A new petition has been launched in support of Sydney’s newest queer performing arts venue, Divine Playhouse following a breach notice by its landlords.
It was revealed yesterday by this publication that Divine Playhouse had been served breach notice from the owners of 420 Kent Street.
The owners are billionaires Anthony El-Hazouri and Charbel Hazzouri, who run Revelop, which owns and manages a portfolio of more than 80 commercial properties.
They sent the breach notice to Heaps Gay Events, which runs Divine Playhouse, the day after opening night on July 9.
It followed protests by conservative Christian groups on opening night and a subsequent petition on Change.org calling on the NSW Government to stop supporting the venue.
Divine Playhouse had received a $100,000 grant from the state government’s arts agency, Create NSW, to support a four-month creative revival and multidisciplinary arts festival.
“Cultural Access project funding supports individuals and organisations that engage or are led by priority-area communities, to develop and deliver a diverse range of arts and cultural experiences for artists, arts workers, communities, and audiences,” a spokesperson said at the time.
After eight days online, the petition, which says “taxpayer money should never be associated with the mockery of any faith,” has garnered 5,071 verified signatures.
In response to this petition, and the breach notice from the landlords, Fran Giapanni has set up another Change.org petition to keep Divine Playhouse open.
Giapanni told Gay Sydney Daily that if this could happen to Divine Playhouse, it could happen to any queer venue.
“To me, it’s about the precedent it sets. It should concern everybody if organised campaigns can pressure landlords into potentially removing lawful queer tenants.”
Giapanni added that the Christian groups have framed this as a matter of religious offence and are upset with some of the performances.
“To that I would say, they’re allowed to be offended, but that is not grounds to close a venue,” she said.
“I’m personally deeply offended by some of the views and hateful messages preached by these groups, but I’ve never campaigned for a church or religious organisation to be shut down. To close a venue, or terminate a lawful tenant’s lease, because you disapprove of their creative expression would set a very scary precedent.”
In less than 24 hours, the petition has attracted 2,320 verified signatures at time of writing.
The petition, and Divine Playhouse, have received an outpouring of support from the community.
Drag artist Etcetera Etcetera told Gay Sydney Daily that it was time for the community to band together to show a “united front against intolerance.”
“Our community has been under attack for decades from the same behaviour wrapped up in different packaging and this is simply the latest wave to try to shut us down,” they said.
“We desperately need arts spaces in this city that present all perspectives, and this space was shut down by outside influences before it was even given a chance to become successful.”
Artist Monica Higgins took to Instagram to say the campaign against Divine Playhouse and its creator, Kat Dopper, was concerning.
“Whatever your views on queer culture, coordinated campaigns that seek to shut down cultural spaces and silence LGBTQIA+ organisations should concern all of us,” she said.
Protect Mardi Gras co-founder Peter Stahel said people of faith have a right to preach and protest, but not the right to shut down queer art because it offends them.
“Anyone who thinks queer performers should be punished for making fun of religion has missed the entire point. Satire and art is not an attack on people of faith, it is how a community that was told for centuries it was sinful, criminal, and sick learned to answer back. Take the satire out of queer culture and you take out its heartbeat,” he said.
