September 17, 2024

Today’s Forecast

73º | 40% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:05 a.m. | Sunset 7:24 p.m.

Save the cinema

The exterior of A/perture Cinema in the daytime.

a/perture cinema has been a fixture on 4th Street since 2010. | Photo by Dylan Blackburn

Winston-Salem’s only dedicated year-round art house cinema is calling on the community for help. a/perture cinema is seeking to raise $100,000 by Dec. 31 to keep its doors open. The nonprofit’s board of directors says the theater is at an “alarming juncture,” with only enough funds to continue operations through December 2024.

The warning comes as Lawren Desai, a/perture’s founder, executive director, and curator announced her resignation. She will stay on through the end of the year to transition her responsibilities. The search for her replacement is already underway.

What a/perture does

As a 501(c)(3), the theater has always relied on community support. Ways it gives back to the Twin City include:

Co-hosting Innovation & Cinema in Bailey Park, Flashback Fridays at MUSE, Big Backyard Movie Nights at Crossnore, and other free showings through a/mobile
Selling concessions from local vendors including Dream Kreams, Bingo Bango, Wiseman, Radar, and Foothills
Supporting UNC School of the Arts students by running their short films before feature films January through May
Promoting local restaurants through the Make it a/ Monday promotion
Showcasing diverse films for free during special showings
Putting on community events like the Kino Im Nord Karolina Film Festival

Hand with rings holding movie tickets against a wall. — Theater staff goes all out with movie trends and leverages local collaborations for audience fun.
|
Photo courtesy of @prettypaperbyveronicawsnc via @aperturecinema

How you can help

There is good news. You can help keep films on screen by:

Making a tax-deductible donation
Becoming a slash pass member and enjoying lots of perks — prices start at $35 and couples options are available.
Watching a movie, stocking up on concessions, and showing your appreciation
Telling your friends about your experience + encouraging them to get involved

Your efforts will support the theater’s strategic plan. a/perture is open daily year-round, including holidays. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door.

Asked

About how many films does a/perture cinema screen annually?

A. 75
B. 100
C. 150
D. 250

Watch your answer

Events

Tuesday, Sept. 17

Constitution Day | Tuesday, Sept. 17 | 12-4 p.m. | Forsyth Tech, Robert L. Strickland Center | Free | Register to vote, learn about civic engagement opportunities, and take part in a panel discussion.
Mom Meetup | Tuesday, Sept. 17 | 9:30-11:30 a.m. | West Salem Public House | Cost of purchase | Come solo or bring your children to socialize with other families and enjoy a cup of coffee.

Wednesday, Sept. 18

Study Hall Seminar: the Functions of Fiction | Wednesday, Sept. 18 | 6-8 p.m. | NC Museum of Art, Winston-Salem | $110 | Join the discussion about creative decisions writers make in this two-part lecture series.

Thursday, Sept. 19

Strike While It’s Hot: Barbara Millhouse in the Forge of the Art Market | Thursday, Sept. 19 | 6-8 p.m. | Reynolda House Museum of American Art | $200 | The founder and visionary of the museum shares her commitment to preserving the legacy of her family and American art.

Friday, Sept. 20

Lunch and Learn: Speaking German in the Piedmont | Friday, Sept. 20 | 12 p.m. | a/perture cinema | Free | Dive into the Piedmont’s Germanic roots to kick off the Kino im Nord Carolina Film Festival — bring your own lunch.

Events calendar here

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Travel

✈️ 3 wildly cheap flights out of PTI in 2024

A plane flys over palm trees in a clear sky.

Pro tip: Set custom destination alerts as a Going Premium member. | Photo by Pexels

Great airfare deals do exist — and thanks to flight price tracking services like Going, you can save hundreds on your next trip. Sign up for Going’s Premium plan, and you’ll be emailed when international flights leaving our city are seriously discounted.

Here are real flight deals out of PTI the Going team found this year:

$507 to Paris
$850 to Japan
$480 to Venice

News Notes

Coming Soon

“The Nash,” a private event venue in the former Winston Cup Museum, will open its doors in the first quarter of 2025. Owners say the building on North Martin Luther King Jr. Drive will also pay tribute to the history of Liberty Street automotive + retail sectors. (Winston-Salem Journal)

Development

Forsyth County Commissioners must sign off on plans to rezone property and build a convenience store + gas station near Union Cross Industrial Center. Developers with Front Street Capital says the store will support existing companies and the rezoning will prepare the land for future companies. (Triad Business Journal)

Opening

NAI Piedmont Triad is expanding to Winston-Salem. The commercial real estate firm will celebrate the opening of its new office on West 1st Street tomorrow, Sept. 18. It also has locations in Burlington + Greensboro.

Biz

David Mullen, CEO of The Variable, is stepping down. He has served in the position since 2022 and has been with the marketing and public relations firm over a decade. His replacement has not been announced. (Triad Business Journal)

Canceled

Reynolda Gardens’ Tuesday Gardening Series: Locally Rooted scheduled for today, Sept. 17 has been canceled. If you registered for the event, check your email for details about your refund.

Cause

Get in free to the Carolina Classic Fair by donating gently used clothing to any Goodwill location in Forsyth County through Wednesday, Oct. 2. Each car that makes a donation will receive one admission ticket to be used during the fair Oct. 4-13.

Regional

Mark your calendar for Mayberry Days, happening Monday, Sept. 23 through Sunday, Sept. 29 in Mount Airy. The festival is held annually in the late actor Andy Griffith’s real-life hometown to celebrate small town life depicted in Mayberry in “The Andy Griffith Show.”

Transportation

A $241 million expansion project at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport is now complete. Departures from 10 new gates on Concourse A will begin today, Sept. 17. (Triad Business Journal)

Shop

Old slides sitting in your attic are memories just waiting to be shared. Digitize slides + film at home with the Kodak Slide N Scan, now 20% off.*

Civic

A quarter for your thoughts

Small white vehicle on a road going beside cars.

Parking tickets cost between $15 and $30. | Photo by WStoday

We recently reported that downtown parking changes are on the way. When we asked what changes you wanted to see, our readers + followers had a lot to say.

Now you have a chance to share those ideas with the people in charge. The City of Winston-Salem will hold two parking program modernization public meetings. You can drop in to participate in demos and speak to project staff. Here’s what transportation officials will be discussing:

The selection of PayByPhone to integrate a mobile option to pay for parking
A proposed on-street parking rate increase to $1.50 per hour
How to increase convenience for drivers and improve the user experience

The first meeting is happening tomorrow, Sept. 18 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Kaleideum. The final meeting will be held Monday, Sept. 23 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at Benton Convention Center.

The Buy

A soft knit sweater that’s available in six different colors. Bonus: No dry cleaning necessary — it’s machine washable in a handy laundry bag.

More worth The Buy

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Cambridge

From the editor

I was fortunate to get a tour of a/perture from outgoing Executive Director Lawren Desai earlier this summer and her passion for film was contagious. I hope our community can rally behind the theater so we can celebrate its 15th birthday in January.

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