Sudbury Indie Cinema applying for bridge funding to survive as it 'hits the wall' financially

Sudbury's only independent cinema is at risk of closing as operating costs rise and COVID-19 funding drops.

Founding executive director Beth Mairs said the board broke the dire financial details to members at its annual general meeting Monday.

"We've hit a wall financially," she said.

Mairs said that despite maximizing sponsorships, rentals and ticket sales that made the first half of 2023 more competitive than all of 2022, they just can't overcome a 30 per cent increase in operating costs coupled with the elimination of COVID-19 support last year.

Board chair Stephanie Doveton said for the first two years of the pandemic, they got $50,000 each year, while this year the amount dropped to $5,000.

Doveton also said funding from the Ontario Arts Council also dropped, from $40,000 to $28,000.

The immediate solution, according to Mairs and Doveton, is an application to the Greater Sudbury Development Corporation (GSDC) for $200,000 over the next three years.

They call that bridge funding and say it would allow them to develop a new strategy to meet their needs.

"We will come on board for eligibility for operating funding from Canada Council," said Mairs.

"We will be building our ticket sales even more as we reach out to new audiences and look at programming at times of day where the cinema is not utilised as well. So say , weekday, daytime, and various other strategies that we have in place."

But most importantly, Mairs said, they need time to convince the city of the need to increase the percentage of funding it sets aside for their operating costs to match the way it funds other cultural institutions.

"What we're looking to do there is to bring the level of municipal support we're receiving from five per cent up to 20 per cent in recognition that changes are, I think, long overdue in our cultural funding and our cultural plan."

In comparison, Mairs said, the city offers support of 25 per cent of the operating costs for the art gallery and 20 per cent for Place des Arts.

Doveton said the cinema is currently bringing in more money for special events than it does for showing art house movies.

But she expressed hope that the cinema can be brought back from the brink. 

"We have to remember that a time of crisis can be a time of great growth," said Doveton.

"I don't want to be saying doom and gloom. I'm just saying this is the time that if Sudburians value independent films being available in their community, we're asking for them to step up…. We need people to be voices in our community."

Mairs said a committee of the GSDC meets Friday to decide on a recommendation to give to the corporation.

Corporation members will vote whether to grant the money at a meeting early in December.

As for what will happen if the cinema doesn't receive bridge funding, Mairs said, "Let me just say, a lot is riding on this decision."