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Rainbow Festival 2026 is the third annual celebration of LGBTQIA+ communities at The Court Theatre, planned to take place over one weekend in March to align with Christchurch Pride Month.
The event will include multiple live performances designed for varying ages, presented in an inclusive, safe, and celebratory environment. Programming will feature rainbow-themed theatre, storytelling, and community engagement, with the aim of platforming queer voices and increasing visibility for underrepresented groups.
“We’ve had a busy and energising first week of our Boosted campaign. The campaign has now been officially announced to our Court Theatre audiences, and we’re thrilled to share that another generous match donor has come on board. Behind the scenes, our programming team is hard at work, with the final artistic details falling into place for the Rainbow Theatre Weekend 2026. The full line-up will be revealed in November.”
Funding from Boost Ōtautahi would support the delivery of the festival, including collaboration with local artists and community groups, and enable free or low-cost events to ensure accessibility for both audiences and creatives.
The Court Theatre is a registered charity and will lead the campaign in partnership with community organisations. The festival will be widely promoted through The Court Theatre’s established communication channels, including a 70,000-strong mailing list and significant social media reach.
The proposal is strong in terms of local engagement, alignment with Boost Ōtautahi’s goals around inclusion and accessibility, and its clear public benefit. The project is well-suited to crowdfunding, with a defined timeframe, strong promotional capacity, and a track record of past success.