Light Up The Night Gala Returns To Brisbane City Hall

The LGBTQ Domestic Violence Awareness Foundation has launched their annual fundraising event, the Light Up The Night Gala for 2024.

Now in its third year the event was created to help raise funds and awareness to prevent domestic violence in the LGBTQ community and is an important event the Brisbane calendar.

Light Up The Night Gala is returning to Brisbane City Hall

Organisers describe the event as a place “for hundreds of allies, business leaders, political representatives, community groups and philanthropists to take a visible stand and support an important cause.” It will again return to Brisbane City Hall, the current home of the Brisbane Pride Queens Ball Awards, where participants will dine beneath the rainbow illuminated dome of this iconic Brisbane building.

Attendees will enjoy a fantastic night of great food, drinks, networking and entertainment, previous events have been hosted by Karen From Finance, but the most important part is the work that this event will fund.

Funds from this event will help the LGBTQ Domestic Violence Awareness Foundation to provide better support to our community and those who are suffering and lacking resources.

“We are losing too many lives and too many others are suffering in silence.”

“Sadly, despite the prevalence, LGBTQ people are less likely to identify domestic or family violence in their relationships, less likely to report it to the police or seek support from services, and are far less likely to find support services that meet their specific needs” their website reports. “We are losing too many lives and too many others are suffering in silence.”

They report that “more than 60% of LGBTQ people have experienced domestic, family or intimate partner violence and abuse in their lifetime,” a sobering statistic that highlights the importance of the work they do.

In 2020 they organisation inaugurated the LGBTQ Domestic Violence Awareness Day, which is now recognised on May 28th in at least 17 countries around the world.

Meet Ben Bjarnesen

The LGBTQ Domestic Violence Awareness Foundation was founded by Brisbane police officer Ben Bjarnesen who has been tirelessly advocating for this cause after personally suffering domestic violence and abuse in his own relationship and discovering a lack of services and support. Ben is also on the board for DV Connect and was recently nominated for the Queensland Australian of The Year in 2024 awards, amongst countless other accolades recognising his work in this area.

The Light Up The Night Gala will take place on Friday the 17th of May 2024.

If you would like more information about the LGBTQ Domestic Violence Awareness Foundation head to their website

When: Friday the 17th of May 2024

Where: Brisbane City Hall

Tickets: Available Online