History/Mission

MISSION

The Belcourt Theatre’s mission is to engage, enrich, and educate through innovative film programming in our historic theatre, our community, and beyond.

HISTORY

The Belcourt Theatre is a unique Nashville treasure with a vibrant historic past and deep roots in the community. Today, the Belcourt is a nonprofit cultural institution dedicated to presenting the best of independent, documentary, world, repertory and classic cinema. The Belcourt provides opportunities for people of all ages to discover, explore and learn through the power of film. We cultivate and build on the powerful sense of shared experience that audiences can achieve — taking advantage of our building’s physical character and location in the heart of a lively Nashville neighborhood. At the same time, we work with community partners throughout Nashville and Middle Tennessee to bring inspiring films to children, young people and adults with our Mobile Movie Theatre.

Today, the Belcourt Theatre thrives—and in 2016, underwent a renovation and preservation project, the building’s first major work in 50 years. The Belcourt is recognized as one of Nashville’s most vibrant arts organizations and as a leader among the country’s art houses regionally and nationally. The Belcourt attracts audiences from throughout Middle Tennessee and the Southeast region, as well as visitors from all 50 states and from four other countries — a total of approximately 190,000 visitors annually. We program over 300 films a year, with more than 4,500 screenings. Over 16,500 people participate in our yearly in-theatre engagement programs, including Q&As with filmmakers and conversations with experts, scholars and community commentators. More than 1,900 youth and adults in our community benefit from film programming and visual literacy activities through our Mobile Movie Theatre visits in conjunction with 43 partner schools or organizations.

BELCOURT TIMELINE

• 1925 | Opens as the Hillsboro Theater to show silent movies, with a Kimball organ, 800 leather-covered seats, and Nashville’s largest stage
• 1930s | First performance of the Children’s Theatre of Nashville and home to the Grand Ole Opry (1934-1936)
• 1937 | Renamed Nashville Community Playhouse and is the site for community events, theatre and film
• 1966 | Renamed the Belcourt Cinema — and returns to its original use as a movie house
• 1993 | Carmike (and the Massey family) ends a successful 30-year lease of the Belcourt Theatre; Watkins Film joins Belcourt LLC to manage the building
• 1999 | Belcourt LLC closes the Belcourt, and the building is leased by the nonprofit Belcourt YES! group
• 2003 | Thomas Wills, a founding member of Belcourt YES!, purchases the theatre
• 2007 | Belcourt YES! group purchases the theatre from Mr. Wills and formalizes the name as the Belcourt Theatre Inc.
• 2008-2011 | Belcourt supporters give generously to fund new seats, draping, carpeting and aisle lighting
• 2013 | The Belcourt adds two state-of-the-art 4K DCP (Digital Cinema Package) projectors while proudly continuing to also screen 35mm film.
• 2014 | The Belcourt celebrates 15 years as a nonprofit cultural organization.
• 2015 | On May 18, 2015, the Belcourt turns 90 years old.
• 2015 | On Sept 10, 2015, the Belcourt Campaign is publicly announced. On Dec 24, the Belcourt closes for renovation and construction on its 90-year-old theatre — a project supported by the Belcourt Campaign.
• 2016 | On July 22, 2016, the Belcourt reopens after renovation and preservation, the first major work on the building in 50 years.

BELCOURT AFFILIATIONS

The Belcourt Theatre is proud to affiliated with the Art House Convergence and the League of Historic American Theatres.

The Art House Convergence is dedicated to increasing the quantity and quality of art house cinemas in North America. The Belcourt was one of the founding lead members of this group and regularly joins with over 500 other art houses, film festivals and other allied organizations at its annual conference in Midway, Utah before the Sundance Film Festival. The Belcourt also participates in the Art House Visiting Members program, providing Belcourt members reciprocal benefits at 60 other art house theaters around the country.

Founded in 1976, the League of Historic American Theatres (LHAT) is a nonprofit organization with the main purpose of sustaining historic theatres across North America for the benefit of their communities and future generations. The Belcourt participates in LHAT’s annual conference and in 2015, hosted that conference in Nashville. Stephanie Silverman, the Belcourt’s executive director, is vice-chair of the LHAT board.