The State of Independents

To understand the current state of independent art house cinemas in the United States, a good place to start would be downtown Ann Arbor, Michigan, where within a stone’s throw of each other sit the majestic Michigan Theatre and the smaller State Theatre. The theatres have something of a shared history, which only serves to highlight their differences. Despite their close proximity and their significant business ties, one theatre represents the potential that digital cinema technology can bring to a thriving cultural center while the other illustrates the many challenges that the transition presents to theatres that have yet to make the move. Russ Collins, executive director and CEO of the Michigan Theatre is involved with both ventures and, as the chairman of the trade group Art House Convergence has a solid perspective on the past, present and future state of the independent art house cinema.