Bloody Glorious is a community exhibition documenting the life, performance career, and enduring cultural impact of Kristopher Elliot (1974–2026), known to the world as the iconic Sydney drag artist Maxi Shield. The exhibition stands in place of a planned podcast project between Maxi and her close friend Jacqui St Hyde, serving as a monument to her legacy following her passing from throat cancer in February 2026.

The exhibition examines Maxi’s trajectory from regional Queensland to becoming a central figure in Sydney’s LGBTQIA+ nightlife, a columnist for the gay press, and an international representative of Australian drag on the inaugural season of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under (2021). It highlights her early activism, beginning with a debut performance at a Bobby Goldsmith Foundation fundraiser, and her reputation for bringing drag performance into mainstream pub venues across New South Wales.

Installed using original items preserved from Maxi’s personal dressing room, the exhibition features iconic performance costumes, personal mementos, and a recreation of her original dressing table to illustrate the labor and process of drag transformation. It includes interactive elements allowing visitors to contribute written memories, alongside donations of stage jewellery. Together, these materials document Maxi’s contribution to Sydney’s drag lineage and the community response following her passing

Opened: November 2026

Curator: Jeremy Smith, developed in consultation with Maxi’s drag family, including Jacqui St Hyde, Sheila Bliege, Tora Hymen and Vanity.

1978: Hour by Hour is a permanent, inaugural exhibition documenting the events of 1978, a pivotal year in Sydney’s LGBTQIA+ history. The exhibition focuses on the formation of the Gay Solidarity Group and the first Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, presenting the events of that year in chronological sequence.

The exhibition examines the protest March of 24 June 1978, subsequent police violence, arrests, and the legal and social consequences that followed in the months after. These events are presented as a defining moment in the development of queer activism and community organisation in Sydney.

Installed within a former police cell, the exhibition includes archival photographs, maps of protest routes, and a recreation of the original International Gay Solidarity Group marching sign by Ken Davis. It also features the documentary Witches and Faggots, Dykes and Poofters, produced by the One in Seven Collective and directed by Digby Duncan. Together, these materials document the events of 1978 and their continuing significance within histories of protest, policing, and LGBTQIA+ rights.

Opened: February 2024

Curator: George Savoulis (Curator September 2023 – April 2024; Curatorial Director April 2024 – June 2025)

We’re Here for You – 40 Years of ACON is a current exhibition at Qtopia Sydney celebrating four decades of work by ACON, one of Australia’s leading LGBTQIA+ health and advocacy organisations. Established during the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s, ACON has played a central role in health education, harm reduction, community care, and political advocacy.

The exhibition traces ACON’s history through landmark campaigns, community initiatives, and public health responses, documenting how grassroots activism developed into sustained, community-led health infrastructure. Archival material and campaign imagery highlight ACON’s evolving approaches to prevention, inclusion, and wellbeing across generations.

Positioning ACON’s work within broader histories of activism and care, the exhibition acknowledges the labour of communities, volunteers, and health workers who shaped its legacy. 40 Years of ACON recognises past achievements while affirming the organisation’s continuing role in supporting visibility, dignity, and health for LGBTQIA+ communities.

Opened: June 2025

Curator: George Savoulis (Curator September 2023 – April 2024; Curatorial Director April 2024 – June 2025)

The Apology is a permanent, inaugural exhibition that documents the formal apology delivered in 2018 by the NSW Police Force to the 78ers, participants in the first Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in 1978.

Delivered by Commissioner Mick Fuller AO APM, the apology recognised historical injustice and committed to improved relationships between police and the LGBTQIA+ community.

Installed within an original police cell, the exhibition includes a full-size mannequin wearing an original NSW Police uniform and a projected display of the apology text. The apology acknowledged the trauma inflicted during the event, validating the ’78ers’ experiences and signalling a commitment to learning from the past to build trust and prevent future injustice.

Opened: February 2024

Curator: George Savoulis (Curator September 2023 – April 2024; Curatorial Director April 2024 – June 2025)

Crime to Freedom is an inaugural exhibition looking at recent LGBTQIA+ history from the 1970s, through decriminalisation to the current day across law, legislation, protest and culture and how that has shaped individual Queer lives.

It is a collection of stories, milestones and artefacts showing the recent history of the path from being criminals to freedom and the pursuit of equality by LGBTQIA+ communities.

Covering topics including adoption, documentation, the non-binding postal plebiscite, advancements for the trans community and the legislative changes that have taken place in recent times, the exhibition traces the activism from the early gay liberation movement in the 1970s, to the conditions which forced the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1984, as well as the subsequent political, legal, social and cultural shifts for the community.

Opened: February 2024

Curator: Todd Fuller (Curator September 2023 – to present)

Dirty Words: First Nations Languages is an inaugural exhibition presenting contemporary work by First Nations queer writers whose practices foreground language as a site of culture, resistance, and continuity. Developed during the United Nations Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032), the exhibition situates poetry and spoken language within broader histories of sovereignty, identity, and truth-telling.

The exhibition features works by Jazz Money, Daniel Browning, Natalie Harkin, Blake Griffiths, Raelee Lancaster, and essa may ranapiri. Presented as interconnected works, the texts are positioned in dialogue with one another and with visitors to the space.

Through poetry, sound, and written language, Dirty Words documents the enduring power of First Nations languages as tools of expression, connection, and cultural survival.

Opened: February 2024

Curator: Dr Liz Bradshaw (Head Curator, December 2022 – March 2024)

HIV Today is a permanent, inaugural exhibition that presents HIV/AIDS within a contemporary and historical framework. The exhibition examines current understandings of HIV at local, regional, and global levels, situating present-day responses within the longer history of the epidemic.

The exhibition documents the work of key medical, advocacy, and HIV/AIDS support organisations, outlining their roles in treatment, prevention, education, and care. It highlights the ongoing efforts of these organisations in addressing HIV as both a public health and social issue.

While advances in treatment have enabled people living with HIV to lead long and healthy lives in many parts of the world, HIV Today also addresses emerging patterns of vulnerability. It notes recent increases in transmission among certain populations and in regions where infection rates had previously declined, alongside international efforts to eliminate HIV transmission by 2030.

Opened: February 2024

Curator: Dr Liz Bradshaw (Head Curator, December 2022 – March 2024)

In My Closet: Joyce Maynge 25 is a current exhibition celebrating the career and cultural impact of drag artist Joyce Maynge. The exhibition documents Maynge’s practice across performance, community engagement, and LGBTQIA+ visibility, marking her contribution to Sydney’s drag and queer cultural landscape.

The exhibition presents photographic works, personal imagery, and visual documentation of performance, alongside an interactive installation inviting visitor participation through a purpose-built “selfie bed.” Together, these elements reflect the intimacy, humour, and theatricality central to Maynge’s drag persona, while situating her work within broader histories of drag as performance, storytelling, and self-authorship.

Opened: February 2025

Curator: George Savoulis (Curator September 2023 – April 2024; Curatorial Director April 2024 – June 2025). Shane Pascoe was the lead and had Lewis Oswald as his producer. (The others are acknowledged in the exhibition)

Lesbians Redefining Our World is a current exhibition at Qtopia Sydney examining the importance of visibility, representation, and leadership within lesbian communities. The exhibition centres on the role of public figures as models of possibility, particularly within minority communities where acceptance has historically been contested.

The exhibition presents a selection of lesbian trailblazers whose professional achievements and public lives demonstrate that being openly lesbian has not impeded ambition, influence, or success. Featured figures include Dawn O’Donnell, Deborah Cheetham AO, Kerryn Phelps AM, Miriam Margolyes, Narelda Jacobs OAM, Penny Sharpe, Penny Wong, Robyn Archer AO, Robyn Kennedy, Sam Kerr OAM, and Sue Wills.

Opened: February 2025

Curator: George Savoulis (Curator September 2023 – April 2024; Curatorial Director April 2024 – June 2025)

The Making of Mardi Gras celebrates the creativity, labour, and community spirit behind one of the world’s most iconic queer cultural events. Since the first protest march in 1978, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has grown into a globally recognised celebration of visibility, resistance, and pride.

This exhibition brings together original Mardi Gras posters, archival footage from legendary afterparties, and a selection of notable parade costumes, offering a behind-the-scenes look at how the spectacle is made. Central to this history is the Mardi Gras Workshop, established in 1982, which provided a vital space for artists, volunteers, and community groups to design and build floats and costumes.

From the visionary aesthetics of Peter Tully to the sharp satire of David McDiarmid and Ignatius Jones, Mardi Gras has continually evolved as both artistic expression and political platform. This exhibition offers a preview of a major project planned for the 50th anniversary in 2028.

Opened: February 2026

Curator: Holly Riding (Curatorial Director, December 2025 to present), Jeremy Smith (Curator from September 2023; Curatorial Assistant Coordinator September 2023 – April 2024; Assistant Curator from December 2025)

Installation Manager: Brett Lyons

This exhibition traces the evolution of LGBTQIA+ representation in Australian media through two landmark publications: Sydney Star Observer and Lesbians On The Loose.

Founded in 1979, Sydney Star Observer is one of Australia’s longest-running queer newspapers, documenting decades of activism, culture, and community life. Displayed in the exhibition are selected covers spanning over 45 years, alongside original print editions from the 1980s and 1990s, offering a powerful visual archive of shifting visibility and voice.

Lesbians On The Loose, established in 1990 as a lesbian-owned and operated publication, provides a vital counterpoint, foregrounding lesbian stories, politics, and culture often underrepresented in mainstream and even queer media. Together, these publications chart a rich history of advocacy, identity, and representation, revealing how print media has shaped, and been shaped by, Australia’s LGBTQIA+ communities.

Opened: February 2024, updated in 2025

Curator: Dr Liz Bradshaw (Curatorial Directior, December 2022 – March 2024) and George Savoulis (Curator September 2023 – April 2024; Curatorial Director April 2024 – June 2025)

The Underground is a permanent, over-18 exhibition at Qtopia Sydney examining the history of cruising and queer sexual cultures in Sydney during the 1980s and 1990s. Inspired by the former public toilet block at Taylor Square, the exhibition considers public sexual expression as a site of community formation, political resistance, and cultural exchange.

The exhibition documents key meeting places including beats, saunas, and parties, and examines their role in the development of LGBTQIA+ communities, HIV/AIDS education, and struggles for sexual autonomy. Materials are drawn from the Australian Queer Archives and personal collections, and include photographs, posters, and objects associated with Sydney’s sexual subcultures.

In 2024, The Underground received the People’s Choice Award for Best Museum Exhibition at the Time Out Sydney Arts and Culture Awards, and was nominated for the Museums & Galleries NSW IMAGinE Awards in the Exhibition Projects category for medium organisations.

Opened: March 2024

Curator: George Savoulis (Curator September 2023 – April 2024; Curatorial Director April 2024 – June 2025) and Laura Castagnini (Curator September 2023 – March 2024)

Ward 17 South is presented in partnership with St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, and reconstructs a room from Australia’s first dedicated HIV/AIDS treatment and care ward. The exhibition was first presented at the National Art School as part of Sydney WorldPride 2023 and was subsequently installed as a permanent, inaugural exhibition at Qtopia Sydney following the museum’s opening in 2024.

Ward 17 South is presented in partnership with St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, and reconstructs a room from Australia’s first dedicated HIV/AIDS treatment and care ward. The exhibition was first presented at the National Art School as part of Sydney WorldPride 2023 and was subsequently installed as a permanent, inaugural exhibition at Qtopia Sydney following the museum’s opening in 2024.

The exhibition covers the period from Australia’s first AIDS diagnosis in 1982 to the closure of Ward 17 South in 2007. It documents the development of clinical care, community response, and activism associated with the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Sydney during this period.

The exhibition comprises a reconstructed ward environment, including an original hospital bed and room setting, recorded interviews, archival photographs, and original objects from the St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney Collection.

Opened: February 2023 (Sydney World Pride, National Art School); February 2024 at Qtopia Sydney

Curator: Dr Liz Bradshaw (Head Curator, December 2022 – March 2024)

We’re Here, We’re Queer is an inaugural exhibition first presented in 2024 and expanded in June 2025, examining LGBTQIA+ pride, place, and culture across Australia and beyond. Through hand-drawn cartography, queer terminology, and bold visual symbolism, the exhibition brings histories often marginalised or erased into public view. Moving between local neighbourhoods and global movements, it frames pride as both a cultural practice and a political assertion of presence.

The exhibition comprises hand-drawn works by artist and curator Jeremy Smith. Works created specifically for the exhibition include Queer Elements: An LGBTQIA+ Periodic Table and Counter-map of Global LGBTQIA+ rights. The original presentation also included Pride Across Australia, a cartogram mapping pride events nationwide, accompanied by an interactive digital map documenting current LGBTQIA+ festivals. In addition, the exhibition incorporates two major drawings from Smith’s PhD research into queer cartography: Sydney: A Queer History and Gaybourhood Bubbles of Sydney.

Collectively, these works position pride as a cartographic and cultural response to historical erasure, asserting visibility through place, language, and community. In 2025, We’re Here, We’re Queer won the Museums & Galleries NSW IMAGinE Awards for Exhibition Projects – Museums & Heritage (Medium Organisations).

Opened: February 2024

Curator: Jeremy Smith (Curator from September 2023; Curatorial Assistant Coordinator September 2023 – April 2024; Assistant Curator from December 2025)

Where We Are is a permanent, inaugural exhibition that examines the site history of the former Darlinghurst Police Station and its changing role within Sydney. The exhibition traces the site from its significance as a meeting place for the Gadigal and Wangal peoples to its development as a centre of colonial authority, including its use as a courthouse, gaol, and police station.

Where We Are is a permanent, inaugural exhibition that examines the site history of the former Darlinghurst Police Station and its changing role within Sydney. The exhibition traces the site from its significance as a meeting place for the Gadigal and Wangal peoples to its development as a centre of colonial authority, including its use as a courthouse, gaol, and police station.

The exhibition documents the building’s role in enforcing laws that criminalised homosexuality, its association with organised crime in the surrounding red-light district, and its decommissioning in the late 1980s. It also records the site’s subsequent transition into a health facility.

Drawing on archival material, photographs and historical maps, Where We Are examines both the building’s past and its transformation into a site for queer history and interpretation. The exhibition situates the former police station within broader histories of law, power, protest, and LGBTQIA+ visibility in Sydney.

Opened: February 2024

Curator: George Savoulis (Curator September 2023 – April 2024; Curatorial Director April 2024 – June 2025)

Loving
Interviews with Jonathan Moran
Divine Transmission
Chile Bainbridge
Kylie Minogue & Queer Devotion
Becoming
Be Dazzled
Hung
130BPM: Soundtrack to a Revolution
Sydney Star Observer
Lesbians on the Loose
Dykes On Bike
Sydney World Pride 2023
The Original Activists
Artist Series at The Bandstand