Victoria’s Rainbow Serpent Festival will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2017, and ahead of its January shenanigans, organisers have announced a new safe space called The Nest, which will include support services for women, trans and gender-diverse people experiencing gender-based violence at the event.
Rainbow Serpent organisers say they are “determined to provide an environment where all people feel safe, respected and included”, and are launching some new initiatives and policies next year.
One of them, The Nest, will feature a Women’s Room (for all women, gender non-binary and trans people) and a Communal Space, as well as Dancewize operations featuring Government-funded services aimed at drug and alcohol related harm reduction. The Nest will be open 24 hours a day during the festival, and management and staff also recently undertook transgender and gender diversity training.
Organisers have also said that “Wicked Campervans or any vehicle with sexist, degrading or abusive comments or slogans are not welcome at Rainbow Serpent Festival”, advising that “anyone turning up to Rainbow with slogans on their vehicle that demeans or degrades anyone may be denied entry”.
Earlier this year, police attended to four reports of sexual assault at Rainbow Serpent Festival, as well as three cases of theft. 45 drivers were also caught allegedly under the influence of drugs driving away from the festival, and five people were arrested for drug trafficking.
Rainbow Serpent Festival 2017 kicks off on 27th January, and finishes up on the 30th. Catch the full lineup, below.
For more information about Rainbow Serpent Festival’s new Nest space, head to the festival website.
If you need assistance, 1800 RESPECT – the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service — can be reached on 1800 737 732, while Lifeline can be reached on 13 11 14.
Rainbow Serpent 2017 second lineup:
Astrix
Andhim
Guy J
Guy Mantzur
Dusty Kid
Mathew Jonson
Eelke Kleijn
Function
Justin Jay
Patrice Bäumel
Adriana Lopez
Slamboree
YT & Monkey Marc
Rainbow Serpent 2017 first lineup:
Shpongle (Simon Posford DJ Set)
Hallucinogen
Extrawelt LIVE
Ott & The All-Seeing I
D-Nox & Beckers
Perfect Stranger
Avalon
ANNA
WEHBBA
CID INC
DJ Pena
Symphonix
DJ Tristan
Dickster
Freedom Fighters
Killerwatts
Ranji
Radikal Guru
The Herd
[dunkelbunt]
James Monro
Darshan
Bumbling Loons
4D
Nanoplex
Renegade DJ
Degiheugi
Friday, 22nd January – Monday, 25th January
Lexton, Victoria
Tickets: Rainbow Serpent
