Diva Awards

01/10/2026

DIVA would like to congratulate the latest Dame to join the DIVA Hall of Fame, the fabulous Vanity. 🎉Here's the full collection of induction speeches by here nearest and dearest, with a very special surprise guest.
.melendybritt

22/09/2026

Drag icon Vanity – the iconic Sydney queen behind Wigs by Vanity – is officially entering the DIVA Hall of Fame this year.

17/09/2026

As DIVA prepares to celebrate 35 years, a massive achievement for any community organisation, I reflected on DIVAs place in q***r Sydney; its past, present, and its future.

This month, the Drag Industry Variety Awards, better known as the DIVAs, will honour its 35th anniversary – a true celebration of Sydney drag.

15/09/2026

The Drag Industry Variety Awards have proudly confirmed that Maxi Shield will be posthumously inducted to the DIVA Hall Of Fame this year.

14/09/2026

✨ MAXI SHIELD — DIVA HALL OF FAME ✨

This year, DIVA proudly honours the extraordinary Maxi Shield, who will be posthumously inducted into the DIVA Hall of Fame.

Maxi was more than a drag queen — she was a Sydney icon.

For decades, she brought her unmistakable humour, warmth, glamour and larger-than-life presence to our stages, our venues and our community. From Oxford Street to television screens across Australia, Maxi represented Sydney drag with enormous heart, generosity and pride.

Her contribution went far beyond the spotlight. Maxi was a friend, a mentor, a community champion and an entertainer who made people feel welcome wherever she went.

While we wish she could be with us to receive this honour, her place in Sydney’s drag history is undeniable — and her legacy will live on through the performers, audiences and community she touched.

35 years of DIVA. A lifetime of fabulous memories. And now, forever, a Hall of Famer.

❤️ Maxi Shield — DIVA Hall of Fame 2026.
An icon. A friend. A legend. Never forgotten.

12/09/2026

The DIVA team is thrilled to launch the 2026 poster. Created with AI magic and featuring those in our Hall of Fame no longer with us.

Tallulah Bright
Carmen
F***y Farquar
Mogadonna
Leggs Galore
Robyn Lee
Simone Troy
Rose Jackson
Rose Leaf

06/08/2026

✨ DIVA TURNS 35 ✨
The rumours are true, the DIVA Awards return in 2026, and we're marking three and a half decades of crowning Sydney's finest drag talent. A milestone like this doesn't come around often, so we're going bigger, bolder and more fabulous than ever. 👑

📍 The Wintle Theatre, Souths Juniors Kingsford
🗓️ Monday 28 September. Red carpet from 6:30pm, Ceremony from 7:30pm.
🎟️ On sale Friday 28 August, 12pm at www.divaawards.com.au $149.95, with a welcome drink and canapés all night.
So much more still to announce in the coming days and weeks, so watch this space.
35 years down. One unforgettable night ahead.

04/03/2026

https://www.overtherainbowfunerals.com.au/event-details/celebrating-the-fabulous-life-of-maxi-shield

Please register your details if you wish to attend in-person, at a local venue or via live-streaming.

23/02/2026

In Loving Memory: Maxi Shield
​It is with heavy hearts that the DIVA family acknowledges the passing of a true icon of the Australian stage, Maxi Shield.
​Maxi was the heartbeat of Sydney’s drag scene—a powerhouse entertainer whose legacy is etched into our history. A multi-DIVA Award winner, her peers recognized her brilliance as a Variety Award recipient, a two-time Queen of Hearts, and our prestigious Entertainer of the Year.
​Beyond the rhinestones, Maxi was a fierce protector of our community. From her role as a dedicated sports ambassador to her tireless work as a safety advocate for Oxford Street’s "Golden Mile," her commitment to her craft and her people was absolute.
​Our deepest condolences go out to her partner David, her family, her drag sisters, and her many adoring fans.
​Rest in Power, Maxi. You will always be our Queen of Hearts. 🕊️✨
❤️ Aunty Shags and Lex
Photo: Deepfield Photography

24/09/2025

VALE Mogadonna

The DIVA community is saddened to hear of the passing of Mogadonna, Nicholas Schmich, who left us today surrounded by family in Orange after a period of ill health. We extend our sincere condolences to Nicholas’s family and sister friends.

Mogadonna’s first appearance was as a member of the ‘Stick Ladies’ at the Albury Hotel in 1991, which very quickly lead to her first professional show with Mitzi Macintosh and Trudi Valentine in ‘Tit Bits’ in early 1992. She went on to star at the Albury Hotel until it closed in 2002 and during her exciting and colourful career worked at every venue on Oxford Street.

Many international tourists and locals alike were entertained through the spectaculars of Mogadonna’s Mardi Gras years. Her first appearance was in ‘Celebration’ (1993) where she starred as a Purple Chook and continued with ‘We are Family’ (1994), ‘Slave to The Rhythm’ (1994 Sleaze Ball), ‘I Feel Love’ (1997) and the moving ‘Somewhere’ in 1998 for the 20th Anniversary. No one at the biggest ever Mardi Gras in 1996 will forget the heart stopping excitement of ‘The Boss’, when Mogadonna performed in a ring suspended from the ceiling of the RHI. So great was this triumph that ‘The Boss’ will forever be remembered as Mogi’s signature spot!

By now Mogadonna was Sydney’s big party star performer, so who else could create the ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ extravaganza for the opening of Sydney’s now infamous Harbour Party. Perhaps only topped by returning to perform the lead at the last Harbour Party with ‘Don’t Let this Moment End’ encased in some of the biggest cheers and most stunning fireworks ever seen on any dance floor.

Mogadonna won five DIVA Awards, Bitch of the Year (1994), Best Shows, “Black T” (1994) and ‘Drag Dolls’ (1995 and 1998). In 2004, to celebrate this most fabulous of careers, Mogadonna was inducted into the DIVA Hall of Fame.

One of our great performers, Mogi’s life will be celebrated with a memorial in coming weeks.

Colleen Windsor
24 Sept 2025