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Carl Austin-Behan

he/him Contact Patron

Carl is a former Board Member and President of Contact. He was a Labour Councillor for Burnage from 2011-2018 and became Manchester’s first openly gay Lord Mayor and one of its youngest at age 44 in 2016. He served as LGBT adviser to the Mayor of Greater Manchester from 2018 – 2022 and became Greater Manchester LGBTQ+ Community Ambassador for the LGBT Foundation in 2022. Other roles include Trustee of Fighting with Pride, Ambassador for The Proud Trust and George House Trust, Co-Chair of Pro-Manchester Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Network, and Deputy Lieutenant for Greater Manchester. He was awarded an OBE in the 2020 New Year’s Honours List for services to charity, LGBTQ+ equality and the community in Greater Manchester.

“There is so much young talent in the North West and I’m proud to support Contact as a place that celebrates and represents the identities and diversity across the whole cultural spectrum, creating opportunities for everyone.”

A white male in his 50s wearing a hoodie and smiling

Related items

  1. Soul Safari - Macharia

    Fri 17 Apr
    Step into Soul Safari, an immersive concert with singer Macharia, blending her own original compositions with Kenyan coastal and Kikuyu folk traditions. With music in Swahili, Kikuyu, and English, Macharia invites the audience on a journey…
    InfoBook now
  2. Sleeping Beauty Pantomime

    Thu 10 – Thu 31 Dec
    We're thrilled to be welcoming The Big Tiny back to Contact's castle for another year of Pantomime fun following their hilarious (and critically acclaimed) 2025 show Rumpelstiltskin. Get ready for even more magic, mirth and mischief, as we…

    Contact Presents

    InfoBook now
  3. Spiral Creative Theatre Workshop

    Tue 11 Nov 2025 – Tue 21 Apr 2026
    We are Spiral, a free theatre collective for adults with a passion for the creative arts.Spiral is a space to develop, play and reconnect with your creativity through drama, visual art, and movement. Here’s what our first year looked like!

    Workshop

    InfoBook now

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Please be aware that Contact will not tolerate abusive language or threatening behaviour towards our staff. If you are deemed to be behaving inappropriately you will be asked to leave the premises and reported to the police.

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