Your Neighborhood Theater
Hey gang, CST here! We're the oldest continuously-operated theater in the PNW, with every intention of keeping it that way.
The Clinton Street Theater isn't your typical movie house. We're a community-focused neighborhood theater that seeks to give a voice and form to all independent filmmakers, amateur playwrights, actors, dancers, musicians and visual artists. We want you to experience all of the hard work of you and your neighbors, as well as those in other communities pursuing their exhibitive passions. We don't believe in screening films you can catch at any old multiplex. We're not here to turn a buck, but we do aim to provide access to a diverse and eclectic arts community at an affordable or sliding-scale rate. The theater is also home to any number of charitable fundraisers and causes from Standing Rock Horse Nation Water Protectors to Planned Parenthood.
The fact of the matter is we need some scratch to keep the place running. Here's how we plan to use your kindly donated funds:
Brass Tacks!
- Assuring our place in the community (screening rights [if applicable], keeping the lights on, etc.)
- Maintenance and installation of 35mm changeover (this means more 35mm screenings and wider access to programming selection!)
- Accessibility renovations (remodeling ancient bathrooms for ADA compliance)
- Cosmetic repairs and restorations (we'd like to build you new auditorium doors to better insulate lobby noise, restore original historic design elements, fix or replace squeaky floorboards, retrofit the marquee with an energy-efficient LED system and honestly anything we can think of to make your experience better)
Our goals are set high, in reality, we need whatever support you're willing to give.
Why You Care
As previously mentioned, we're the only theater in the Portland metro area that works to serve you as a community. The world isn't a cut-and-dry place; while the escapism of film is important, we don't want to shy away from being politically active and community-driven. Profits from the theater do not line the pockets of this mom-and-pop operation. This is a labor of love. We want to provide our neighborhood and the greater area with perspective from diasporas and locals alike regardless of your medium.
Your contributions would serve to maintain that such an entity continues to exist through troubling times and beyond
In this year alone we've:
- Raised over $10,000 for various charities and organizations with the Clinton Street Resistance
- Organized and held the Portland Underground Film Festival with truly independent films from over 70 local and international filmmakers
- Held over twenty live performances including eleven plays
- Increased our partnership with Church of Film to provide three weeks a month with clever and eclectic repertory programming
- Cleaned, painted and repaired large elements of the auditorium
Will It Work?
Of course! Your funds serve to reinvigorate visibility; The most major obstacle we come across is simply a lack of knowledge or understanding of what we do here. It's certainly an uphill battle to compete against multi-million-dollar advertising when you're promoting homegrown short films and stage plays. It's certainly against the grain but it's nothing we haven't done before. With this injection we'll be able to increase our external marketing, further broadcast our vision and cement our identity as an independent community theater. Your contributions mean so much more than dollar amounts, they work as an opportunity to reach a larger audience.
No Money? No Problem!
Can't contribute a dollar amount? We understand! You can still help by sharing this loudly and widely across any form of internets. Share it with your pals! Publicly post experiences you've had here! Use the Indiegogo share tools! Whatever works for you works for us, we're just stoked this means enough to you to help out.
