The Amherst Cinema Board received a $300,000 loan from the University of Massachusetts Foundation. The money from this loan is going to be used to turn the old Amherst Cinema building into a cultural arts center.

The idea for this project was thought up by a group of Amherst residents who did not want this available space to turn into another club or bar. These citizens felt as though the center of Amherst created more of a Friday night atmosphere and wanted to have something centrally located that would appeal to all residents.

“When the building was not showing movies residents started developing ideas that would be appealing to all Amherst residents and to create more of a balance in town,” said Meg Gage, co-chair of the Amherst Cinema Board.

The residents then decided to establish a partnership with the New World Theatre. The New World Theatre is a university based theatre company who works closely with the Fine Arts Center. Since the closing of the Hamden Theatre, the New World Theatre has been without a place to call home.

“We’ve developed a partnership with the Amherst Cinema committee to try to put a cultural center in the middle of town,” said Jose Tolson, Managing Director.

So how exactly is this happening? The Amherst Cinema Board has raised $300,000 from the town. The money that they have raised so far has been spent on studies and the actual purchase of the building. They have then borrowed $500,000. Three hundred thousand dollars of this has been borrowed from the UMass foundation, and the remaining $200,000 has been borrowed from a foundation in Northampton.

“Right now we’re in a little bit of a quiet phase,” Gage said. “We’ve had 45 days to buy the building and have just met the deadline.”

Currently the Amherst Cinema Board is trying to reach their fundraising goal of $6.5 million. They are applying to numerous foundations, the state, and individuals for large and small donations.

The cultural center will directly benefit both Amherst residents, and members of the UMass community. A cultural center in the middle of town will provide a variety of opportunities for everyone and give people different types of actives to enjoy in Amherst. With the New World Theatre being a permanent part of the cultural center, Tolson feels as though “everything that is done at the center will felt positively reflect on the University as a system.”