Fund Started to Support U.S. Art Houses

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Wed, 04/01/2020 - 08:37 -- Nick Dager

The Art-House America Campaign, a new relief fund established by initial donations from the Criterion Collection and Janus Films, has been launched to help the more than 150 independent movie theatres across the United States that have temporarily closed to slow the spread of COVID-19. As part of that effort, a map is being created to track specific theatres that are closed.The Art-House America Campaign, a new relief fund established by initial donations from the Criterion Collection and Janus Films, has been launched to help the more than 150 independent movie theatres across the United States that have temporarily closed to slow the spread of COVID-19. As part of that effort, a map is being created to track specific theatres that are closed.

The Art-House America Campaign aims to provide financial relief to struggling independent cinemas across the country so they can pay staff and their essential bills and survive until it is safe to reopen their doors. The trade association Art House Convergence is administering the fund. They invite friends of independent theatres and art houses everywhere to join in this fundraising effort. 

The intention of this fund is to ensure that art houses are able to reopen when safe to do so. Funds are intended to support essential payments during closure. Essential payments include those for payroll, insurance, rent, non-deferrable loans, utilities, fundraising, and mortgages.

Funds cannot be used for equipment purchases, future programming, or executive compensation. Donations will go into a general fund and then be distributed to theatres; donors cannot designate funds for a specific theatre's relief.

Applications will be evaluated based on need, with the objective of helping theatres successfully survive temporary closures. Applications will also be evaluated on a rolling basis, and funds will be distributed as soon as an application has been approved.

There will be regular updates listing funding recipients.

The Art-House America Campaign aims to provide financial relief to struggling independent cinemas across the country so they can pay staff and their essential bills and survive until it is safe to reopen their doors.In order to qualify, a theatre must:

Be an art-house motion picture exhibitor that operates year-round.

Have been an open and operational cinema exhibitor for at least six months prior to COVID-19–related closures. 

Be an independent cinema. The exhibitor cannot be publicly traded or manage more than four

separate theatres. Seventy-five percent of staff must be based in the metro area where the theatre is located.

Be based in the United States.  

In order to track the impact of COVID-19 related closures, the Art House Convergence is also mapping cinemas. Make sure your organization is included by sharing your information. Click here to be included in the map: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdQh2i2n3m3mBWNDitzM5In0flJEA2isg6nn-ckliJ4U4GCBg/viewform

Click here to apply for funds: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdmpLLQebTRQ13C3IRWhoOog9wmnx86dZXwThCruCC1F7qPIg/viewform