Primavera Sound gains LGBTQ+ stamp of approval

Primavera Sound has gained an internationally recognised stamp of approval demonstrating its commitment to LGBTQ people.

The Queer Destinations committed distinction, which is present in 12 countries, helps businesses create safe and more inclusive touristic spaces for the community.

The main requirement of the commendation is that 100% of staff and collaborators complete a digital educational programme called Hospitality Meets Diversity.

“Primavera Sound has been a pioneer in defending its values ​​such as sustainability, gender parity or diversity with programmes such as Nobody is Normal,” Queer Destinations said of the achievement.

Launched in 2019, Nobody is Normal is Primavera’s action plan against sexual aggression, harassment, transphobia, homophobia and other forms of discrimination.

As part of the action plan, stands are set up at the Barcelona-based festival where festivalgoers can report any cases of gender-based violence and discrimination, and itinerant staff are trained to deal with any incident.

The launch of Nobody is Normal coincided with Primavera becoming the first major festival to achieve a gender-balanced lineup in 2019.

“Primavera Sound has been a pioneer in defending its values ​​such as sustainability, gender parity or diversity”

Ever since, the festival’s organisers have been outspoken in challenging “pale, male and stale” lineups, calling on other major events to match their gender parity.

Alfonso Lanza, director of Primavera Sound, said the Queer Destinations recognition “values ​​the commitment that the festival has had for years with its audience, in this case and especially with the LGTBI community. It is an honour to be recognised since the festival itself is not an event aimed exclusively at the community and therefore, we believe that companies and associations in the sector value us positively has an added merit”.

Queer Destinations carried out its first audit of Primavera Sound at the recent editions in Barcelona and Madrid (which will not return in 2024).

This will help the companies develop an educational program that will include all the possible interactions between attendees and personnel of the festival organisation.

The implementation of the programme will then be carried out globally at Primavera’s sister events in Porto, São Paulo, Bogotá and Asunción at the end of 2023.

The Queer Destinations recognition comes a week after Primavera participated in a new edition of Think Plus, the think tank of the LGTBIQ+ Chamber of Commerce of Catalonia, focused on new LGBTIQ+ tourism models.

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