The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (until 1989 the Sydney Gay Mardi Gras) originated in June 1978 as a political demonstration march advocating the civil rights of homosexual people in Australia. The Mardi Gras has since become an annual calendar of events in which the Mardi Gras parade (February/March) and the Sleaze Ball (September/October) are the headline events. The Mardi Gras parade is one of Sydney's most spectacular annual festivals with state, national and international appeal.

These posters complement the Museum's extensive collection of Mardi Gras posters, the earliest dating from the late 1970s. The posters demonstrate the role of grassroots activism, cultural development and graphic design in the gay community and wider Australian society as well as the major annual events that the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras contribute to the community and cultural life of Sydney and Australia.

Leah Domanski
April 2008

The poster was designed by Allan Booth and printed by Community Arts Project in Sydney in 1983.

Used as an advertising poster for the 1983 Sydney Gay Mardi Gras.

Poster, 'Gay Mardi Gras '83', colour screen print on paper, designed by Allan Booth, printed by Community Arts Project, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1983

Colour screen print poster in vertical format, printed in blue, black, pink and yellow with a matt finish. Blue and black background illustrates a silhouetted cityscape of Sydney city, including Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House and Centre-Point Tower. In the blue sky is a yellow moon with pink triangle, in the foreground pink, yellow and blue lettering in printed on black reads 'Gay Mardi Gras / Feb 19 / community arts project / 83'.

Designed: 1983

'Booth' is signed in pink on the lower right-hand edge.

2008/129/1

1983

730 mm

505 mm