Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has appointed Acuity Communications Advisory and Thrive PR & Communications to shape its corporate and festival communications, with work now under way for the 2027 season and the parade’s landmark 50th anniversary in 2028.

Essential Takeaways

  • Two-agency model: Acuity will handle corporate, policy and reputation communications, while Thrive leads festival PR.
  • 2027 preparations begin: The new partnership arrives as planning starts for the next major festival season.
  • A major anniversary ahead: The parade will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2028.
  • Thrive joins as sponsor: The agency will support the festival creatively and become an official festival sponsor.
  • Inclusion remains central: Both agencies say their work will focus on protecting the community’s home and celebrating its joy.

A new communications team is taking shape

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has chosen Acuity Communications Advisory and Thrive PR & Communications as its retained communications agencies after a competitive pitch. The appointment creates a clear split between organisational reputation and the public-facing energy of the festival.

It also gives the partnership plenty to work with. Mardi Gras is not simply a parade or a week of parties, but a year-round organisation with community, policy and cultural responsibilities. That makes the division of duties a sensible one, rather than a bit of agency reshuffling for its own sake.

Why the two-agency model matters

Acuity will lead corporate communications, issues and policy work, as well as executive and reputation communications. In practical terms, that means helping the organisation speak clearly when the conversation moves beyond festival launches and into wider questions affecting the LGBTQIA+ community.

Thrive, meanwhile, will oversee festival PR, including media relations, launch events, influencer activity and support for brand partnerships. According to Acuity's agency profile, its work centres on strategic communications and reputation, which fits neatly with the more corporate side of the brief.

The 2027 festival is already in view

The agencies' work begins with the 2027 festival, giving them time to develop a joined-up approach before the spotlight grows brighter. Festival communications now stretch across traditional media, social platforms, partnerships and live experiences, so consistency matters at every stage.

That will be especially important with the parade's 50th anniversary arriving in 2028. A milestone of that size needs more than a large headline. It needs a story that connects the event's history with its present-day role, while keeping the community itself at the centre.

Pride communications need both joy and care

Sydney Mardi Gras CEO Jesse Matheson said the partnership would support communications across both the festival season and the organisation's broader work. He also highlighted the power of joy and celebration in telling the community's stories.

That balance is crucial. A festival can be colourful, loud and wonderfully exuberant, but the organisation behind it may also need to respond thoughtfully to political issues, public debate and community concerns. Acuity and Thrive's separate remits should allow both sides of that work to receive proper attention.

A partnership built around inclusion

Thrive founder and CEO Leilani Abels said the agencies' role would involve protecting the LGBTQIA+ community's home while celebrating its joy. She also pointed to the lived experiences of the agencies' people as part of their commitment to inclusion.

The appointment comes at a moment when cultural events are expected to do more than generate excitement. They must build trust, support partners responsibly and communicate with audiences who want both celebration and substance. For Mardi Gras, the next two festival cycles offer a chance to make that connection feel especially strong.

The 2027 festival will be the first major test of the new model, while 2028 promises an even bigger stage. If the agencies can keep the messaging warm, confident and community-led, the partnership could give the anniversary celebrations a suitably memorable voice.

It's a communications appointment with a very big celebration already on the horizon.

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