Bloodsuckers After Dark: Pride Night

Age: 16+ years

Come out after dark for a night of fierce fun inspired by Bloodsuckers: Nature's Vampires. Explore how blood has shaped queer culture, from vampire iconography and camp horror to HIV/AIDS activism, stigma and resistance.

Explore the exhibition, catch a talk, grab a drink at the bar and enjoy the vibes.

Talk: Bloodlines: Horror, Desire and the Politics of Blood

Join our special guest speakers for a conversation exploring queer histories of secrecy, stigma and resilience, and the reclamation of these stories through joy, defiant visibility, and gothic and vampiric rebellion.

Held 49 years to the day since the first Mardi Gras marched past the Museum, this talk also reflects on the power of cultural institutions to hold, honour and illuminate stories once kept in the shadows.

Frank Howarth is a geologist, cultural leader and former Director of the Australian Museum, where he served from 2004 to 2014 and led a decade of major institutional growth, including the expansion of research facilities, blockbuster exhibitions and the launch of the Museum’s popular after-hours program, Jurassic Lounge. Trained in geology at Macquarie University with postgraduate study in science policy at University of New South Wales, he has held senior leadership roles across science, culture and public policy in New South Wales.

A proud original “78’er,” Howarth was among those who marched in Sydney’s first Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in 1978, reflecting his lifelong commitment to cultural and social progress. He was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2012 for outstanding service to the Australian Museum and Australia’s cultural sector.

​Anton Enus is an award-winning broadcast journalist with more than 30 years’ experience across television, radio and print in both South Africa and Australia, and is currently the nightly news anchor for SBS World News.

He began his career with South Africa’s national broadcaster, SABC, where he covered the country’s historic return to democracy in 1994 and later won international recognition for his reporting with CNN World Report. Since joining SBS in 1999, Anton has fronted major national and international news coverage, special event programming and high-profile current affairs broadcasts.

Lou P Scarlett is Sydney-based DJ and performer emerging from the cabaret and live music scene, she is known for her eclectic, high-energy sets that blend pop, electronic and left-field sounds with a theatrical, showgirl sensibility. Alongside her DJ work, she is an accomplished vocalist and creator who has performed at major festivals, venues and events nationally and internationally, bringing a distinctive “garbage-glamour” aesthetic to both stage and decks.