It’s time for the annual meeting of the tribe, high on glamour, back slapping and celebration of community. Yep it’s the 24th annual Drag Industry Variety Awards, DIVA. It’s amazing to think when we first met at DCM nightclub in 1991 that today we would have a record to evoke the best of a drag industry that tells a wonderful and colourful story of Sydney’s gay life.
Enormous credit belongs to David
Wilkins, Penny Clifford and Ian Jopson, who wanted to organise an event to
celebrate Sydney's amazing drag queens, their work, and the many talents of the
people who made up the local gay entertainment industry. They kicked off a
community organisation that has existed because of the effort of many volunteer
board members over the years, with support from numerous community venues,
media and small business.
Ian Jopson Penny Clifford David Wilkins |
Penny recently told me “I am very proud
of being a part of a small group of hard working people that started DIVA in
1991 and that its legacy continues today. If there is one achievement in this
community I’ve had in my life that I am proud of, it would be the DIVA Awards”.
As a community organisation DIVA has
had its business highs and lows over the years; I was proud to be part of it
all as a board member in the 00s, but prefer to recall DIVA history through the
fabulous performers whose wonderful talent we’ve celebrated.