Black background with gold confetti and ribbons, featuring a trophy with a rainbow-colored heart logo and text announcing the People's Choice Awards Gala celebrating LGBTQ+ community achievements.

The People’s Choice Awards by Euphoria Foundation
Supported by Tim Lai

Three people standing behind a wooden podium, one wearing a black tuxedo, another in a kilt with a tartan pattern and a sporran, and a woman in a strapless dress with a large silver headpiece. They are on a stage with orange decor in the background.
Group of diverse people dressed in formal attire, posing together on stage, with some wearing leather vests with patches, and one woman in a white strapless gown wearing a floral crown, at an indoor event.
Three young men dressed in formal and semi-formal attire smiling and posing together at an indoor event.

  • The People’s Choice Awards by Euphoria Foundation is a community-led recognition initiative celebrating LGBTQIAPN+ people across Victoria and Australia who hold their communities together.

    Founded in 2024, it was created for one reason:
    to recognise the work that already exists, but is too often unseen.

    This includes volunteers, grassroots organisers, artists, storytellers, advocates, and community-led organisations. People whose contribution is real, consistent, and often unpaid.

  • So much of LGBTQIAPN+ community work happens without recognition.

    It is time, energy, care, and creativity given freely — often at personal cost, and often without acknowledgment.

    The People’s Choice Awards exists to make that work visible.

    To slow down and name it.
    To return attention to the people who hold communities together in everyday ways.

  • This initiative centres people who are often excluded from mainstream Pride spaces and traditional awards nights, including:

    • trans and gender-diverse people

    • First Nations LGBTQIAPN+ people

    • LGBTQIAPN+ people of colour, migrants, and people from refugee backgrounds

    • people with disability and neurodivergence

    • people living in regional or outer-metro areas

    • volunteers, grassroots organisers, and quiet contributors

    • people without institutional power or public platforms

    These communities are not an add-on.
    They are the reason this awards exists.

  • The People’s Choice Awards by Euphoria Social is delivered by unwaged volunteers of Euphoria Social Group Incorporated.

    Everyone involved contributes their time, energy, and care because they believe in community recognition, dignity, and connection.

    We are 100% volunteer-run, grassroots, and self-funded.

    Our goal is to continue building an awards process that is open, community-driven, and truly reflective of the people who make a difference.

  • This awards exists because our community deserves more than survival — we deserve to take up space in joy.

    We:

    • centre those who are often overlooked

    • honour lived experience

    • trust community voice in recognition

    • celebrate contribution in all its forms

    Because you are not too much.
    You are exactly enough.
    And you belong here.

  • The People’s Choice Award is entirely community-led.

    It is nominated and voted on by the community, and exists to recognise individuals, groups, and organisations whose impact is deeply felt — even when it doesn’t fit neatly into formal categories.

    Sometimes the most important work doesn’t come with a title.

    This award makes space for that.

  • Being nominated does not automatically make someone a finalist.

    All nominations are carefully reviewed against the values and criteria of each category, including demonstrated impact, community contribution, and alignment with the purpose of the award.

    Shortlisting is a separate process designed to ensure the finalists reflect meaningful contribution, community care, and the intent of each category.

    We receive many nominations each cycle, and while every submission is appreciated, only a selected group will be named as finalists.

    This process exists to keep recognition fair, considered, and grounded in genuine community impact.

  • All nominations and selections are guided by a values-based approach, including:

    • demonstrated impact

    • consistency and contribution

    • alignment with community care and inclusion

    • relevance to category criteria

    Sponsorship, donations, public profile, or personal relationships do not influence outcomes.

    We are committed to fairness, transparency, and community wellbeing in every part of this process.

  • The People’s Choice Awards is not a commercial event.

    It is a community effort — built on care, connection, and collective contribution.

    We exist to recognise the people who hold our communities together, and to ensure that their work is seen, valued, and sustained.

Book your ticket
Three women standing together against a brick wall, dressed in glamorous outfits with makeup and jewelry, posing for the photo.
Group of six people smiling and posing for a photo at a social event, dressed in formal and semi-formal attire.
Three young adults with voluminous curly hair and glasses hugging at a gathering, near a table with candles.
“Pushing boundaries to foster inclusivity, acceptance & equity for everyone in our community. The night wasn’t just a celebration — it was a powerful testament to the strength of the LGBTQIAPN+ community and the unwavering support we share”
— Christina Chia
“This was an amazing night, I had so much fun and can’t wait to hopefully go next year. Events like this make me feel proud of who I am and give me passion to continue to be the real me. I felt like I could be myself with no judgement and feel supported by all in the room”
— Guest 2025
“As queer people we often face painful experiences alone and in private, but your amplification of the voices of speakers, thinkers and changemakers reminds me that I am not alone.”
— finalists
“I genuinely did not expect this… we often work in the background without much fanfare… Being a queer, non-binary, Muslim migrant… the odds are often stacked against us… together, we can keep pushing for meaningful change based on our shared values and humanity.”
— finalists
Group of four young people sitting at a table, smiling and posing for the camera at a celebration or party, with a woman in the background making peace signs.
Two women and a man sharing a hug near a table with candles in a room.
People participating in a conga line at a party, dressed in colorful and vibrant outfits with joyful expressions.
Three friends hugging in front of a brick wall, one woman with dark hair and makeup, a man with an afro and piercings, and another woman with a beanie and earrings, smiling.
Three individuals standing on stage, raising their hands, in front of a plain wall. The woman on the left is wearing sunglasses and a denim outfit with embellishments, the man in the middle is dressed in a black t-shirt and light cargo pants, and the
Group of eleven women dressed in formal and semi-formal attire, smiling and posing together indoors at a celebration or event.
A person with dark skin and a mohawk hairstyle is holding a microphone and smiling. They are wearing a large earring, a denim jacket, a black crop top, and a patterned skirt or pants.
Two women dressed in black at a party, standing in front of metallic pink and purple streamers. One holds a white Chanel purse, the other a gold clutch.
Two well-dressed individuals, a woman in a red blazer holding a microphone and a man in a dark suit and pink tie, standing at a wooden podium with lit candles, smiling and engaging with an audience.
A man in a black tuxedo and a woman with long, wavy blonde hair wearing a dress adorned with pearls and chains.
Group of five people posing in front of a decorative red backdrop at an event. The woman in the center wears a sash that reads 'Miss Fānāfānāne' and a formal gown. Others are dressed in casual and semi-formal attire.
Three people standing behind an ornately carved wooden podium, two men and one woman. The woman is speaking into a microphone, wearing a crown or tiara and has tattoos on her arms. The man in the middle is smiling, wearing a suit and pink tie. The ma
Group of five people standing in front of a rainbow-colored paper fringe backdrop at a celebration or event, smiling and posing for the photo.
Two women posing for a photo at a colorful, rainbow-themed event with one holding a certificate and the other seated in a wheelchair with a small dog on their lap. The background features rainbow-colored streamers.
Two men sitting close together smiling at the camera, one with tattoos and wearing a colorful shirt, the other with glasses and a green jacket, at night near a brick building.
Two men standing beside each other, both holding microphones, smiling. They are wearing black and white plaid outfits with loose-fitting pants and sneakers. The background shows a plain wall with some icons or pictures at the top.
People dancing and celebrating at a lively indoor event, wearing colorful and fashionable clothing.
A wedding ceremony with a bride and groom hugging at the altar. The bride wears a white gown and a decorative headpiece, while the groom wears a checkered shirt. An officiant stands behind them. The setting is indoors with gifts on the side.
Two people dressed in bold, colorful outfits posing in front of a rainbow-colored fringe backdrop.
Group of people standing together at an indoor event, smiling for the camera. They are dressed in a mix of casual and formal attire, some wearing vests with various patches and badges.
Four people stand in front of a colorful fringe curtain background, smiling at the camera. The group includes three women and one man, all dressed in semi-formal attire.
Group of drag queens in elaborate costumes posing in front of a colorful backdrop.