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.”

Related items

  1. THE AGENCY EXPANDS NATIONALLY TO CREATE CHANGE IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN THE UK

    25 July 2023
    The Agency is thrilled to announce the expansion of its groundbreaking creative entrepreneurship programme, made possible by significant funding from the Kristian Gerhard Jebsen Foundation. This year, The Agency will be partnering with…

  2. The Balmy Army Take Over

    9 July 2025
    The Balmy Army Take Over Contact for Manchester International Festival 2025This week, Contact welcomes The Balmy Army for a bold, unflinching takeover as part of Manchester International Festival 2025. Running 7–18 July, the programme will…

  3. 14%: Q&A WITH KEISHA THOMPSON AND NATHAN POWELL

    15 September 2023
    We sat down with Keisha Thompson, writer of 14%, and the show’s director Nathan Powell, to find out more about the work, its inspirations and what you, the audience, will experience.