We’re coming back. We need your help.

We’ve been hearing from you. On Facebook and Instagram, through our audience survey, through the email form on our website, you’ve told us you’re excited that Cinema Salem is coming back. We’re excited too.

Many of you have asked if you can help. You can.

We want to raise $75,000 to help Cinema Salem open again as a safe, comfortable and fun place for our audiences. We will set subsequent goals as we learn more from you about what kind of space our community wants. 

Help us become Salem’s hub for arts and culture

For 15 years, Cinema Salem has presented first-run films, hosted multiple film festivals (including Salem Film Fest and Salem Horror Fest), and opened windows into arts and culture through special-event film screenings and a wide array of live programming. Going forward, we want to be even more of a home for the arts, a greater resource for Salem’s creative workforce, and a place that welcomes people from every part of our community.

Phased plans for improvements

Here are our current plans and associated costs:

Phase 1 (in progress, to be completed by Memorial Day): $55,000

• Lobby and concession area, entrance corridor, restrooms
• New carpets: $15K.
• Painting: $15K.
• Restroom clean-up and repairs: $10K
• HVAC upgrades and deep cleaning: $15K.

Phase 2: Three theater halls (schedule TBD)

• New carpet for aisles and on walls: $20,000
• New seats: $25,000-$40,000 per hall

(Note: We hear you about the seats. A new seat today can cost $300 or more. So before we dive in, we want to learn from the community how best to use our halls. That will help us understand what seats to buy to give the best experience. Needless to say, the success of this campaign can have a big effect on how quickly we can replace seats!)

Projectors (already purchased): $125,000

(Note: The projectors that had been in service were nearing the end of their useful life and came with a leasing arrangement that restricted the kinds of films we could show. We have purchased three new NEC 1201 laser projectors.)

Ambitions down the road:

• More substantial restroom renovations
• Expanded bar and lounge area
• Expanded live performance capacity
• Renovating the cafe and bringing it back to life
   

Help us make Cinema Salem a place you’ll love more than ever – AND be the first to own exclusive new Cinema Salem merchandise and get special offers.

As a thank-you for contributions, we’re offering T-shirts, tickets, and special Salem packages. In addition, we will acknowledge our larger contributors by name in our lobby and on our screens before film showings. 

Any money raised through this campaign will go toward improvements and upgrades to the space. If we do not meet our fundraising goal, we will still work toward realizing the ambitions we’ve described here. BUT… the more help we get from our friends, the faster we can make Cinema Salem the place we – and you – want it to be. 

Other Ways You Can Help

We understand that not everyone can contribute financially. If you aren’t in a position to give, please consider sharing our campaign with your own networks and with people who may want to support the future of Cinema Salem!

Our team and track record

We’ve assembled a team with a wide range of skills and experience, including film, live events, art exhibits, and more:

Jonathan Kieran is joining the team as Cinema Salem’s head of film curation after serving as a programmer at the New Orleans Film Festival, where he helped craft diverse, vibrant slates of films for the city’s adventurous and engaged filmgoers.

John Andrews and the team at Creative Collective have produced hundreds of live shows, events, pop-ups, and initiatives throughout Essex County and work with over 200 small businesses, makers, artisans, performers, and other creators. 

Peter Horne began working at Cinema Salem when it opened in 2006 and moved up the ranks to a manager position, where he oversaw the cinema’s daily operations and facilities.

Elaine Gerdine and Marshall Strauss are the new owners. Between them, they have written libretti for opera, worked with political dissidents in China and the former USSR, and led and supported non-profits and other community organizations for decades. Their interest in Cinema Salem goes beyond keeping the venue alive, to building a permanent arts center for the city.

The final part of our team is YOU. Cinema Salem means nothing without the community we serve. So please share with us: your ideas, your enthusiasm, your dreams – and some money if you can. With your help, we’ll make Cinema Salem a place for all to enjoy and where everyone can feel at home.