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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

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    Sat 11 Oct
    Join acclaimed author, retail pioneer and innovative businesswoman Mary Portas as she shares the inspiration behind her bold new memoir, I Shop, Therefore I Am: The ‘90s, Harvey Nicks and Me. With her signature wit and no-holds-barred…
    InfoBook now
  2. three artists posing in three separate photos posing for the camera

    Announcing the Artists of 50 Hours of Freedom

    21 June 2023
    In celebration of International Non-Binary People's Day on 14 July, Contact and Manchester International Festival are bringing together three local, non-binary artists to create a new piece of work – and you’re invited to the sharing! This…
  3. Salaam Festival presents Book Binding Workshop

    Sat 1 Nov
    Craft your own notebook – A hands-on journey into traditional bookbinding.
    InfoBook now

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