Criminal Queerness Festival
June 2025
Join the Criminal Queerness Festival (CQF), an electrifying international theater event by National Queer Theater. This festival spotlights daring work from queer artists worldwide who bravely confront censorship, imprisonment, and violence to share their authentic truths. Since 2019, the Criminal Queerness Festival has produced playwrights from Syria, Venezuela, Uganda, Kenya, Iraq, China, Pakistan, Tanzania, Egypt, Mexico, India, Lebanon, and Poland.
National Queer Theater is now accepting submissions for the 7th annual Criminal Queerness Festival, which will take place during NYC Pride 2025. Up to three shows will be selected and given performances as staged readings or full productions in New York City. The plays will be performed in a festival format with directors and actors from National Queer Theater. The selected playwrights will be awarded a stipend of $2,500USD, roundtrip airfare to NYC, and a $500USD per diem.
The Criminal Queerness Festival welcomes:
- Plays by queer artists from countries that censor or discriminate against LGBTQ communities.
- Plays that have not been previously produced in the United States.
- Proposals for concerts, dance-theater, drag, or other storytelling formats are also welcome.
Please email info@nationalqueertheater.org with any questions. Submissions due August 25, 2024.
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.
CHECK BACK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR SELECTIONS.
OUR SUPPORTERS
Criminal Queerness Festival is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council; the National Endowment for the Arts; and the JKW Foundation.
OUR PARTNERS
Artistic Freedom Initiative
Led by immigration and human rights attorneys, Artistic Freedom Initiative (AFI) facilitates pro bono immigration representation and resettlement assistance for international artists at risk.
NYC PRIDE
Heritage of Pride works toward a future without discrimination where all people have equal rights under the law. We do this by producing LGBTQIA+ Pride events that inspire, educate, commemorate and celebrate our diverse community.
