckland Pride program dedicated to fostering sustainable production methods and supporting artists and event organisers in refining their projects and practices. Through mentorship, resources, and a sustainability framework, it empowers participants to align creativity with inclusivity and cultural stewardship. In partnership with Basement Theatre, the program includes two week-long residencies, offering venue access, technical support, a $5,000 artist fee, and dramaturgical development through workshops and knowledge exchange. This initiative nurtures artistic growth, sustainability, and collaboration, reflecting Auckland Pride's commitment to professional advancement and long-term impact.

Pride Elevates

Pride Elevates is an innovative programme within the 2025 Auckland Pride Festival, inviting artists to express and develop their creative practice. Designed to support three distinct artist groups, it focuses on artistic development, community engagement, and creating works that reflect identity, connection, and resilience. Pride Elevates takes the stage at the intimate Q Loft, showcasing three back-to-back five-night seasons filled with sell-out potential and a lineup that promises to leave audiences captivated. As Auckland Pride’s dedicated performance program, Pride Elevates continues to raise the bar, featuring some of the most anticipated voices in Takatāpui and Rainbow art today.

Waimahara

Our Closing event Waimahara at Myers Park, is a reimagined gathering that shifts the traditional Pride March and Pride Party to an activation that reflects on the strength within our communities and galvanises our shared vision of queer liberation and social justice. Beginning with a rally in Aotea Square Grass Terraces, attendees march to Myers Park through the public art installation Waimahara by Graham Tipene (Ngāti Whātua, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Hauā, Ngāti Manu) for a day of connection, learning, and organising around shared advocacy goals.

These programs foster creative pathways and cycles of growth, ensuring our festival is a platform for advocacy, resilience, and community-building.

Why It Matters

Every Auckland Pride Festival event, from performances to community gatherings, is an act of resistance and solidarity. By nurturing artistic expression and grassroots activism, we contribute to better social and health outcomes for our communities. Our work amplifies voices, challenges the status quo, and creates a sense of belonging that extends beyond the festival.

How You Can Help

Auckland Pride’s impact relies on the strength of its members and donors. Membership is free for unwaged audience members, artists, and event organisers, ensuring that everyone can participate in shaping our collective future. Your support helps us:

Deliver impactful events.
Address social inequities.
Build stronger, more inclusive communities.

By becoming a member or donating, you’re contributing to a movement rooted in liberation, creativity, and justice. Together, we can sustain the momentum of change and create a future where all Rainbow identities are celebrated and connected.

Join Us

Be part of the movement to empower Tākatāpui and Rainbow communities. Become a member or donate today to help us shape a thriving, equitable Aotearoa. Together, we’re building a future where art, activism, and community unite to create lasting impact.