4 Mar 2021

Share this story

A huge central city art installation will take centre stage in Christchurch during PRIDE Week.

PRIDE Week is being marked with a range of activities and events showcasing and embracing our diversity, kicking off tomorrow with the unveiling of Colourful Cashel.

The #colourfulcashel installation spans the entire length of City Mall and celebrates the city’s LGBTQIA+ community.

The work was designed by Akira Le Fevre, a member of the local PRIDE Committee, and includes a Port Hills sillouete. It includes retail window displays and selfie spots, enabling the business community and individuals to showcase their support for the community.

The work was funded by The Christchurch Foundation, Christchurch City Council, and others.

Christchurch Deputy Mayor Andrew Turner is pleased to see Christchurch celebrating diversity, inclusion and its LGBTQIA+ community in such a colourful, high profile and open way. 

 “The Rainbow community is one of the many diverse groups that make up our city and PRIDE Is a great opportunity celebrate that, to raise awareness, and to ensure that LGBTQIA+ people in our city feel safe, are visible, and can confidently be themselves” Deputy Mayor Turner says.

ChristchurchNZ Chief Executive Joanna Norris says Ōtautahi Christchurch is a city that embraces inclusivity and creativity.

“PRIDE Week is a fantastic celebration of our diverse community, and will bring colour and life to our central city,” Ms Norris says.

“ChristchurchNZ is proud to help promote PRIDE and its activities, and we encourage our residents to get involved and celebrate.”

Jill Stevens, Christchurch PRIDE committee chairperson, says Christchurch has faced a lot of challenges over the past 10 years, and PRIDE is yet another symbol of the community pulling together.

“This year’s PRIDE Week shows how partnerships across the city can make us stronger and more unified,” Ms Stevens says.

“One of our goals as a committee is to have people look at Christchurch as a friendly, diverse and warm city, and activities this week will no doubt acheive this.”

Ms Stevens says some events have been impacted or postponed due to Covid alert levels, but the majority are still going ahead, adhering to all current public health guidelines.

As part of PRIDE celebrations this year, The Christchurch Foundation is launching a PRIDE Endowment Fund, to provide support and a positive profile of the LGBTQIA+ community. It is the Foundation’s aim to grow this fund and create a distribution committee, including members of the PRIDE community, to collectively make Grant decisions.

To learn more about events and activities planned during PRIDE Week, check out Christchurch PRIDE.