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Coral Gables Art Cinema Hosts Fundraiser to Expand Location

Written By Vanessa Reyes
February 22, 2023 at 2:30 PM

The Coral Gables Art Cinema is set to expand. Image courtesy Gables Art Cinema.

Coral Gables Art Cinema is one of the few art cinemas serving the Miami-Dade community.

With the Tower Theatre closing at the beginning of the year and the Regal Cinema in South Beach set to close, the Cinema is fundraising to add a new screen into the space at 240 Aragon Ave.

As a means to this end, they are hosting their ongoing More Than A Cinema fundraising campaign.

“Our expansion campaign was launched in February of 2020 and then of course we know what happened in March (the Pandemic began),” says Brenda Moe, Executive director of the Cinema. “The board of directors and myself decided to keep moving forward. We really believed that despite the pandemic, that our community would support the cinema adding an additional screen.”

As part of the campaign, the cinema will be hosting an art auction fundraiser and party from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. on Thursday, March 2nd.

Curated by Miami-based gallerist, Bernice Steinbaum, the auction will feature original art by approximately 25 artists who have created pieces inspired by their favorite films (The Lorax, Harold and Maude, The Wizard of Oz among others).

“(The Cinema) is creating an auction booklet that will have an image and a piece of their statement about the art work, but the art buyers will be receiving the entire statement, which is a personal insight from the artist themselves as to why the film is meaningful and why the artwork is meaningful,” says Moe. “It is a really nice complement to the artwork itself.”

The artwork will have starting bids of $100.

While the Knight Foundation and the City of Coral Gables have made substantial donations to the Cinema, which is a nonprofit organization, it is the engaged and invested community that gives life to the Cinema which marks its 13th year in 2023.

“We are now back to pre-pandemic levels,” says Moe, “We made it through the pandemic and it wasn’t our own work. Our member count increased 19% when we were forced to close by the county and if nothing else, that is an indication of the value that our community puts on our organization”

Current seating at the theater will be expanded with a new 92 seat theater. Image courtesy Coral Gables Art Cinema.

The expansion will include a 92 seat state-of-the-art auditorium with a modern lobby and a café featuring beer, wine and local food specialties.

Part of the cinema’s success is how they give back to the community, making film accessible to all. On the second Saturday and Sunday of every month it hosts Family Day on Aragon where family friendly classics are screened and admission is pay what you can per ticket.

“We know that children who have access to the arts are happier, healthier, smarter and cinema is an incredibly powerful art form, but going to the movies is just too expensive for some families and it shouldn’t be,” says Moe. “So if you don’t have a dollar, you don’t pay a dollar and we give you free popcorn.”

If helping through donations isn’t possible, there is an easier (and free) way to help movie houses like the Coral Gables Art Cinema stay alive.

“(Social Media) is really is one of the most powerful tools that we have to keep arts organizations flourishing (and) highlight the work they are doing,” says Moe. “We don’t need less movie screens.”

Learn more about the expansion plans and find out how you can support the effort by visiting their website HERE.

 

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