Art House Convergence 2017

Hear from theaters who have expanded beyond their four walls for cinema experiences in their communities. Whether it's to engage a new audience, collaborate with a local organization, or expand their film education, these theaters will discuss why and how they use these "pop-up" cinemas in addition to their regular screens.

Submissions are an integral part of the festival process, but curating films is a wonderful way to round out programming that is specifically tailored to your audience. Experienced festival programmers will discuss the benefits of creating long-lasting relationships with filmmakers, distributors and other festival programmers, and navigating politics, to ensure the best program of official selections year after year

How do film organizations create the most inclusive approach to building audiences? In this session, representatives of theaters, festivals, and distributors lead an open source, peer-to-peer exchange of experiences, hard questions, and case studies around inclusive film programming. All session attendees are invited to participate in addressing the power structures inherent to traditional film exhibition and distribution that inhibit social equity. We will share the questions we're wrestling with, successes, setbacks, and ideas for collective action. We will challenge ourselves to create more accessible and equitable programming, to reach wider audiences, and explore how adopting a racial equity lens in programming can contribute to undoing racism in the film industry.

Interested in borrowing archive prints, but not sure where to start? Archival prints offer unique opportunities to present your audience with rare films and titles they might not be able to see anywhere else, but the borrowing process can sometimes seem obscure. What do archives look for in a borrowing theater? What kind of equipment do you need, and how do you handle an archive print? This panel seeks to bridge knowledge gaps between exhibitors and archives to lower barriers to access and create a better borrowing and lending experience for all, bringing together archivists from major archives and studios to illuminate archival considerations in loaning prints and explore how theaters can expand their access to exciting and unique programming for their audiences.

A midnite movie program at your theatre is a great way to develop and diversify your audience, attracting younger attendees as well as cinephiles, and a fantastic way to keep film rolling in your booths. This session will share programming ideas, tips for growing your midnite audience, and evidence of midnite movie success.

During this session several experienced members from the Repertory Programming community will speak from their own experience, successes and learning experiences within Repertory Film Programming, Promotion and Marketing. Presenters will offer specifics in the forms of metrics, techniques, profit and loss statements, pro forma planning, financial reporting, and programming examples from their own experience. Each presenter will delve deep into what they believe are the most important ways to balance repertory programming within the missions and values of their organizations and experiences.

The percentage of the U.S population who define themselves as Hispanic or Latino continues to increase, and Spanish-speakers make up a significant number of potential audience members. However, finding this audience is still a challenge for many art cinemas. It can even be difficult to engage our existing members who are fans of foreign cinema with films from Latin America and Spain. On this panel we will look at successful strategies, and obstacles, for expanding audiences, programming and events to better reflect our multicultural and multilingual society.

The Coolidge Corner Theatre’s Science on Screen® series has expanded film and scientific literacy with this popular program, now in its 12th year. Last year, 23 grants were awarded to art house cinemas and nonprofit organizations nationwide to create Science on Screen programs in their own communities. Through generous funding support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the Coolidge will once again extend this grant opportunity (awarding funds of up to $8,500 per theater) to Convergence participants. Join Coolidge staff, select grantees, and a representative from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for a discussion of program ideas and past success stories, and to learn more about the grant application process.