The Salina Art Center Cinema reopens Friday, October 2. The safety of guests is the primary focus. The Cinema is following all CDC and local regulations and expert-back guidance from the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) known as CinemaSafe guidelines.
CinemaSafe, a set of health and safety protocols based on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines, was developed over several months by a team of industry experts in consultation with leading epidemiologists. (www.CinemaSafe.org) CinemaSafe includes mandatory masks, social distancing, hand washing, staggered showtimes and seating, diligent sanitation and cleaning, and increased air circulation through HVAC systems.
The opening weekend film will be The 24th. The Cinema kicks off reopening with Oscar-winning filmmaker Kevin Willmott’s, The 24th. The film creates a fictionalized depiction of a riot that occurred when soldiers of the all-Black 24th Regiment lashed out against racist persecution by local police. Shortly after the U.S. entered WWI, the so-called “Houston Massacre” exposed fear and hatred embedded within our nation that are still visible over a century later. Trai Byers heads an excellent ensemble cast as William Boston, an educated idealist dealing with hostility from white officers and distrustful fellow soldiers. Through his eyes, we see the tensions that led to the deadly mutiny, one whose ominous inevitability compels us to keep watching. The 24th is a sobering, thought-provoking history lesson of the kind not taught in schools. It dramatically shows how tragedies of the past foretold our nation’s current struggles for equality and justice. (Unrated; contains adult content.)
The Art Center Cinema showcases film as the fastest-growing contemporary art medium globally. Each week, first-run independent, documentary, and foreign films get the community talking about movies that matter. New Cinema hours are Friday and Monday, at 6 pm, and Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm and 6 pm. Art Center Members can purchase tickets for $6, Senior and Student tickets are $8, and General Admission tickets are $10. Tickets are available at www.salinaartcenter.org, and we encourage advance purchase whenever possible. The Cinema box office opens 30 minutes before showtime.
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Founded in 1978, the Salina Art Center is a 501(c)3, creating exchanges among art, artists, and audiences that reveal life. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the Art Center’s galleries, Art Center Cinema, and Warehouse are located in the heart of downtown Salina, KS. Learn more online at www.salinaartcenter.org. Salina Art Center exhibitions and programs are supported in part by donors, members, underwriters, foundations, the City of Salina, the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency, the Mid-America Arts Alliance, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
