Sydney Landlord Orders LGBTQ+ Arts Venue in Former Church to Cancel Events
Divine Playhouse, launched in a deconsecrated Sydney church as a space for artists, faces shutdown after religious backlash
A newly opened LGBTQ+ arts venue housed in a deconsecrated Sydney church has been ordered to cancel its events after religious groups protested its opening night, according to The Guardian.
The venue, called Divine Playhouse, opened last Wednesday with the goal of creating a safe and inclusive space where artists could work and connect with audiences, its organizer said. The building's landlord has since sent a notice of breach accusing the venue of "engaging in offensive trade," claiming it had "insulted and mocked" the beliefs of Christian Australians.
The dispute highlights the tension that can arise when former religious buildings are repurposed for secular or countercultural uses. Deconsecrated churches have increasingly found new life across Australian cities as event spaces, galleries and performance venues, but the conversion of sacred sites for LGBTQ+ programming has proven divisive in some communities.
The Guardian reported the standoff as part of its ongoing coverage of Australian news, noting that the landlord's order effectively halts programming at the venue for now. It was not immediately clear whether Divine Playhouse's organizers intended to challenge the notice or relocate their planned events.
The episode adds to broader debates in Australia over the use of former religious spaces and the boundaries of expression in venues meant to serve as inclusive cultural hubs for artists and performers.
— Compiled from reporting by The Guardian.