Public Radio for the Piedmont and High Country
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Aperture Cinema Opens Doors To Fundraising

Screenshot from a/perture commercial - courtesy a/perture cinema

Winston-Salem's Aperture Cinema is changing its business plan. The art house movie theatre has become a community-supported nonprofit.

As it turns out, most art house cinemas - 75% - are nonprofits.  Aperture, which has been open for over seven years, was operating outside of the norm.

Ticket sales for indie, foreign, and documentary films are not enough any longer to support Aperture alone, according to owner Lawren Desai. So after a year of thought and planning, she decided that becoming a 501(c)(3) would be a more long term and sustainable business model.

“I think that this change will also change the way we're perceived in the community. I mean, not being considered a ‘traditional' movie theatre, and really being thought of as one of the arts institutions that is pivotal in The City of Arts and Innovation.”

Aperture's annual Red Carpet Party, which takes place during film awards season, will become the theatre's signature fundraising event of the year. 

Eddie Garcia is WFDD’s News Director. He is responsible for planning coverage, editing stories, and leading an award-winning news team as it serves the station’s 32-county listening area. He joined WFDD as an audio production intern in 2007 and went on to hold various roles, including producer, Triad Arts Weekend co-host, reporter, and managing editor. When he’s not working, Eddie enjoys spending time with his family, playing guitar, and watching films.

Support quality journalism, like the story above,
with your gift right now.

Donate