Saturday Church For the Culture Community Partners

For each show in our season, our Education & Engagement department collaborates with a variety of community partners. Our incredible partners for Saturday Church all actively support the communities and individuals that the musical represents onstage. The themes of the show are embodied in the impact these organizations are making for families, the queer community, queer youth and young people of color, people of a range of religious backgrounds, and the intersections of our shared identities. We are excited for you to learn more about these organizations and support them in achieving their missions.

The Ali Forney Center
The Ali Forney Center was founded in 2002 in memory of Ali Forney, a homeless gender-nonconforming youth who was forced to live on the streets. Committed to saving the lives of LGBTQ+ and at-risk young people, our mission is to protect them from the harms of homelessness and empower them with the tools needed to live independently.

The Center
The NYC LGBT Community Center is a safe and affirming space for all LGBTQ+ New Yorkers to connect, activate, and thrive. Welcoming nearly 4,000 weekly visitors, The Center proudly offers life-saving and love-affirming programs, services, and events spanning the areas of advocacy, health and wellness, recovery, youth and families, and the arts. Visit The Center at 208 West 13th Street and learn more at gaycenter.org

Hetrick-Martin Institute
Hetrick-Martin Institute believes all young people, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential. Hetrick-Martin Institute (HMI) creates this environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) youth between the ages of 13 and 24 and their families. Through a comprehensive package of direct services and referrals, HMI seeks to foster healthy youth development. HMI’s staff promotes excellence in the delivery of youth services and uses its expertise to create innovative programs that other organizations may use as models.

National Queer Theater
National Queer Theater is an innovative theater collective dedicated to celebrating the brilliance of generations of LGBTQ artists and providing a home for unheard storytellers and activists. By serving elders, youth, and working professionals, NQT creates a more just future through radical and evocative theater experiences and free community classes.

St. Luke in the Fields
In the 1980’s, the West Village based Church of St. Luke in the Fields was significantly impacted by the HIV/AIDS pandemic and founded the AIDS Project of St. Luke’s. St. Luke’s served dinners and weekend teas to 35,000 people, welcoming, serving, fundraising, and holding funerals during a time when most houses of worship refused to do so.

ALL were welcome then, and this remains true today. A continuation of that heritage, Saturday Church is based on Art & Acceptance, St. Luke’s Saturday evening drop-in program for LGBTQ+ young adults.

Join us to hear panelists from the above five
organizations speak in a post-show conversation,
AfterWords: Cultivating Queer Youth Communities,
on Sept 17th.

Interfaith Center of New York
The Interfaith Center of New York is a secular nonprofit organization, founded in 1997, that works to build relationships among New York City’s diverse religious communities and civic institutions, by bringing them together to solve common social problems.

Judson Memorial Church
For over 125 years, Judson has served as a beacon of Radical Hope for Greenwich Village and far beyond. Through their unique approach to expansive spirituality, embodied justice-seeking, and unfettered creativity, the Judson community continues to reimagine what church can be: a sanctuary where organizers, activists, and artists are lifted up as the voices that show us where we’ve been, who we are, and what we can become. Whether it’s Judson’s 11am Sunday morning service, it’s regular Wednesday night arts programming, or one of the hundreds of gatherings we host every year, there’s a place for you. If you’d like to learn more or donate to support our efforts, follow these codes or visit judson.org.

PFLAG NYC
PFLAG NYC is the founding chapter of PFLAG, the nation’s foremost family-based organization committed to celebrating LGBTQ+ young people and creating a better future for all. PFLAG NYC serves New York City families, schools, and communities to increase understanding and acceptance of LGBTQ+ people.

Join us to hear panelists from the above three organizations speak in a post-show conversation,
AfterWords: Exploring Identity & Interfaith,
on Sept 3rd.

Avita Care Solutions & Q Care Plus
Q Care Plus is a telehealth service that provides easy, discreet, and affordable access to PrEP, doxyPEP and other HIV prevention tools, with at-home testing and prescriptions delivered directly to your door. They focus on removing barriers to sexual health care so people can protect themselves on their schedule and without judgment.

Gay Men’s Health Crisis
As the world’s first HIV/AIDS service organization, GMHC is working to end the AIDS epidemic and uplift the lives of all affected. We address the social determinants of health that continue to fuel HIV infection rates and prevent people from accessing care and treatment. They include food and housing insecurity, unemployment, and lack of access to health services, among others. We also advocate for fair and effective HIV/AIDS policies at the local, state, and federal levels. We provide HIV and STI testing, food and nutrition programs, housing support, workforce development, legal assistance, advocacy for benefits and health insurance, mental health and emotional support, substance use counseling, and more.

The Phluid Project
We are Phluid. Phluid in our expression, externally to the world and internally to ourselves. Phluid means dissolving the artificial boundaries of gender, skin color, and status, we and they. Phluid means following like water, free from contracts we never agreed to sign. Phluid means embracing the core idea that this is our world, and that the way things are is unrelated to how things could be.

Cinema Village
Built in 1963 in the shell of a turn of the century fire station, Cinema Village is the oldest continuously operated cinema in Greenwich Village and one of the oldest continuously operated art cinemas in New York City. Stop by at 22 East 12th Street, or visit the Cinema Village website for showtimes and information.

Mark your calendars, kittens—For the Culture is comin’ in hot! These masterclasses, post-show talkbacks and community celebrations will deepen your Saturday Church experience, offering behind-the-scenes access and conversations that bring you closer to the heart, artistry, and joy of this world premiere. For more information about these upcoming events and gatherings, check out our For the Culture page. We hope to see you soon!

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Categories: 2025/26 Season and For The Culture. Tags: For The Culture and Saturday Church.