£15,000 secured for performers unpaid after Manchester Pride collapse
More than 50 performers are owed around £70,000
Last updated 3rd Sep 2026
Performers left unpaid after Manchester Pride went into administration last year are set to receive a share of £15,000 in funding secured through contributions from businesses.
The money comes from a ‘social action pot’ put forward by Manchester City Council and is not taxpayers’ money.
It represents around 20% of the £70,000 owed to more than 50 professional performers, who were left out of pocket by between £150 and £5,000 each.
The announcement comes after months of campaigning by performers’ union Equity, alongside a crowdfunder run by Equity member Nathaniel Hall which raised £12,500.
Together, the £15,000 funding and £12,500 crowdfunder mean £27,500 has now been raised for performers affected by the collapse – almost 40% of the money owed.
More than 50 performers came forward to Equity after the 2025 Manchester Pride event collapsed, with the union planning to distribute a percentage of the unpaid fees to each artist.
New Manchester Pride event operates under union agreement
The funding comes as the new-look Manchester Village Pride (MVP) held its first event over the August bank holiday weekend.
The 2026 event was one of the first Pride events to operate under a union agreement, after Equity and MVP signed a deal setting minimum terms and conditions for performers, including stronger safeguards around payments.
The smaller event was run under a new Community Interest Company.
Karen Lockney, Equity North West Official, said: “This is great news for the many performers who were left high and dry last year when Manchester Pride went bust.
"Lots of people thought they’d never get anything for these gigs they worked over a year ago, but it just goes to show that you should never give up.
“Performers are so often the people who end up out of pocket, dismissed and treated badly, but there would literally be no Pride without performers.
"We’re grateful to Manchester City Council, and to everyone who donated to the crowdfunder, and we’re especially pleased that Manchester Village Pride went ahead this year on an Equity agreement.
"We’re also encouraged by the promise of discussion on worker representation at other events in the city, which we hope will lead to more union agreements and better terms and safety standards for all workers.”
Councillor Garry Bridges, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: "We've been clear throughout that we sympathised with the plight of performers left unpaid when the former organisers of Pride went bust.
"We've been working with Equity to find a meaningful way to help those worst affected without using public money to meet the debts of a failed business and I'm pleased that we've been able to reach this constructive solution together.
"The event and its performers have a bright future under new organisers Manchester Village Pride and it's great that they have strong arrangements in place to ensure that performers can have confidence going forwards and similar issues can't happen again."
Nathaniel Hall, creative producer, performer and activist, said: "It's encouraging to hear that Manchester City Council have found £15k to help creatives out of pocket from last year's collapse of Manchester Pride.
"Even though this won't cover all the losses, the gesture is really welcome."
Equity members have been working for months to get this result. LGBTQ+ Equity members can be proud they have a union that has their backs when times are tough."