Andrew Pam

2026-08-07 12:39:52

It took months for an LGBTQ+ arts pop-up to resurrect an old church – but just three days to shut it down

It takes months of love and care to make an empty building come alive, but only three days to tear it all down.

This week, the gothic signage and queer absurdist art commissioned for Divine Playhouse had to be removed and placed into storage, as volunteers whitewashed a vibrant mural that had been painted on its walls.

After sitting empty for a year, Sydney’s St John the Evangelist church – which was deconsecrated in the 1930s – had been resurrected as an LGBTQ+ inclusive arts space, opening on 8 July with a year-long permit.

For just three days, Divine Playhouse existed as intended, hosting an opening night party, a queer comedy night and a disco.

But a day after religious groups gathered outside to protest its opening and called on the New South Wales government to withdraw its $100,000 arts grant, the venue’s landlord ordered the promoters, Heaps Gay Events, to cease “engaging in offensive trade” or risk eviction before terminating their lease a few days later.

Heaps Gay had until 5pm on Friday to vacate, which gave them three days to clear a space that had been months in the making. Their lawyers, meanwhile, are exploring whether they can sue for damages and make a sex discrimination claim.

“It’s not just about Divine any more, it’s about censorship,” the promoter and founder of Heaps Gay, Kat Dopper, told Guardian Australia.

“If we were to walk away, these groups will just get stronger and more powerful and louder.

“We can’t allow that to happen.”

It took months for an LGBTQ+ arts pop-up to resurrect an old church – but just three days to shut it down

Group behind Divine Playhouse considering legal challenge and discrimination complaint after religious protests turned venue into culture war

^{Kat Wong (The Guardian)}