Have Virtual Cinemas Fallen Short of Saving Art Houses During the Pandemic?

Virtual cinemas were meant to save independent theaters struggling through the pandemic. But nearly a year later as many art houses still remain closed, virtual cinemas hasn’t been the financial lifeline you’d expect. In a survey of 150 art houses across the U.S., over 80% of respondents said that virtual cinema revenue cannot come close to replacing theatrical revenue, according to Makenzie Peecook at Art House Convergence, an association that provides resources and opportunities for art house cinemas. “It’s not even a fraction of the revenue that we’d be making if the theater was open. It really doesn’t compare,” Wesley Emblidge, the marketing and education manager at the Coolidge Corner Theater in Boston, told TheWrap.