Following it’s successful launch last year, the Glitter Festival on the Gold Coast (Australia) is back in 2016 – bigger, better and sparklier than ever!

The Glitter Festival, now in its second year, is becoming nationally recognised as an arts festival that embraces and celebrates diversity, and encourages freedom of expression.

From Thursday October 6 through until Sunday October 9, the 2016 festival offers an incredible program comprising of events, music, theatre, film and visual arts. Glitter contains an equal mix of earthy, raw and thought provoking content, juxtaposed by performances and events of total fabulousness! There truly is something for everyone in 2016.

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Undertaken and proudly presented by The Arts Centre Gold Coast with the blessing of the City and the Mayor, the Glitter Festival embodies unification and inclusion and celebrates this togetherness with flair of nostalgia, fun and honesty. It encompasses everything that is unique about our City and celebrates pride in an undefined way – a way that is distinctly Gold Coast.

Festival and Programming Director Mr Brad Rush said “The branding of the Glitter Festival pays homage to the glory days of the true Glitter Strip – a time when freedom of expression in all its forms was not only encouraged but promoted. People flocked to the Glitter Strip to soak up not only the sand, but its glitz, its glamour, its naughtiness and its welcoming space to be individual.”

“Fast track to the year 2016 – and the Gold Coast is a mature and progressive city, brave enough to look at itself socially and challenge its views on equality and acceptance.”

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Whilst Glitter Festival embraces and celebrates the LGBTIQ+ community, its relevance is much deeper. With the current political and world climate, now more than ever there is a social responsibility to stand together as a unified community. The festival offers a safe, accepting and open platform to connect and allow people to be whoever they want to be without judgement.

Here’s a snapshot of just some of Glitter’s many highlights:

PERFORMANCES

Ladies & Gentlemen, The Songs of George Michael
ARIA Award winner and one of Australia’s finest vocalists, Anthony Callea makes his Glitter debut celebrating the songs of a pop music icon backed by a six-piece live band.

I’m Every Woman
Acclaimed performer Trevor Ashley returns to the Glitter Festival to transform into the world’s most legendary divas with the help of a smokin’ band, a cavalcade of smash hit songs and one extremely hard-working wind machine.

24 Ways to Say I’m Gay
Eight actors playing 55 characters, in no less than 17 short plays, provide an honest, stimulating and perceptive look at what it means to be gay.

EVENTS

Glitter Race Day
An amazingly unique and outrageously fun day at the track! There’s no better way to see in the start of the Spring Carnival than at this signature festival event.

The Saturday Social
Glitter invites the entire ’extended family’ to this free community afternoon for all ages. Enjoy an eclectic mix of performances, food, community stalls, live music, activities and entertainment.

UNIQUE

There’s Something I Need to Tell You 
Back by popular demand! Tell your own tale or relax in a safe and supportive space and be inspired by ordinary people sharing their LGBTIQ+ stories.

The Glitter Gallery
Featuring two exhibitions of work. One featuring self-portraiture to disrupt gender-normative readings of their own life. The other, a fascinating new project that unravels the history of queer culture and entertainment on the Gold Coast.

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For more information or to book tickets,
please visit the Arts Centre website.
You can also follow the Arts Centre on Facebook.

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