After Sundance departure, Park City Film seeks to fill the cultural gap

Photo: Park City Film

PARK CITY, Utah — In the wake of Sundance’s departure from the Park City, Park City Film is stepping forward with a bold proposal to fill the void.

The nonprofit is asking City Council to expand its lease agreement to become a year-round film and arts hub, increasing its season from 10 to 12 months and boosting its annual screening limit from 130 to 200 films starting this year. Beginning 2027, films would be shown on the dates typically allocated to Sundance in January and February.

Park City Film says the change would help cement its role as the town’s primary film presenter and cultural anchor now that the world-renowned festival has vacated the space. The request also includes exclusive access to the third-floor kitchen pantry during screenings.

“Having Park City Film as a tenant in the Park City Public Library is a community-building initiative that enhances the Library’s mission, including civic engagement, lifelong learning, and cultural connections,” according to a staff report. Park City Film has been showing films in the library’s Santy Auditorium since 1995. 

The library and Park City Film both agree that increasing the number of film screenings would increase revenue earned through additional ticketed events; strengthen their partnerships with local nonprofits such as Peace House, Recycle Utah, and Summit Pride; and fill the gap left in the local arts ecosystem by Sundance’s relocation post 2026. 

The increased revenue from additional screenings would help Park City Film achieve more financial stability, off-setting cuts to national, state, and local grants—particularly those tied to Sundance-related sales tax revenues, according to the report.

“While we are of course devastated to be losing the Sundance Film Festival, and the conversations that it inspired around art and ideas,” said Katharine Wang, executive director of Park City Film, “the increase in film screenings that we are requesting from City Council will enable Park City Film to expand and amplify our programming and thereby ensure that independent storytelling will continue to thrive in our community.”