Nick Clooney coming to YS to show support for Little Art

Single-screen movie house goes nonprofit, celebrates with gala

On June 25, 2010, movie connoisseur Nick Clooney will visit the village of Yellow Springs, Ohio (pop. 3700) to help its independent movie theater launch an initiative to insure its sustainability. Beloved by residents, but struggling, the Little Art Theatre needed a jump start at reincarnation. Moved by the story of how villagers have rallied to support their movie house, Clooney, host of American Movie Classics and author of The Movies That Changed Us: Reflections on the Screen, will put on a program as a part of “Clooney at the Movies: An auction gala celebrating 80 years at the Little Art.” The event will take place on June 25, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. at Antioch University McGregor in Yellow Springs.

In addition to the program by the celebrated broadcast journalist, the evening will offer silent and live auctions, a raffle, food, wine and beer. Admission will be $40 per person. Organizers will also raffle off free movies for two for one year at the theater. The goal is to raise $20,000 from the event and increase community awareness of the theater’s efforts to sustain itself.

The story of the “Little Art,” as folks in Yellow Springs call their movie house, is indeed compelling. One woman had been carrying the 80-year-old single-screen independent movie theater on her back for some 30 years, first as manager under three different owners, then for 23 years as owner, herself. Jenny Cowperthwaite Ruka bought the operation in 1987, because, even then, the theater she so loved was in danger of going out of business. In recent years, dwindling ticket sales finally convinced her that the theater was no longer sustainable as a one-person operation.

A few years ago, Ruka organized a group called “Friends of the Little Art,” members of which helped support the operation through donations that were not tax deductible. Last year, the Yellow Springs Arts Council hired a consultant who recommended that Ruka form an advisory group. The group interviewed a dozen single-screen theaters across the country. All but one had chosen to go the nonprofit route. Although she had initially resisted that course of action, Ruka was now convinced. In Oct. 2009 the IRS granted the newly formed Little Art Theatre Association 501 (c) (3) status. The theater is now operated by a board of trustees and Ruka serves as its executive director.

“It’s like having a special needs child,” Ruka said. “You love it; you nurture it; you won’t abandon it; and, eventually, you realize you cannot do it alone anymore.”

Since its formation, the group has been raising funds from the community and has been the recipient of a $5,000 matching grant from the Yellow Springs Community Foundation and another grant of $1,000 to cover its nonprofit filing fees. Organizers estimate that the theater needs $55,000 per year in donations and other sources of revenue to remain sustainable. The board hopes that with Clooney’s support, the June 25 event will be an important step in that direction.

Seats may be reserved with a check or cash at Current Cuisine or the Little Art box office; or by credit card on line at www.clooney.littleart.com. Email confirmations of the purchase can be printed out for a tax deduction of 50% of the ticket price.