RESTORE THE GREENPORT THEATER
OUR MISSION
North Fork Arts Center (NFAC) at the Greenport Theater is a non-profit cinema and live performance venue dedicated to enriching our community through the power of film, the performing arts, and arts education.
Our mission is to provide a welcoming and inclusive space where people can come together to be entertained, educated, and inspired by national and international cinema, live performances, community events, world-class lectures, and hands-on training experiences.
We are committed to using this cultural arts platform to have a positive impact on the lives of our diverse population while helping to keep businesses thriving year-round.
Our Vision
To RESTORE the Greenport Theater we must raise $1M to guarantee:
PRESERVATION of the historic landmark as a creative hub.
EDUCATION for our community through cultural and creative opportunities.
COMMUNITY enrichment for the entire North Fork.
*Raising $1M is not to purchase the theater. Josh Sapan’s requirement to fundraise this sum is to guarantee that the non-profit has reserved funds and community support to ensure its future for generations to come.
EDUCATION
In a world filled with mass media and screens of all sizes, a world-class faculty will teach students by offering hands-on filmmaking experiences. Our goal is to teach the lovers of film how to be critical of what they watch, and intentional in what they make.
NFAC will serve students of all ages with programming for elementary students and high school students, adults and our vibrant senior community.
We will offer programs for musicians, filmmakers, poets, painters, actors, writers, and photographers, letting all pursue their passions in a safe, nurturing home. Our offerings will include seminars, discussions and Q&As with industry professionals.
Year-Round Offerings
Film Series
In four art deco theaters with combined seating for 620, North Fork Arts Center (NFAC) will present films year-round, curated by industry professionals.
Join us for screenings of:
• First Run Features • Foreign Films • Independent Films • Documentaries • Animation • Shorts • Student Films • Oscar Winners • Festival Winners • Local Filmmakers’ • Experimental
Film Club
Join the North Fork Arts Center’s vibrant and expansive film club! This will be a chance to be part of a community of film fans, and build support for programming that you, friends, and family would love to see. Film club members will help sustain our theater’s mission while enjoying ticket and concession discounts.
Special Events
North Fork Arts Center will program events that fascinate and educate, in addition to representing the needs and interests of our local community with offerings like:
• The North Fork Film Festival
• The International Short Film Festival
• The Animation Festival
and more!
Here are examples of the cultural vibrancy our team has already brought to the North Fork and will continue with the creation of the North Fork Arts Center:
Workshop with Celebrity Guest Artists like Emmy-Winning Actor, Giancarlo Esposito
Screenwriting Competition with celebrity judge Joe Pantoliano
Chazz Palminteri performs “A Bronx Tale” at the Greenport Theater.
Lecture Series with Academy Award-winning director Chris Wedge
Community Buy-In
In December 2018, MFI founders Tony Spiridakis and Lisa Gillooly fixed the heat, opened the theater in the winter, and showed movies over the Christmas holiday weekend. Over that long weekend, over 800 filmgoers braved the cold and packed the theater!
The Winter Film Series ran weekends from December to April to sold out houses. For 2 1⁄2 years, the Winter Film Series helped bring out over a thousand locals who came to enjoy classic films, family-friendly films, and award-winning festival hits! Local businesses donated gift cards, and sponsors were thanked in lieu of previews to the tune of music created by local artists.
The reopening was such a success that the curators were named the Northforker’s People of the Year!
“For their determination and generosity in creating a family-friendly activity that brings culture to the village at a time of year when locals and visitors have to search harder for entertainment, Tony Spiridakis and Lisa Gillooly, founders of the Manhattan Film Institute’s Winter Film Series, are the 2019 Northforker People of the Year.”
Community members have already come onboard.
Chris Wedge, Academy Award Winning Director, founded Blue Sky Entertainment, and created the Ice-Age animated film franchise. (Orient)
William Finkelstein, two-time Emmy Winning writer, currently the Creator and Executive Producer of his CBS hit series, “East New York.” (New Suffolk)
Tony Spiridakis, co-founder of MFI, writer/producer currently in post-production on Inappropriate Behavior, feat. Robert De Niro, Bobby Cannavale.
Peter Benedek, Founding Partner at the country’s leading talent and literary agency, UTA. (Southold)
Liz Gillooly, Board Member at MFI, owner/operator of Layla Sailing, and elected Trustee in Southold Town. (Greenport)
Charles Salice, Charles served as managing partner at Supply and Demand, one of the most productive advertising companies in the United States, his credits include several Taylor Swift Music Videos (Southold)
Estefany Molina, award-winning local multi-media artist, photographer, curator, and the Marketing Coordinator at RG/NY Vineyard (Greenport)
Josh Sapan, Author and Recently retired President/CEO of AMC Networks for 26 years. (Shelter Island) *Josh owns the Greenport Theater and will donate it, if we achieve our goal.
We need to raise $1M
$150K to go!
We need your help to raise $1M to secure the Greenport Theater and take it off the market. Once we reach our goal, all funds will be directly donated back to the NFAC as a reserve to help ensure our future. If the movie theater sells, there’s no saying what will become of our historic community treasure.
In the long term we will rely on: Revenue from ticket sales, concessions and programming. (Good news: the theater operated at a net-profit for years!)
+ Grants & Philanthropy
If you’d like to make a pledge, please choose from your options below. If we do not reach our goal of fundraising the $1M before the theater is sold, your pledge is null and void.
- 85%
Contact Us
Please reach out to get involved!
Contact us
Tony Spiridakis: northforkartscenter@gmail.com