Supporting our communities this busy season

Beyond the events we produce, we're a team of people who care about the communities we work in and the causes that matter to our people. Here's a look at some of the ways we've been showing up lately.

Walking for Lifeline

On World Suicide Prevention Day, AV1ders joined the Lifeline Out of the Shadows Walk, a 9km walk through Sydney held in memory of the Australians we lose to suicide every day. Our People & Culture Manager, Alyce Kelly-Kidd, used the morning to talk about psychosocial safety at work, and what it takes to make sure every AV1der feels supported and valued. It's a conversation we're committed to keeping alive well beyond the walk.

Getting Active for Can4Cancer

This October, we're lacing up again for Can4Cancer, a 10km walk from Metcalfe Park to Darling Island Road, Pyrmont. Run by Tour de Cure, a Tier 1 Australian charity, the walk has raised $21.7 million since 2014 and funded 212 cancer research, prevention and support projects. It's a fun, community-driven way to get moving for a cause that touches most of us in some way.

Celebrating Culture with Indigiearth

We're proud to be partnering with Indigiearth to bring the Australian Native Food Festival to life, curated by Sharon Winsor, a proud Weilwan woman and Australia's most awarded Indigenous chef. The festival celebrates the oldest cuisine on earth through market stalls, workshops and live cooking demonstrations, honouring Indigenous culture, knowledge and culinary excellence.

Cooking for a Cause with OzHarvest

Our latest quarterly staff activity took the team into the kitchen for OzHarvest's Cooking for a Cause, learning zero-waste cooking skills before packing the meals we made for local charities. We've also renewed our partnership with OzHarvest, continuing our support for the CEO CookOff across Australia

Backing the NSW Sustainability Awards

Now in their sixth year, the NSW Sustainability Awards recognise individuals, organisations and communities driving sustainable innovation across the state, run by the Banksia Foundation in partnership with the NSW Government. We're proud to be partnering to bring the 2026 awards to life at the Australian National Maritime Museum. Finalists are announced on 2 November, with winners presented in early December.

None of this is separate from the work we do every day producing events. It's part of the same commitment, to be customer-centric, authentic and progressive, and to leave things better than we found them. Whether we're on a walking track, in a kitchen, or helping recognise the sustainability leaders of tomorrow, we're proud to bring the same energy to our communities that we bring to every event we deliver.

MOURN! WEEP! WAIL!: AV1 partners with Divine Playhouse

On Thursday 8 October, MCA Australia's Foundation Hall hosts a funeral, for Divine Playhouse, the beloved Sydney venue that closed its doors this year.

MOURN! WEEP! WAIL! runs 6–11pm and invites guests to bring their most fashionable mourning veil for a night of processions, hymns and performance from a stacked line-up of Sydney's queer performance scene. Artworks on display will be auctioned, with proceeds supporting Heaps Gay and Divine Playhouse.

It opens UNHOLY / DIVINE, a three-night series giving artists a new stage. We're glad to be partnering with Divine Playhouse on it.

Tickets $69, 18+ only.