Avon Theatre Film Center Inc

TO PROMOTE AND FOSTER A PUBLIC APPRECIATION OF THE CINEMATIC ARTS, INCLUDING THE EXHIBITION OF EDUCATIONAL FILMS AND FILMS OF INDEPENDENT AND/OR EMERGING FILMMAKERS.

FISCAL YEAR 2021/2022 WAS ONE OF REBUILDING NOT JUST FOR THE AVON, BUT FOR EVERYONE IN THE CINEMATIC WORLD PARTICULARLY THE NON-PROFITS, AS WE CLIMBED TOGETHER OUT OF THE DEPTHS OF THE PANDEMIC AND TRIED TO RECREATE THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND THRIVING OPERATING MODEL THAT HAD BEEN SO COMPLETELY UPENDED IN THE SPRING OF 2020.IN TERMS OF ECONOMICS, THE AVON DID ALL THAT IT COULD TO IDENTIFY THE APPROPRIATE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED TO HELP ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS TO WEATHER THE UNANTICIPATED COVID STORM. WE WERE BLESSED WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE US SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, CONNECTICUT HUMANITIES, THE CONNECTICUT OFFICE OF THE ARTS, AND THE STAMFORD ARTS AND CULTURE COMMISSION. THOUGH MANY OF OUR TRADITIONAL AND MOST VALUED CONTRIBUTORS AND AVON MEMBERS STUCK WITH US THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC AND CONTINUED THEIR LOYAL AND GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR ORGANIZATION THROUGH THE PAST TWO YEARS, IT IS UNCLEAR IF WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MANAGE THE GREAT LOSS OF PROGRAM REVENUE FROM THE PANDEMIC HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY SUPPORT OF THESE LARGER ENTITIES. ENSURING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS, RETAINING OUR VALUED EMPLOYEES AND ENABLING US TO CONTINUE INSPIRING THE COMMUNITY WAS THE PURPOSE OF THESE GRANTS AND IT IS EVIDENT THAT THEY MET THESE GOALS!AS AN INDEPENDENT CINEMA WE HAVE HAD SOME WONDERFUL BRIGHT SPOTS WHILE ALSO CONTINUING TO CONFRONT SOME ONGOING CHALLENGES. THE INDUSTRY IS NOT YET PUTTING FORTH THE QUANTITY OF QUALITY PRODUCT THAT WE HAVE COME TO EXPECT AS MOVIE HOUSE THAT STRIVES TO PRESENT FILMS WITH EITHER ARTISTIC OR SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE. WHEN WE ARE PRESENTED WITH A SOLID PRODUCT OUR SOPHISTICATED AND DEMANDING AUDIENCE WILL COME OUT FOR IT, AS WE WITNESSED MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE PAST YEAR. AS THE MOVIE WORLD CONTINUES TO RISE FROM THE PANDEMIC AND PROVIDES A MORE CONSISTENT SUPPLY OF QUALITY WORK - IT IS CLEAR THAT THE AVON AUDIENCE WILL BE AT THE THEATRE EAGER TO EMBRACE THE ART.IN THE INTERIM, THE AVON WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD ON ITS MOST SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER AREA ORGANIZATIONS FINDING CREATIVE WAYS TO USE OUR HISTORIC SPACE AND THE POWER OF FILM AS A VEHICLE FOR BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND ENGAGING IN MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS ON CRITICAL ISSUES OF THE DAY. WE WILL CONTINUE TO REWARD HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WITH SCHOLARSHIPS FOR WRITING ABOUT THE FILMS THAT CHANGED THEIR LIVES, WE WILL CONTINUE TO OFFER FREE MEMBERSHIPS TO THE REGION'S EDUCATORS, ENCOURAGING THE USE OF FILM IN THE CLASSROOM, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO INSPIRE AVON AUDIENCES WITH OUR UNIQUELY CURATED MIX OF NEW RELEASES, DOCUMENTARIES, FOREIGN LANGUAGE, AND CLASSIC FILMS.