As the largest annual gathering of art house cinema and festival professionals, community leaders, service providers and suppliers, the Annual Conference attracts participants from across the world. By defining our field, creating a shared vision and vocabulary, and identifying best practices, the Art House Convergence Annual Conference strengthens efforts to sustain art houses cinemas and film festivals of various sizes, operating structures, and programming philosophies. The goal of the Annual Conference is to engage art house theaters, film festivals, film societies, museums, and other exhibition-oriented organizations in conversations of great relevance to our field.
Registration
Register for the 2021 conference and get access to four days of educational sessions, receptions, and networking opportunities. Your registration includes 45+ educational sessions, keynotes, parties, screenings, and more. Registration will open in summer 2020.
Sponsorship
Partner with Art House Convergence and connect with thousands of specialists in the art house and independent cinema industries. Supporting AHC helps promote your brand among key exhibitors and their influential patrons and contributes to the ongoing vitality of the theatrical experience. Vendors and distributors must sponsor to participate in the popular Meet the Vendors and Meet the Distributors trade shows. 2020 sponsorship deck is available for reference. The 2021 sponsorship deck will be available in summer 2020.
Scholarships & Initiatives
Each year Art House Convergence offers initiatives and scholarships to improve access to the conference’s educational, networking, and professionalization opportunities. These programs are intended to cultivate diverse leadership, support first-time attendees, and strengthen the conference and the organizations it serves by making them more inclusive. Learn more here.
Volunteer
Art House Convergence encourages cinema exhibitors in all stages of their career to get involved with planning our annual conference, regional seminars, and other programs. Learn more about volunteer opportunities here.
Awards
Each year the Art House Convergence community celebrates achievements in film exhibition and contributions to the fields of art house and independent cinema with the Spotlight Lifetime Achievement Award and the Founders’ Distinguished Service Award (The Russell B. Collins Award). Read more about Art House Convergence Awards. Nominations for 2021 will open in summer 2020.
Conference Structure
SESSIONS
Hear from dozens of speakers over the four days of the conference. With over 40 sessions, each of the panels and workshops represent one of our Conference Tracks, including Programming, Development, Film Education, Marketing, and Operations. We also partner with the Film Festival Alliance to bring you workshops and panels tailored to those in the Festival Industry and the Alliance for Action for panels specifically addressing issues of equity and inclusion.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
With your day filled with how-tos and advice, sit back in the evenings (and brunch) for inspiring, challenging, and passionate speakers from several leaders and champions in the Art House community.
PARTIES & NETWORKING
Looking to meet a film distributor? Or a new ticketing vendor? Or maybe you are looking for a glass of wine after that hard day’s work of back-to-back panels and workshops… Our parties and networking events have you covered.
FILM SCREENINGS
It wouldn’t be an Art House gathering without film screenings. We host several screenings, including a classic film, an upcoming release, and a Sundance Film Festival title.
Conference Tracks
ALLIANCE FOR ACTION
Programmed by the Alliance for Action working group. These sessions address contemporary topics and strategies related to activism, social justice, and equity.
DEVELOPMENT
Sessions for advancement and fundraising professionals on topics including grant writing, corporate giving, donor cultivation, and membership.
EDUCATION
Media literacy and life-long learning are crucial to art houses’ positive social impact. This track addresses curriculum, youth and adult learning, and community collaborations and partnerships.
FILM FESTIVALS
Programmed by Film Festival Alliance this track addresses the contemporary film festival landscape.
MARKETING
Learn how to attract and sustain audience and stakeholders. This track addresses strategies for connecting with constituents including branding, publicity, outreach, and digital media.
OPERATIONS
Learn how to make your organization vibrant and sustainable. Our operations sessions explore how to create a long-lasting, mission driven, and well-run organization. Topics include customer service, human resources, environmental sustainability, and concessions.
PROGRAMMING
The beating heart of film exhibition. Discuss programming strategies, discover new (and old) cinematic gems, connect with distributors, and learn methods for developing thoughtful film series.