'Thankful': New North Fork Arts Center Born, $1M Fundraising Goal Met

GREENPORT, NY — It took a village: After months of fundraising and an effort that saw the community coming together to save an iconic theater in Greenport, a $1 million fundraising goal was met — and the brand-new North Fork Arts Center at the Sapan Greenport Theatre was born.

According to Tony Spiridakis, NFAC founder and executive director, on November 20, the Greenport Theatre officially became the new home of the North Fork Arts Center.

"Nearly 600 members of the community met the fundraising challenge, and the dream to have a center for arts education and entertainment on the North Fork is now a reality!" he wrote on social media. "To show our gratitude for the tremendous support, we will include each donor on our permanent 'Founding Members Wall' inside the theater."

Those interested in being memorialized in the same way have until the end of the year to make a donation and become an NFAC founding member, Spiridakis said.

When the Village Cinema in Greenport was first offered for sale or long-term lease, the owner of the theater, Josh Sapan — who recently retired after years serving as the CEO of AMC Networks — offered to gift the theater if three specific conditions were met: A new not-for-profit organization was created; a skilled board with ties to the North Fork was created; and $1 million was raised to cover operating expenses for the not-for-profit's first three to four years.

"To Josh Sapan, without your incredible gift of the Greenport Theatre, NFAC would not have this historic building to call our home. Moving forward, we will be the North Fork Arts Center at the Sapan Greenport Theatre," Spiridakis said.

He added: "NFAC will be a vibrant cultural hub that will enrich lives and invigorate local businesses throughout the year, providing dynamic programming like first-run films, arthouse classics, fine art exhibitions, educational programming, live performances, lecture series, and so much more."

Spirdakis said he'd like to offer a toast: "To the journey, and everyone who has been along for the ride, and to those of you who are planning to join, thank you. I know the best is yet to come!"

Speaking with Patch, Spiridakis spoke of gratitude, after seeing a dream realized through a deeply-rooted, grass-roots effort and unshakable determination.

"Of all the things this year that I have to be thankful for, watching a community come together in support of the arts is the absolute best," Spiridakis said. "People have become jaded, and divided, an arts center can go a long way toward rekindling hope, and realizing how good it is to bring people together."

Sapan agreed: "I’m still recovering from the joy of seeing the theater become a non-profit focused on the arts and in the hands of the people who live on the North Fork. The indefatigable Tony Spiridakis led the effort to turn the theater into something that will be there for the community. The fact that he is himself a highly achieved creative person — whose beautiful movie 'Ezra' is soon to be released — with a soul so generous it seems to know no bottom, means it can have no better director. I am thoroughly excited for all that is to come."

Spiridakis has long been drawn to preserving the space and imbuing the theater with new vision: He and his partner and Manhattan Film Institute co-founder Lisa Gillolly worked tirelessly in 2018 to fix the heat and open the theater during the winter months, showing films that drew a crowd of more than 800 people, an indicator that crowds are hungry for all the future arts center will offer year-round.

"People love seeing films from the past so they can share a history of cinema, not just first-run films," he said, adding that first-run films will certainly have a place, most likely in the summer months. "But again, this isn't just about movies. It's about bringing music, and stand-up comedy, and live theater, and fine arts, into our community. And most importantly, it's about giving our local artists — our amazing musicians, filmmakers, and fine artists, a place to share their work with all of us."

A jewel box of cinematic offerings from NFAC will include a constantly curated series of films including classic, independent, and foreign films as well as documentaries and film festival fare. The goal is to curate the lineup, so viewers can know "this week, for example, they're going to see a horror film, next week the films of Marlon Brando, and the week after that, the films of great women directors," Spiridakis said.

Sapan's giving gesture and true love for the theater is unmatched, Spiridakis said. "This is the most generous thing that I can think of to have happen for the community," Spiridakis said.