The closure of Sydney’s Divine Playhouse has become one of the arts sector’s most closely watched stories, raising broader questions about the challenges facing independent performance spaces.
This Saturday’s peaceful sing-in at Hyde Park is expected to bring together artists, audiences and supporters following the sudden termination of the venue’s lease. According to Divine Playhouse, the decision was made without consultation, leaving the company just days to vacate the heritage-listed building at 420 Kent Street.
The legal basis for the termination has attracted particular attention. The landlord cited “offensive trade”, a term originating in an 1842 New South Wales law historically associated with industries producing noxious smells and waste. Whether that legislation has relevance to a contemporary arts venue is now likely to become part of a much wider conversation.
“It’s over. Our lease terminated, our artists cancelled, our venue being cleared out. We believe this termination was unlawful and unjust. I am devastated. I am angry – for us, for our artists, for this city and its people,” said Kat Dopper, founder of Divine Playhouse and HG Events.
“Our sense of injustice is overwhelming. Divine Playhouse was created as a critical new cultural home for diverse artists and communities from all over Sydney and New South Wales. It’s sitting empty – no artists, no audiences, the joy and community we built in that room, silenced.”
“That’s freedom of expression in Australia right now: some voices get amplified, others get evicted. In this case it feels like bigotry masquerading as moral victory. This isn’t about Divine versus Revelop. It’s so much bigger. If a landlord’s personal beliefs can shut down an arts venue, no stage in this country is safe. Who decides what art is acceptable? Right now, the answer is whoever owns the building.”
“That’s why we’re fighting this – not just for Divine Playhouse, but for you. For every artist, every show, every venue, every community, every collective, every expression of unfamiliar or uncomfortable ideas, that could be next. If we walk away, they’ll believe that intimidation works – and they’ll come back, again and again, for every other group they don’t agree with. We’re not walking away.”
“To anyone with a unique space: you wouldn’t just be offering us a home. You’d be providing the life blood for the future of this city’s independent arts and cultural communities.”
“This Saturday’s rally isn’t just about one venue. It’s about the future of arts and culture in New South Wales and who gets to decide it. They can sing? Well we can sing louder. Divine will rise again,” said Dopper.
Public support has been swift. More than 17,000 people have signed a petition calling for Divine Playhouse to remain open, while a crowdfunding campaign has raised more than $40,000 to assist with legal costs and losses. The company is also planning a fundraising performance to support affected artists and continue its search for a new home.
Independent venues play an essential role in Australia’s cultural landscape, providing opportunities for emerging artists and presenting work that often sits outside the commercial mainstream. As cities continue to evolve, preserving spaces where creativity can flourish remains an ongoing challenge.
Whatever the outcome of the current dispute, the response to Divine Playhouse demonstrates that audiences continue to value independent arts organisations and the communities they create.
The Peaceful ‘sing-in’ rally takes place at Sydney’s Hyde Park on Saturday 25 July – 12.00pm. For more information about Divine Playhouse, visit: www.instagram.com
Image: Artists performing at Divine Playhouse – photo by Anna Hay