Trigger Warning: This page discusses the war in Gaza, reader discretion is advised
Response to queries about Brighton & Hove Pride’s sponsors and partnerships
This year, all involved with Brighton & Hove Pride have been very aware of the suffering and devastation in Gaza. We stand in solidarity with all the innocent people subjected to violence in Palestine and Israel.
Our statement on this is:
We condemn in the strongest terms the acts of violence, death and destruction in Gaza. We demand an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages to protect civilians and prevent genocide. The international community must unite to challenge Israel on the use of excessive force. All those responsible for acts against humanity in the region must be held to account under international law. We demand an end to the war and for political leaders to work towards a peaceful solution without further bloodshed.
We equally firmly condemn the rise of antisemitism in Europe, recognising the extreme danger this poses now and never forgetting past atrocities so we ensure the horrors of history are not repeated.
We must stand up against prejudice in all its forms to protect innocent people at home and around the world.
We also offer our heartfelt sympathy to all those in Brighton & Hove affected by the Gaza conflict as we recognise the impact of the international events on the many diverse communities in the city. Brighton & Hove, as a welcoming city, is a place where antisemitism, islamophobia and all hate crimes must be denounced and rejected.
Pride response to questions
Why do you have sponsors?
Large scale events rely on sponsorship, this is an industry fact.
Like many well-known community organisations and UK Pride events, the reality is we rely on sponsorship to deliver our Pride aims and activities.
Sponsors provide funding which is required to ensure we can deliver a safe event and sponsor relations allow for influence within corporate organisations open to change. Manchester Pride has explained a similar approach.
Brighton & Hove Pride is a not-for-profit community interest company and receives no funding from our local authority. We are a small and diverse team, dedicated to supporting and representing the LGBTQI+ communities in our city.
The Pride Community parade is for members of the LGBTQI+ community to come together and celebrate our spirit and enduring resilience. Sponsorship is essential towards the costs of the Community Parade, including keeping participant fees as low as possible.
A core element of all our Pride activity is fundraising. Pride is the main community fundraiser for the Brighton Rainbow Fund. Pride fundraising has provided essential contributions for vital local LGBTQ+ grassroots community organisations to carry out their work all year round. Groups that have benefited include Allsorts, The Claire Project, Lunch Positive, Brighton & Hove Switchboard, Radical Rhizomes, Mind Out, Trans Sober, Trans Pride, Peer Action, Trans Can Sport, and QTIPOC Narratives Collective, and many more.
This year we are also directly fundraising for organisations that help change lives including Trans Pride Brighton, Grassroots Suicide Prevention and Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) (read more on our website).
Our work with sponsors means we can maximise our fundraising activities.
How do you decide who to partner with?
As part of our commitment to our core values, we have declined sponsorship and participation from brands applying to work with us where they do not meet criteria for ethical and social responsibility. All organisations involved with Pride must demonstrate a commitment to LGBTQI+ rights and show support for LGBTQI+ staff and communities.
We have previously declined applications from banks, oil companies, and gas companies. We have also rejected sponsorship applications from brands in fast fashion who do not have sound manufacturing processes or fair treatment of workers.
We review all sponsorship annually and we continue to work for positive change with partners and allies who have supported the LGBTQ+ community over many years.
It’s a delicate balance and, while we would never claim to get everything right, we are always open to dialogue with our groups and we do all we can to gain input and feedback from all our communities to consider best options.
We referred to the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) list when looking at potential sponsorship partners. We respect the views of all members of our community and the right to protest and boycott brands. But we do not agree with boycotts that target and hurt our own community. We do not believe this is the way forward for positive change.
Will you drop any of your sponsors for 2024?
No. All our current sponsors for 2024 will remain in place for this year’s event but we are committing to review all sponsorship for 2025. We rely on the support of our regular sponsors, who also support many other LGBTQI+ charities, events, and festivals.
After a particular challenging year in 2023, due to transport and weather disruption, we cannot deliver Pride this summer without the support of our partners. To make changes now would mean the event could not go ahead.
We are always receptive to changing our policies and review all partnerships annually.
Why has it taken so long to respond to the questions?
We are a small team with limited resources. We have taken all comments and messages very seriously, taking time to read and consider all concerns received. We are committed to constant improvement and believe in constructive dialogue.
We recently met with Queers for Palestine and listened to their valid concerns (our statement is here). We will continue to have constructive conversations, engage with this group and take appropriate action moving forward after Pride 2024.
What else are you doing considering the concerns raised?
After this year’s event, we are committed to:
- Our annual review of all sponsor arrangements
- A community conversation with other LGBTQI+ charities, media and events that rely on queer festivals and Prides to consider sponsorship practices in our community
- We will seek a multi-Pride approach working with Pride organisers around the country for shared approaches, learning and development
- Reviewing the procedures for applying for the Community Parade
- Open dialogue with interested parties to improve our ways of working
- Working with the council in the Autumn on the outcomes of their resident engagement on Pride, carried out earlier in the year