
The future is theatrical.
Registration
Early Bird Rate
$ 125
Per delegateExpired April 17, 2019Advance Rate
$ 150
Per delegateExpired May 31, 2019Regular Rate
$ 195
Per delegateDoes not expireRegistration Includes:
- Opening Night kickoff and sneak preview of Honeyland (2019).
- All sessions and workshops, including presentations from ZingTrain, Andrews Group, and visiting curators.
- Wednesday and Thursday cocktail parties.
- Friday networking breakfast.
Key Topics:
- Arab American Cinema
- Executive Leadership
- Experimental Film
- Fundraising
- Visioning
Cancellation Policy — Cancellations made prior to May 1, 2019 will receive a registration refund. After May 1, 2019 all sales are non-refundable. If the event is cancelled or postponed because of an Event of Force Majeure, unforeseen occurrences that render the event unsafe or impossible, seminar registrations will be refunded. Service fees, convenience fees credit card fees, and fulfillment fees are non-refundable. to request a refund, please email Conference Manager, Makenzie Peecook at makenzie(AT)arthouseconvergence.org.
Code of Conduct — The Art House Convergence is dedicated to creating a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment across all of its various manifestations including its conferences, events, online forums, official communications, and moderated listserv. Please read our full Code of Conduct here.
Schedule Overview
Wednesday, June 19th
6:30 PM – 7:45 PM
Welcoming Reception & Opening Remarks
7:45 PM – 8:00 PM
Environmental Sustainability in the Art House
8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Film screening — HONEYLAND (2019)
Thursday, June 20th
8:15 AM – 9:30 AM
Theater Tours
9:30 AM – 9:45 AM
Art House Tales on Location: Michigan Theater Foundation
9:45 AM – 10:45 AM
Practical Tips for Preservation and Renovation
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Beyond “Foreign” Film: Curating Cinema from the Arab World
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Lunch Breakout #1
Going Underground: Strategies for Programming Experimental Films
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Lunch Breakout #2
Leading a Values-Driven, High-Performing Team
1:45 PM – 3:00 PM
A Culture of Fundraising: Cultivating a Community of Loyal Supporters (and Donors)
3:15 PM – 4:30 PM
Creating a Vision of Greatness
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Afternoon Breakout #3
On the Road: Thinking Outside of the Box (and your Building)
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Afternoon Breakout #4
Getting your First Theater
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Evening Reception
7:00 PM – 11:30 PM
Ann Arbor Summer Festival
Friday, June 21st
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Networking Breakfast
10:30 AM – 6:00 PM
Detroit Bus and Walking Tour (Optional)
Please see below for more details.
Check out the full schedule page for panel descriptions, speakers, locations, and more.
Detroit Bus and Walking Tour
Join us for an optional afternoon in the Motor City on Friday, June 21. Departing from the Michigan Theater, this tour will include visits to Detroit’s art house cinemas and historic landmarks. Featuring some of the country’s most stunning Art Deco skyscrapers and an iconic skyline, Detroit was the first city to be named a UNESCO City of Design. We will return to Ann Arbor in the evening. Additional registration is required for tour, space is limited.
(Optional) Detroit Tour Schedule:
10:30 AM Depart from Michigan Theater
11:30 AM Tour of Detroit Film Theatre inside the Detroit Institute of Arts
12:30 PM Tour of Cinema Detroit
1:00 PM Lunch on your own (Drop off at downtown center near Lafayette and American Coney Islands)
2:30 PM Private Walking Tour with Preservation Detroit
4:30 PM Depart from Detroit
5:30 PM Arrive at Michigan Theater
Sponsor
Support mission-driven film exhibition with a seminar sponsorship easily tailored to meet your organization’s needs. Sponsorships allow us to host robust educational programming, and facilitate collaboration among exhibitors from around the world. Sponsoring also connects you to exhibitors and their patrons.
Ready to Sponsor? Download our 2019 regional seminar sponsorship deck or email Managing Director Alison Kozberg at alison(at)arthouseconvergence.org.
About the Host Organization
Opened in 1928, the Michigan Theater was hailed as “a Shrine to the Arts… not built for today only, but constructed in the hopes that it might be a monument for years to come and a credit to the community.” Detroit architect Maurice Finkel designed an outstanding silent film exhibition theater appropriate for a town with a world-class university at its core. Today, the Michigan Theater still contains a fully functioning stage, a sizable orchestra pit, an elaborate Barton theater organ, grand lobbies, and over 1,600 seats, all designed around its core capability of being a theater intended for film exhibition. With the addition of two more screening rooms over the years, it has become Ann Arbor’s home for fine film and the performing arts.
After 75 years and many owners, the MTF Foundation team worked tirelessly to bring the best of the past together with modern, cutting-edge technology for a state-of-the-art cinematic experience to the State Theatre, renovated and reopened in December 2017. From picture-perfect recreations of the original carpet from 1942 to updated movie projection and sound systems, every detail recaptures the State Theatre’s Art Deco magic while ensuring the best film-going experience available with its four screens.
In addition to the two theater spaces, the Michigan Theater Foundation established Cinetopia Film Festival in Southeastern Michigan and the Art House Convergence.
Lodging
The Graduate Hotel
615 E Huron St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
AHC Group Rate is sold out for June 19. Rooms available on June 20.
Located only 1 block from both the Michigan and State Theaters! Stay right downtown, across the street from the campus of the University of Michigan and directly in the heart of Ann Arbor.
To book, please click on image above.
Hampton Inn Ann Arbor-South
925 Victors Way
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
AHC Group Rate is $109/night.
Located 2 miles from downtown by the Briarwood Mall, a free shuttle will be running between the theaters and the hotel. Enjoy free parking and complimentary breakfast every morning.
To book, please call Terri Gaeta (Director of Sales & Marketing) at 734-665-5000 Ext. 118 and mention “Art House”
The Bell Tower Inn
300 S Thayer St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
AHC Group Rate is $229.
Edit: SOLD OUT for all nights except for June 19th.
Located directly behind the State Theatre! Stay right downtown, across the street from the campus of the University of Michigan and in the heart of Ann Arbor. To book, please visit https://www.belltowerhotel.com/ and use promo code AHC.
Travel to Ann Arbor
Flying in? We recommend the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW).
- Renting a Car, downtown Ann Arbor is a 30 minute (25 mile) drive from the Detroit airport.
- AirRide operated by the Ann Arbor Transit Authority offers shuttle service from DTW to the Blake Transit Center (BTC). $12 standard one-way fare (with reservation).
- Rideshare, UBER and Lyft are available.
- Taxi Service, Stadium Taxi and Amazing Blue Taxi.
Taking the Train? Amtrak offers service to Ann Arbor (ARB) from Chicago and locations throughout Michigan.
Things to Do in Ann Arbor
“Ann Arbor, recognized as an urban oasis of recreational opportunities, offers both big city attractions and wide open spaces with scenic trails to explore. Kick back and relax at an independent bookstore nestled downtown, or discover the hidden fairy doors sprinkled throughout the city. Whether you want to take a stroll along the Huron River or join the raging crowd on Saturday afternoon at The Big House, Ann Arbor has you covered.” —Destination Ann Arbor

Eat!
“Ann Arbor has a diverse international food scene, with over 300 restaurants offering fare ranging from authentic Ethiopian cuisine to scrumptious Eastern European food, and from award-winning Italian restaurants to delicious American classics…..You’ll find a variety of world-class eateries, cafés, delightful farmer’s markets, and a welcoming environment when you visit Ann Arbor.” —Destination Ann Arbor

Check Out the Campus
“The University of Michigan and Ann Arbor go hand-in-hand, with an intertwined history and culture. U-M attractions and events are integral to Ann Arbor’s allure, with award-winning art and archaeology museums, awe-inspiring theatrical and musical performances, thrilling athletic events and facilities, and a beautiful campus…” —Destination Ann Arbor

Visit the Parks
“The Nichols Arboretum, near U-M hospital and downtown Ann Arbor, offers trails, riverfront, picnic area, restrooms, and peony and lilac gardens….It has extensive but dispersed collections of native and exotic trees and shrubs masterfully crafted into a naturalistic landscape begun by O. C. Simonds in 1907.” —Destination Ann Arbor

Visit the (Free) Museums
Take some time away from the art houses to check out all of the other art institutions in Ann Arbor, such as the renowned art museum. “The U-M Museum of Art (UMMA) is one of the oldest and largest university art museums in the country….UMMA’s collections represent more than 150 years of collecting at the university, with more than 21,000 works of art that span cultures, eras, and media.” —Arts and Culture at the University of Michigan

Shop on Main Street
“When Bob Seger wrote his song ‘Mainstreet’, he was inspired by Ann Arbor, where he grew up. The song recalls a simpler time and place that is distinctively Midwestern. The time and place have changed, of course, but Ann Arbor still has the feeling of Main Street USA.” —Visit Ann Arbor
Check out a list of walkable shops here.

Check Out AA Summer Fest
“The Ann Arbor Summer Festival is an exhilarating celebration of performing arts, outdoor entertainment, and community spirit. A boutique music and arts festival, the nearly four-week gathering offers dozens of performances, activities, exhibitions, and screenings representative of the best in music, dance, comedy, film, circus and street arts, and family entertainment.” –AASF