Volunteer Day Will Kick Off Greenport Theater Revival Effort

The North Fork Arts Center, a new non-profit that is working to raise $1 million to launch a community arts center at the historic Greenport Theater, is planning a Volunteer Day on Saturday, April 15, to encourage residents to join the effort to revive the theater as a new cultural arts center.

The movie house, built in 1939, is on the market for $5.5 million, but its owner, Josh Sapan, pledged in January to give the theater to the North Fork Arts Center if it raises $1 million in pledges of support for a reserve fund for its operating costs. The group is now within $140,000 of that goal.

“The strong support from the North Fork community is amazing and keeps growing,” says Tony Spiridakis, a founder of the Manhattan Film Institute, who is leading the effort to revive the theater. “We’ve united a remarkable group of talented individuals. We’re close to reaching our goal, but we need everyone’s help to create a true cultural arts center on the North Fork.”

At the April 15 event, which runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., members of the community will learn more about the Greenport Theater’s future and how they can contribute to the North Fork Arts Center vision. Interested attendees can also sign up to volunteer.

The organizers of the Arts Center hope to provide diverse programming, including curated film series, poetry events, art exhibitions, and an international screenwriting competition. They also plan to provide hands-on training experiences and Q&A sessions with industry professionals.

Stay tuned to nofoartscenter.org for more details on the programming being planned for the theater and how you can make a contribution to help the arts center reach its goal.