In May of 2023 I was presented with an opportunity to produce a weekly club drag event in the Universal Superclub. Alongside Licensee Dillon Shaw and Production Manager Dave Stevenson, we came together to create Sanctuary - a weekly club event where anyone could come and celebrate queerness without judgement.

Almost three years later that night that we created had seen some of Australia’s best DJ’s and Divas hit its stages. But there was always going to come a time that we had to move forward and look at new models to keep things fresh and exciting. and that time has come!

We are shocked and deeply saddened by the news of our beloved Maxi Shield’s passing.

In all my years in this community, there has never been a time I can remember when Maxi wasn’t an iconic presence (and she’d absolutely smack you for reminding her of that). Maxi worked across every queer venue in Sydney, touching hearts not only across the country but around the world through her appearance on Drag Race Down Under. This Mardi Gras will feel different. It will be more solemn, as so many of us gather carrying the space left by her smile, her quick wit, and her remarkable spirit.