The Pittsburgh Center for Arts and Media on Monday closed the Regent Square Theater and the Harris Theater, Downtown, and will cease operations at year’s end in the Marshall Mansion, its main building at the corner of Fifth and Shady avenues in Pittsburgh’s East End.
In a letter to its members and supporters, Christine Holtz, president of PCAM’s board of directors, wrote, “While we had hoped to transform our Fifth Avenue campus into an increasingly robust cultural asset for the region, the crushing expenditures needed to support basic operations and maintenance, let alone critically needed repairs, proved to be too much to sustain as a tenant.”
The bright yellow Marshall building is owned by the city of Pittsburgh. It has been the home of the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts since 1945. The center’s programming will continue in smaller buildings on the campus.
Tim McNulty, a spokesman for Mayor Bill Peduto, said, “The city is well aware of PCAM’s financial difficulties and is in the process of negotiating the lease at their Shadyside site, in order to help preserve this community asset.”
Regarding the two movie venues, Holtz wrote, “We have closed the Regent Square Theater while we determine the future of that asset, and screenings at the Harris Theater have ended.” Both theaters screened independent and international films, in addition to hosting film festivals and other special screenings. The Harris Theater, on Liberty Avenue, is owned and operated by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust; Pittsburgh Filmmakers handled the programming.
In 2006, PCA merged with Pittsburgh Filmmakers. The combined organization has weathered financial cutbacks and layoffs, most recently the 2018 closing of Filmmakers’ Melwood Avenue building in North Oakland.
The final arts exhibit in the Marshall building, “What Have We Done: The New Collective,” will run through the end of December, as will the annual Holiday Shop.
A number of layoffs will result. Dorinda Sankey is departing as chief administrative officer. The staff at the movie theaters have lost their positions. It is unclear how many employees altogether are impacted.
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust was not consulted in PCAM’s decision, said spokeswoman Robin Elrod.
“We are currently evaluating next steps for use of this Trust venue and we look forward to continuing to play the finest international films and documentaries in Pittsburgh’s Cultural District,” Elrod wrote in an email.
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust plans to open a six-screen movie theater building on Sixth Street, Downtown next to the Byham Theater.
