An LGBTQIA+ venue operating as a pop up within a former Sydney church has been forced to close. The decision came after its landlords issued a notice demanding it "cease carrying on offensive trade", following protests from religious groups.
Divine Playhouse, an arts and nightlife venue housed inside the former St Peter's Church in Surry Hills, announced that it had cancelled all upcoming events after receiving a breach notice from its landlord. The venue had only been operating for a week, transforming the deconsecrated church (which has operated as a theatre for decades) into a hub for queer artists and events.
Why was Divine Playhouse asked to close?
The dispute centres around 'Sunday Mess — An Unholy Brunch Party: The Resurrection', an event by Divine Playhouse that incorporated religious imagery into its performances.
Christian groups organised protests outside the venue, arguing the event mocked the Catholic faith. They also called for a NSW government grant supporting the venue to be withdrawn.
Per the ABC, the St Peter's Church landlord then ordered that they stop "carrying on offensive trade", or otherwise risk termination of the lease.
How has Divine Playhouse responded?
The venue took to Instagram with an in-depth statement on 15 July.
"Following pre-emptive action by our landlord, we have been forced to close the venue and postpone the events for now, while we explore our legal options regarding the future of the venue. Faced with this situation, our priority has had to be the wellbeing of our artists, audiences, event organisers and staff."
It continued, "We strongly believe we have acted in good faith throughout this whole process and remain committed to meeting our obligations as Tenants and working towards a constructive solution."
The venue added that the arts have long been a place for "humour, satire and performance" to challenge ideas and reflect society, and that that "the freedom to make and experience art is what makes an open, creative, and democratic society."
They also called for support from those able to give it, writing, "We would love to hear from you if you are in a position to contribute, share this message, donate viable event space or resources, or provide other practical support."
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Their social media accounts were also taken down
In the wake of the closure, the Divine Playhouse, and other associated accounts were also briefly flagged for removal by Instagram. These are now back up and running.
Divine Playhouse said the ban had exacerbated the effects of the closure, writing, "Managing this situation effectively has been made more difficult by Divine Playhouse's social media accounts, as well as personal accounts and all LGBTQIA+ community accounts (including Heaps Gay) being offline for 4 days. Fortunately we are now back online. These social accounts do not breach community standards."
The closure has reignited debate around queer spaces in Sydney
Unsurprisingly, the closure of Divine Playhouse has prompted criticism from advocates in Sydney's creative and LGBTQIA+ communities, who argue the issue extends beyond a single venue.
Night Time Industries Association vice-chair James Thorpe told the ABC that allowing offence to become grounds for eviction could have wider implications for artists and cultural spaces.
"Every artist who challenges power is vulnerable, as is every comedian who mocks a sacred cow and every queer space that refuses to make itself polite and palatable," he said.
Other prominent figures in the LGBTQIA+ community have weighed in, condemning the closure. Comedian Josh Thomas took to Instagram to question why the Landlord didn't block the venue prior to opening. "Surely [the landlord] knew it was going to be a queer venue? They’re a giant company - they have the resources to check who’s moving in," he wrote.
John Graham, Minister for Music and the Nighttime Economy in New South Wales, expressed a similar sentiment. In a statement shared to Instagram, he wrote, "The Divine Playhouse closing its doors is a step back for Sydney. This venue was deconsecrated as a place of worship in 1932 and has operated as a performance and arts space for many decades."
He signed off, "We have lost a lot of venues in Sydney, and we need more performance spaces and venues, not less."
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