A new arts and night-life venue inside a former Sydney church has opened to packed crowds, but its launch has also sparked protests from Christian groups who say the project mocks their faith.
Divine Playhouse officially opened this week inside the heritage-listed building on Kent Street, with around 70 protesters gathering outside on Wednesday evening while hundreds attended the venue’s opening celebrations.
The venue, which was formerly named Unholy Playhouse, occupies a building that was deconsecrated by the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney around 1932 and has operated as a theatre for decades.
Christian groups including Fit for the Kingdom and The Prodigal Sons held a prayer vigil outside the venue on opening night, with videos showing protesters singing Ave Maria and praying the rosary.
Several Christian influencers, including Spanian and Big Chocky later spoke out against the event online.
One protester, Lewis Anderson, filmed himself entering the venue, calling the change “disgusting”.
NSW Police said officers attended the unauthorised public assembly about 6.30pm.
“About 70 people were in attendance,” a police spokesperson said.
“Police monitored the public assembly and the majority of the group dispersed at about 7.45pm.”
A 21-year-old man was issued with a move-on direction, which police said he complied with.
Founder Kat Dopper, who also created LGBTQIA+ events brand Heaps Gay, said the project was intended to create an affordable community arts space rather than provoke controversy.
“I want people to walk in with a sense of discovery,” she said.
“The idea is that it’s super accessible for arts and culture communities to use without having to spend a million bucks … I cannot wait to see what Sydney independent arts and culture does with the space.”
Ms Dopper changed the venue’s name from Unholy Playhouse to Divine Playhouse after receiving feedback from members of the Christian community.
“While the project has received an overwhelmingly positive response, there has been a small number of people in the community who felt hurt by the use of the name UNHOLY,” she said.
“I still stand by my decision to use that word as a reclamation for communities who may not have always felt included in traditional holy spaces, but I never wanted the name to become the story.”
The Instagram account for Divine Playhouse later said references that were being perceived as inflammatory had been removed and maintained the venue was not intended to mock Christianity.
“The space has been a theatre for 80 years, and has not been a church for 100 years. We are just the next artists taking the reins and championing self-expression,” Ms Dopper told Gay Sydney Daily.
Following the event Family First NSW Legislative Council candidate Lyle Shelton pledged to seek an end to government funding connected with the venue if elected next year, it would be his fifth attempt to reach elected office.
Divine Playhouse acknowledges support through Create NSW, a NSW Government arts program that contributes funding to hundreds of venues across the state through a mix of infrastructure grants, operational funding, and direct property management.
Mr Shelton argued taxpayers should not subsidise a venue that many Christians believe ridicules their faith.
“Freedom of expression means people are entitled to produce provocative art if they wish. It does not mean taxpayers should pay for it,” he said.
He also argued Christianity should receive the same protections afforded to other religions and said he would seek to end public funding for projects that “deliberately denigrate Christianity or any other faith.”
A petition launched by protest organiser Chris Nave similarly calls on the NSW Government to withdraw its support, arguing many Christians perceive the venue as mocking their religion.
Despite the backlash, Divine Playhouse’s opening attracted strong support from Sydney’s LGBTQIA+ community and arts sector.
Speaking at the launch, Sydney Deputy Lord Mayor Jess Miller described the venue as a place that would foster community for future generations.
“I have no doubt in my mind that 50 years from now somebody who hasn’t been born yet will be sifting through the City of Sydney archives and they will see photos of this place,” she said.
“They’ll wonder: was it really real, and of course it was.”
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