LGBTQ+ pop-up in former Sydney church ordered by landlord to cancel events after religious protest
A former Sydney church turned LGBTQ+ venue, Divine Playhouse, has been ordered to cancel events by its landlord after a religious protest. The venue's intention was to be a safe and inclusive space for artists to work and connect with audiences. The future of the venue remains uncertain after its landlord claimed it 'insulted and mocked' Christian Australians' beliefs.
- ▪Divine Playhouse, a former Sydney church, was transformed into an LGBTQ+ venue and opened last Wednesday.
- ▪The venue was ordered to cancel events and cease 'engaging in offensive trade' by its landlord after a religious protest.
- ▪The landlord claimed the venue 'insulted and mocked the sincerely held religious beliefs of millions of Christian Australians'.
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| Original publisher | the Guardian |
| Canonical URL | https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jul/14/divine-playhouse-lgbtq-events-cancelled-sydney-church |
| Publication time | Tue, 14 Jul 2026 06:23:46 GMT |
| Retrieval time | 2026-07-14T07:26:11.783Z |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Divine Playhouse opened on Wednesday with the intention of being a safe and inclusive space for artists to work and connect with audiences, its organiser said. Photograph: Anna HayView image in fullscreenDivine Playhouse opened on Wednesday with the intention of being a safe and inclusive space for artists to work and connect with audiences, its organiser said. Photograph: Anna HaySydneyLGBTQ+ pop-up in former Sydney church ordered by landlord to cancel events after religious protestLandlord of deconsecrated building sends notice of breach to Divine Playhouse, claiming it ‘insulted and mocked’ beliefs of Christian Australians Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Kat WongTue 14 Jul 2026 02.23 EDTLast modified on…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at the Guardian.
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