Phil Oldershaw, the co-founder of Birmingham Pride, has stated that the annual festival may never be free in its current format as preparations begin for the 30th anniversary of the event in 2026. Oldershaw co-created Birmingham Pride with Bill Gavan in 1996, establishing a committee that raised sufficient funds to hold the first event in 1997.
The Cost of Pride
Oldershaw, who also founded the Birmingham AIDS and HIV Memorial, remains deeply involved in Pride. He works closely with festival director Lawrence Barton and businesses in the LGBTQ+ neighbourhood to reduce ticket costs for 2026. While Barton has expressed a desire to see Birmingham Pride become a free event by 2027, Oldershaw believes the 'very significant price' of organising a safe, secure, and enjoyable festival may make that impossible.
'The original Pride events were created to be free through venue funding, donations and sponsorship, that was always the intention,' Oldershaw explained. 'Bill Gavan and I delivered exactly that as the founding fathers of Birmingham Pride, supported by passionate committee members over the years.' Full ticket pricing was introduced in 2012 and has remained ever since, fluctuating with costs.
Rising Costs
'When we launched Pride, costs rose from around £60,000 to £100,000–£120,000 by 2000,' Oldershaw said. 'Today, the reality is completely different. The cost of delivering a safe, large-scale event now includes security, anti-terror measures, vehicle mitigation, staffing, infrastructure and more, all of which come at a very significant price.'
Oldershaw believes the only way a free Pride could happen is with major backing from a significant sponsor. 'As a founder, and a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, there is nothing I would love more than to see Birmingham Pride return to being free. However, in today's climate, without major sponsorship backing, it's unlikely. Safety, security and the overall experience must always come first, because that protects Pride's future.'
Sponsorship Challenges
Finding the right backer is a challenge, with many criticising sponsors for 'pinkwashing' – superficial and performative displays of LGBTQ+ rights support that don't reflect year-round actions – or for their wider financing of complex issues that don't align with the community's needs. Oldershaw noted that sponsorship has become more difficult over time. 'Sponsorship has become more complex, with growing sensitivities around brand association on a global level. That has made securing support more difficult. It's a real shame, because Pride has always been about bringing people together in a respectful and inclusive space.'
Oldershaw added that Pride 'shouldn't be expected to solve global politics' and that the 'blurring' of the line between that and championing equality, diversity, and inclusion made it impossible to meet the community's expectations. 'At its heart, Pride was created as both a celebration and a nod to protest. It has always been about community, equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility for all, which is why I completely understand the conversation around pricing.'
Reducing Costs
Oldershaw, who was general manager and operations director of Birmingham's Nightingale nightclub from 1994 to 2005, said there has been a collective effort from venues to make Pride more accessible. 'We've worked extensively together communicating with Pride and LGBTQ+ venues to help reduce pricing and make the event more cost effective. Together, we have managed to significantly reduce costs, with access to the full event now around half the price of more recent years. I applaud Birmingham Pride organisers on this bold move.'
Among the efforts is the introduction of free tickets through venues within the neighbourhood. 'For the first time, free tickets were made available through venues, giving regular customers and families who may otherwise have struggled with affordability the opportunity to attend. It was an important step in recognising the ongoing cost of living challenges.'
Community Impact
Oldershaw highlighted that the event has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity and community groups, supporting the creation of an LGBTQ+ community centre and more. To futureproof the event, he said collaboration is key. 'The event has genuinely moved the dial on the city's image. It sits at the intersection of community impact, cultural investment and place marketing. To secure its long-term future, it requires a coalition of support from local authorities, regional growth bodies, lottery funding and the private sector.'
Oldershaw believes the value of Pride to the entire city – not just its LGBTQ+ community – is crucially important. He estimates that Pride has generated more than a billion pounds of revenue for the wider city over the last three decades. 'Pride continues to drive the local economy and enhance Birmingham's image. Pride's achievement is something to be proud of, and I am.'
