Isis Theatre Capital Campaign
Better Together
WITH YOUR HELP
ASPEN FILM ACQUIRES THE ISIS THEATRE
After 43 years of bringing cinema, dialogue and community engagement to the Roaring Fork Valley through Aspen Filmfest, Academy Screenings, Aspen Shortsfest, Indie Showcases, FilmEducates and partnerships with other organizations, Aspen Film is poised to solidify its place as one of the valley’s leading cultural institutions with this acquisition of a permanent home for our programming.
With your crucial support, Aspen Film will not only finalize ownership of the Isis Theatre, but will also convert the existing commercial movie theater, to a theater plus arts education center.
FOSTERING COMMUNITY
Our plans to update the Isis Theatre into a more dynamic film exhibition + community gathering space include:
- A small stage in the main theater to host post screening Q&As, live presentations and performances, as well as interactive opportunities such as live-streaming and simulcasts.
- A reconfigured version of the street-level lobby to include grab-and-go items and snacks along with traditional and upscale concessions.
- A dedicated screen for presentation of independent films and documentaries.
- A creative lab for filmmakers of all ages and local professionals to work on film projects.
- A lower lobby conversion to include concessions and functional event space.
- The addition of an ADA-compliant street-level restroom.
- An improved and upgraded interior that maintains the Isis Theatre’s historic character.
With our vision and your support, we can make incredible things happen
Going beyond movies
Aspen Film’s newly imagined theater will not only provide a permanent home for film in Aspen, but will have a strong positive impact on our world-class mountain town by:
Fostering Community Involvement
Providing Places to Gather
Offering New Educational Opportunities
Promoting Collaboration and Partnership
Ensuring the future of a Multiplex Movie Theatre in Aspen
A history of Isis ownership
After changing hands multiple times since the late 1990s, the Isis Theatre was again on the market in 2007. The City of Aspen partnered with Aspen Film and the Isis Property Group, LLC to create a private-public ownership structure to save the theater from being purchased by a developer, which would have left Aspen without a movie theater. Aspen Film became the sublessee to the City, and thus to the theater. Monthly lease payments went to the City toward debt repayment. Metropolitan Theatres continued to operate the multiplex, as it had since the year before the partnership, becoming the tenant of Aspen Film.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the theater was closed for a cumulative year, causing financial hardships for all parties. In 2022, Aspen Film had the ability and opportunity to exercise an option to acquire this iconic property, and with the support of a generous lender, purchased the Isis Theatre. Aspen film has engaged Bow Tie Management, a professional commercial movie theater operations company to handle theater operations, effective immediately, and is now involved in the programming of this beloved institution.
FAQ
How do I donate to the Aspen Isis Theatre Capital Campaign?
You can donate by Credit Card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, Mercado Pago, and Venmo via the form at the top of this page (click the button on the right to go directly to the form).
If you wish to pay by check, please make your check payable to “Aspen Film” and note “Isis Theatre Capital Campaign” in the memo line and/or letter that accompanies the check.
Checks can be mailed to:
Aspen Film
110 E Hallam, Suite 103
Aspen, CO 81611
Are contributions made to the Aspen Isis Theatre Capital Campaign tax deductible?
Yes! All gifts made to Aspen Fim’s Isis Theatre Capital Campaign are fully tax-deductible. No goods or services will be exchanged for donations made to the campaign. Contributions will be acknowledged on our website and other materials, depending on the level of your gift.
Aspen Film’s Federal Tax ID # is 74-2483139
Can I make an anonymous donation?
Yes! If you wish to remain anonymous, please contact swrubel@aspenfilm.org
Are there naming opportunities for contributions made to the Capital Campaign?
Yes! There are multiple opportunities for naming rights, depending on which elements of the theater speak most personally to you. Please contact Susan Wrubel swrubel@aspenfilm.org to discuss.
Can I name a seat at the Isis Theatre?
Yes! Once renovations are complete, you will have the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy at the Isis Theatre in honor of yourself or a loved one when you name a seat in this historic venue. Benefits of purchasing a seat include:
- A plaque affixed to the back of a seat with your customized name or wording
- Name recognition as a supporter of the Aspen Isis Theatre on a rotating slide shown before select Aspen Film screenings
- Recognition as a donor on Aspen Film’s website
- Fully tax-deductible gift that will help ensure the longevity of Aspen’s only dedicated movie theater
*Pricing varies according to seat location
$1000 to name a seat in any of the downstairs auditoriums
$1500 to name a recliner seat in any of the downstairs auditoriums
$2500 to name a seat in the upstairs auditorium
We are unable to take requests to name specific seats at this time. Once renovation plans are finalized, we will provide details.
Note: A named seat does not guarantee the reservation of the seat for screenings or events.
In the news
2023 SHORTSFEST Award Winners
Apr 19, 2023
ASPEN FILM ANNOUNCES 2023 SHORTSFEST OSCAR®-QUALIFIERS AND AWARD-WINNING FILMS ASPEN, Colo. (April 17, 2023) In an awards presentation held on Sunday, April 16, Aspen Film, the year-round film arts, and education organization, announced the winning films from its 32nd Aspen Shortsfest April 10-16, 2023. One of only four Oscar®-qualifying festivals in the US strictly dedicated to […]
Read More
Sopris Sun interns gain cultural insight from Shortsfest filmmakers
Apr 19, 2023
Recently, three of The Sopris Sun youth journalism interns, Yesenia Benavides, Antoinette Brasier and Dominic Furer, had the chance to interview two directors whose films were featured at Aspen Film’s Shortsfest this year: Julia Elihu, director of “In the Garden of Tulips,” and Noam Argov, director of “Sulam.” Below are but a few highlights from […]
Read More
Aspen Shortsfest 2023 Interview: Noam Argov on Making Sure Nothing’s Lost in Translation in “Sulam”
Apr 18, 2023
There are already too many mental calculations that Alma (Oriah Elgrabli) has to keep in her head as she prepares for a math final when disaster strikes in “Sulam,” less in a panic than her mother (Mor Cohen) about a leak in the ceiling of their apartment than the prospect of what it will take […]
Read More