National Queer Theater

June 9 – 27, 2026
Times Vary

HERE Arts Center,
145 6th Avenue,
New York, NY 10013

Criminal Queerness Festival 2026

National Queer Theater’s Criminal Queerness Festival (CQF) showcases groundbreaking new works written by artists from countries where queerness is criminalized or censored. At a time when authoritarianism is on the rise globally, CQF elevates refugee, asylee, and immigrant queer voices and enriches the cultural fabric of New York City by introducing audiences to bold, original works that challenge Western norms and inspire global change.

Since the inception of the festival in 2019, National Queer Theater has showcased 19 new works by visionary artists from Syria, Venezuela, Uganda, Iraq, China, Pakistan, Kenya, Ukraine, Cuba, Lebanon, and Poland. The festival is the official theater event of NYC Pride and recipient of a 2020 NYC Mayor’s Grant for Cultural Impact Award and a 2025 Obie Award. It has been featured in The New York Times, The Advocate, and NBC News. NQT partners with community groups such as Artistic Freedom Initiative and venues such as HERE Arts Center, Lincoln Center, and PAC NYC to amplify the festival’s impact, recruiting audiences into the fight for LGBTQ+ decriminalization.

National Queer Theater’s Criminal Queerness Festival is a co-production with HERE Arts Center

​The Criminal Queerness Festival is supported by generous funders including New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council; the JKW Foundation; and the Terrence McNally Foundation.

Area D
Written by LOUR
Directed by Osh Ashruf
Dates: June 10th – June 13th, 2026

faggy faafi Cairo boy
Written by Bazeed
Directed by Shadi Ghaheri
Dates: June 17th – June 2oth, 2026

Syrian Soap
Written by E. Zaalan
Directed by Tallie Medel for Criminal Queerness Festival, original direction by Natasha Mercado
Original direction by Natasha Mercado
Dates: June 24th- June 27th, 2026

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