Click here to support the Cinema with a CAC Gift Card, which can be used once we reopen for Tickets, Membership, and Cafe items.

In the preparation for our long-awaited seat replacement – now in all three theaters – our operations team carefully removed the engraved seat plaques our members and donors had purchased over the past several decades to support the mission of our independent community cinema. New seat plaques are available for the new seats, but our old seat plaques have a very special destiny. These plaques were delivered to former CAC Board Member and internationally renowned visual artist, Isabel Pavão, who will transform them into a one-of-a-kind art installation that will have a home in our lobby upon completion. Isabel says she loves having the seat plaques in her studio, and that it is like having all the members in her studio with her where she is able to honor them.

Native of Portugal, Isabel Pavão, has lived and worked in New York since 1990. She exhibits her work in New York City, as in many museums and galleries all over the world. She participates as an invited artist as well as a guest professor in Universities, Art Schools, and Museums, is the Creative Director of the TV program Healing Waters and Baths of Europe, and belongs to the Advisory Board of Directors of ARTE INSTITUTE.

Her most recent book is called Isabel Pavão/Painting/ Porto – Paris - New York. That is both the title of this book and the defining stages along the artist’s journey. The book reviews the series of artwork produced in the three cities, and includes an anthology of texts from writers, critics, and art historians. The work is rooted in the western tradition, its anchors that tie her to the experience of the studio, and its immediate pretexts that emerge from the urban situations through which she has lived.

We are so honored and fortunate to have our donors’ seat-plaque inscriptions incorporated into an art piece that will live in our shared space by such a thoughtful artist with meaningful ties to our cinema community.

In November, Dylan Skolnick was among a panel of experts who spoke about the State of the Arthouse in 2021 at a live webinar presented by Box Office Pro and Spotlight Cinema Networks. Dylan joined colleagues from across the country, including Paul Serwitz, President and COO, Landmark Theatres; Tori Baker, Salt Lake Film Society, President & CEO; Barbara Twist, Director of Partnerships, Vidiots Foundation; and Barak Epstein, Aviation Cinemas / Texas Theatre, President. They discussed many important issues facing independent cinemas today, including the impact of the pandemic, demographic challenges, and our relationships with streaming platforms. CLICK HERE to see more.

Our team and partners are working hard to complete the final stages of our seat replacement and necessary renovations. Our scheduled reopening date is February 4, 2022. We will continue to post updates at THIS LINK.

In the meantime, remember to check out our VIRTUAL SCREENING ROOM.

Thanks for your ongoing support and engagement throughout this unprecedented period.

When we first temporarily closed our doors in March of 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had no idea how long we would be closed. Nor did we anticipate that damage to our building sustained during our shutdown would result in the expansion of our seat replacement project to a larger renovation. Nonetheless, we promised our members that for every day of paid membership during our shutdown, we would award that day back upon our reopening.

Since that time, many members have reached out to us asking that we do not award them a membership extension, and they will renew upon our reopening in order to support our programs and operations. We have been so touched by these generous offers. Over the past few weeks, we have been recalculating thousands of membership expiration dates and surveying our members, asking if you would like to accept your newly recalculated membership expiration date, or keep your previous expiration date and renew at will.

If you have not yet received an email about your membership expiration date, please contact rene@cinemaartscentre.org.

We will default to awarding the membership extensions to all members who do not respond otherwise.

Also, any new memberships, and any renewals of memberships lapsed prior to our shutdown, that are purchased prior to our reopening will expire one full year from our reopening date.

Learn about all the benefits of membership at THIS LINK.

Our goal is to restore our membership to 10,000 strong in 2022. Thank you for being part of this wonderful community.

Thanks to many dedicated members and patrons, as well as critical institutional support, the Cinema Arts Centre will reopen in 2022! Our building will have been closed for nearly two years—but our community remains strong. During our facility closure, we provided online screenings and events, including many free programs. We provided in-person off-site programs including drive-in movies, and outdoor screenings at local farms. And we have been working closely with experts and colleagues to make our building a safer and healthier environment for all, to install new seats in all three theaters, and to repair damage that occurred during our shut-down. We are approaching the final stages of our renovation and preparing to welcome you back to our independent community cinema and home away from home, with the daily screenings and events we all miss so much.

It is difficult to launch the Vic Skolnick Life of Our Cinema Campaign while are still completing work in our building, but

as we prepare to rehire staff and build our slate of independent film programs and cultural events for 2022, it is critical

that we build a robust annual fund. We must reach our goal to raise $160,000 through this campaign.

We have faced many challenges in our history, and we always respond by growing and adapting. Most importantly, we always respond together. The Cinema Arts Centre has had an evolving and positive impact on our community for nearly 50 years, delivering cultural, social, educational, and economic benefits. Thank you for being part of this meaningful work, and part of our Cinema family.

If you can, please consider making a gift to our campaign today.

Thank you!

Thanks to Stuart and Ginger Polisner for their historic support of our Real-to-Reel and Creativity Series.

Thanks to Lynn & Jonah Kaufman, Brandywine Living, and Goidel Law Group for their generous support of our 2020 Making Memories Programs.

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