Equity is demanding that Manchester City Council (MCC) comes clean over when it knew that Manchester Pride was in financial difficulty – a situation which ended in Equity members, workers and suppliers at the event going unpaid.
We now understand that it was known before the event that the organisers might not have the ability to pay and is asking MCC to make good faith payments to dozens of unpaid performers who are also expected to take part in Pride next year.
We are representing more than 50 performers – many of them local Mancunians – who worked at Manchester Pride 2025 and have been left without payment. Outstanding payments range from £150 to £5,000 each, totalling more than £70,000 and counting, as more come forwards. More than 1,500 people have now signed a petition calling on the Council to pay these performers.
The Council must come clean on what it knew, when, and why performers were allowed to work if it was already known they wouldn’t be paid for that work. These are the very same performers – local drag and burlesque artists, comperes, performers and creatives – who are the heart of Manchester Pride, and many will be asked to take part again next year. Why should they when their work for 2025 has not been valued and they are out of pocket?
Karen Lockney, Equity North West Official
Today (Friday 7 November) we have written an open letter to Manchester City Council asking, “what exactly did MCC know of the organisation’s financial difficulties, before Pride 2025 took place?”. The liquidation notice shows that informal conversations between the companies behind Manchester Pride and the liquidators took place as far back as 30 April 2025, and we have heard that some performers were told as they finished their acts to get their invoices in quickly as it was already known that not everyone would be paid. The full text of the letter can be found below.
In addition to the open letter, we have lodged a Freedom of Information Request (FoI) to MCC and submitted written questions to the Council’s Executive. Leader of MCC, Bev Craig, has agreed to meet with Equity to discuss the matter.
Karen Lockney, Equity’s North West Official, said: “The Council must come clean on what it knew, when, and why performers were allowed to work if it was already known they wouldn’t be paid for that work. These are the very same performers – local drag and burlesque artists, comperes, performers and creatives – who are the heart of Manchester Pride, and many will be asked to take part again next year. Why should they when their work for 2025 has not been valued and they are out of pocket?
“Many performers live from gig to gig, so these unpaid shows mean they are left without money for rent and other essential bills. We’ve heard of performer hardship, including having to move because of missed rent payments due to Pride money not being paid. There’s a huge lack of trust.
“If Pride 2026 is to go ahead, performers’ and creatives’ voices must be embedded in planning and execution of the events, with union contracts as standard. We’re also asking MCC to make good faith payments to the dozens of gigging performers and freelance creatives, many of them local Mancunians, to help rebuild some trust and put Pride 2026 on the right foot.”
The full text of the letter:
Dear Manchester City Council,
Equity trade union is representing members who are owed money by the companies behind Manchester Pride (Manchester Pride Limited and Manchester Pride Events Limited) which have now gone into liquidation. We are aware of Manchester City Council's (MCC) support of Manchester Pride as an event which champions the LGBTQ+ community and brings in around £30million to the city’s economy each year.
Equity represents over 50 individual workers who are owed money for their labour at Pride 2025. Whilst we recognise many businesses and organisations are also out of pocket, we represent freelance performers and creatives who are owed amounts ranging from £150 to £5,000. These are precarious workers, who bring the energy and magic to Pride. They are left unable to pay rent and bills, and expecting them to take a financial hit is not equivalent to expecting the same of businesses and entire organisations. We are concerned they were put in this situation when there were credible rumours of financial difficulties, and we are even more concerned that there is no support for them now, at the same time they are likely to be asked to take part in Pride 2026.
In light of this, we ask what exactly did MCC know of the organisation’s financial difficulties, before Pride 2025 took place? The liquidation notice shows that informal conversations between the companies behind Manchester Pride and the liquidators took place as far back as 30 April 2025. There is also a body of anecdotal evidence indicating that it was well known financial problems existed before Pride 2025 went ahead. It is deeply concerning that Pride 2025 was allowed to continue, with so many people giving their labour, when there was no certainty they would be paid for their work.
Was MCC ever asked to offer financial assistance to Manchester Pride in the context of this financial difficulty?
Did MCC ever doubt that the organisation running Manchester Pride would be able to pay its debts to performers and suppliers? If yes, were discussions had within MCC about stopping Pride taking place?
Furthermore, we ask what MCC's plans are to support performers for work undertaken at Pride 2025? We are aware of at least £70,000 owed to more than 50 freelance performers and creatives who are in contact with Equity, and these numbers are rising. Media reports show that hundreds of thousands of pounds are owed to headline performers and large organisations. Whilst everyone deserves payment for work undertaken, it is important that our members who are owed smaller amounts are not sidelined. The liquidation process is underway, and all creditors will be dealt with accordingly, but we call on MCC to address the needs of local and less financially secure performers and creatives, who cannot afford to wait for a lengthy liquidation process which may not result in any significant dividend being paid.
We have contacted the leader of the Council Bev Craig, and await a meeting. We have also submitted questions to MCC via a Freedom of Information request (FOI), alongside questions to the MCC Executive. It is vital that the local authority communicates meaningfully with relevant trade unions.
It is difficult to see how plans for Manchester Pride 2026 can go ahead without pay for the performers who will be the beating heart of that event. Equity also seeks assurances that performers' and creatives’ voices will be heard when planning next year’s Pride, which we contend should be based on unionised terms and conditions, be queer-led, inclusive, and Village-based, It should also not be focused on corporate interests, and ticket prices should not exclude the local community.
There would be no Pride without performers. Yet performers are waiting for money owed, which they need to pay rent, bills, healthcare, and other living costs. If Manchester Pride is to be an event that truly champions equality, workers’ rights must be an integral part of this.
I would be grateful if you can reply to me with answers to our questions within the next 14 days.
Yours,
Karen Lockney, Equity North West Regional Official
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