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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. Danez Smith with their arms lifted, laughing.

    Call Out: 50 Hours of Freedom Artist Residency

    11 May 2023
    Contact and Manchester International Festival are looking for three Greater Manchester-based, non-binary artists to participate in a 50-hour artistic lock-in at Contact.
  2. Contact Becomes One of the First Theatres in England to Introduce Auracast

    30 January 2025
    Contact Becomes one of the first theatres in England to Introduce Auracast, a Groundbreaking Accessibility Innovation. At Contact, our commitment to inclusion and accessibility is at the heart of everything we do. That’s why we’re proud…
  3. The cast of Cocoa Butter Club glammed up, striking a pose in front of a gold curtain.

    Queer Contact Returns for 2023

    26 April 2023
    Queer Contact is back, baby! We can’t wait to celebrate queer culture with a lineup of the UK’s most extraordinary LGBTQ+ talent. Learn all about our flagship queer arts festival below, and secure your tickets today!

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