Monday, August 3, 2009

Local lawyer in effort to restore movie theaters




Attorney George Katchmer of Yellow Springs was named in a July 31 article in the Dayton Daily News as one of three partners in a venture called Nouveau Cinema Group Inc., a nonprofit group that has as its goal the rescue and restoration of "one or more of the abandoned movie houses that sit idle in the Miami Valley." Their model sounds strikingly similar to the one mapped out by the Yellow Springs Center for the Arts Steering Committee for the Little Art Theatre, which is in the process of converting to a nonprofit. The Little Art is also mentioned in the article.

Dayton Daily News: Trio: Revive old movie theaters

2 comments:

Laura Carlson said...

It will be interesting to see which theater the group rescues first. The State Theatre up in Traverse City, MI, is an interesting model, however, that endeavor has the "star power" of Michael Moore behind it. We just learned that an independent up in Vermont, the Savoy, is up for sale. The owners there chose not to go nonprofit. Either path is tough for a single-screen independent these days. We're very lucky to have the Little Art and memberships, donations, and attendance help to keep the doors open! The new Board's Programming Committee is anxious to receive ideas from the community about ways to use the theatre during our "off hours." Folks can send programming ideas to the Little Art, or to me at ysolaura@yahoo.com.

[BTW, a correction to the post: It is the YS Center for the Arts effort that has helped to spur and support the Little Art's transition to a nonprofit, not the YS Arts Council (though the Little Art is an Arts Council member!)]

Virgil Hervey said...

Thanks, Laura, I have made the correction.