THE GRAND CINEMA’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION

What does the Board of Directors do?

The Grand Cinema is a nonprofit film house with a small staff and many volunteers. Among those volunteers are the members of the Board of Directors. The board meets monthly to set policies; develop plans for the future; provide fiscal oversight; raise money; select, supervise and evaluate the Executive Director, and advocate for the theater. The board does not select films to be screened at the theater, nor does it involve itself in the day-to-day operations of the organization.

How many people are on the Board, and how long do they serve?

There are up to 15 board members for The Grand, and each serves up to two three-year terms.

What is involved in being on the Board?

The board meets once a month. In addition to preparing for and participating in monthly meetings, members also serve on one committee and attend those monthly meetings.

What are the criteria for selection of Board members?

All board members must be members of The Grand Cinema by the time of the election. Commitment to the mission of The Grand and its success as well as a willingness to work toward that success are the most important criteria. Prior nonprofit board experience is helpful but not required. Candidates with a wide range of contacts in the community are also preferred. The ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with a diverse group of people is also important.

We are particularly interested in recruiting board members with financial, marketing, human resources, information technology, civic leadership or business expertise.

How does one become a candidate for the Board?

Nominations are currently being accepted by the Board Development Committee. Self-nominations are acceptable as are nominations by another party. All nominees will be screened and some candidates will be interviewed by the Board Development Committee. Completed nomination forms must be received no later than January 26 in order to be considered. The form should be mailed or delivered to The Grand Cinema, 606 South Fawcett, Tacoma, WA 98402.

The election will be conducted by mail with results announced at the Annual Meeting to be held on Saturday, March 13.

Any questions may be directed to the Chair of the Board Development Committee, Cynthia Branson, cynthiabranson@comcast.net.

We would like to invite you to be our personal guest for an exclusive tour of the Grand, connected with our expansion project. We'll provide you with additional details, and show you rarely-seen areas of the Grand Cinema, as well as the construction competed to-date. As we expect these tours to be highly sought-after, please RSVP to reserve your spot: by emailing thegrandcinema@gmail.com, or calling us 253 572 6062. We've schedule four tours over four weeks to accomodate varying schedules - we hope you will be able to join us!

Tours will be held on:

Saturday, October 24th, 4:00pm

Friday, October 30th, 3:00pm

Saturday, November 7th, 11:30am

Tuesday, November 10th, 7:00pm

Dear Grand Cinema supporter-

We have big plans and we need your help! For years we have wanted to add an additional theater  to the Grand. With a newly signed lease extension through 2025, we are happy to report that this is now possible.  As a member of the Grand, we want to let you know about the plans and ask for your help in bringing the project to completion. Here are some of the details:

• With the addition of a 4^th screen, we’ll be able to bring you more of the kind of movies you love at the Grand. These are films that in a previous year we could not have played because of the limitations of having only three screens. You’ll have 33% more films than before!
• With the revenues from an added screen, the Grand will be in a much stronger financial position to survive through even the toughest economy.
• Not only will we bring you a new screen, but we will also replace our old seats with brand new ones in all three existing theaters.
• We will enlarge the lobby and help you get concessions faster in a larger concessions stand.

This is a major undertaking for the Grand but we know we are up to the task. The entire project is expected to cost just over $500,000.  We are happy to report that through savings and early fundraising, we have close to $400,000 towards this project already raised. For the remainder, we ask for your help. Every individual is just as important now as they were in 1997 when we were founded by volunteers. Every effort, every donation is crucial. We are a community of people who enjoy film and our efforts today will bring the movies of the Grand to even more people in the future.

This project is on an aggressive time table. Our hope is to have the project completed by Christmas of this year. That would allow us to bring you additional films during our most important time of the year -- Academy Awards season. We ask you to dig deep for this one time opportunity to make a real difference in the history of the Grand Cinema. Can we count on your support to meet that goal? 

Follow this link to DONATE (all donations are tax-deductible). Or, download the PLEDGE FORM, and send it to us at the Grand Cinema. Gifts of any amount are welcome.  Larger gift levels of giving will receive permanent name recognition in the cinema (see pledge form for details). Gifts can be made via mail with the form, at the Grand Cinema or on our website. Pledges of over $500 can also be given over two years if desired.

Thank you for your past and continued support of the Grand Cinema. We look forward to seeing you in our new fourth theater.

Sincerely,

Philip Cowan

Executive Director

TACOMA FILM FESTIVAL POSTER DESIGN – AGAIN!

Here’s your chance to shine as an artist and have your work displayed all over Tacoma.  The non-profit Grand Cinema is once again turning to the artistic community to design this year’s Tacoma Film Festival poster.  Last year’s contest was so successful that we are so excited to see what you artists come up with this year!  The Grand will accept entries for the poster through July 20, 2009.  All entries will be displayed at the Grand Cinema and a winner will be chosen for this year’s festival. 

The winning poster will receive:

 - $350

 - Two (2) festival passes to the Tacoma Film Festival

 - A joint membership to the non-profit Grand Cinema. 

 - We will also ask the winning artist to assist in creating some print ads and miscellaneous other uses of the artwork.

All serious entries will receive four passes to any movie at the Grand Cinema.

As for the design, that is pretty much left to you. 

It will need to say:

2009 Tacoma Film Festival

October 1-8, 2009

www.TacomaFilmFestival.com

And include space at the bottom for sponsor logos (a minimum of 10 logos)

DEADLINE:  Monday, July 20, 2009

Please send entries via an electronic format (pdf, jpeg, etc.) that can be reproduced into 11x17 posters and a finished 11x17 printed poster via mail (or drop off at the Grand). Please remember space for those sponsor logos.  If you want to discuss ideas with us prior to creation, we encourage you to contact Rachel Marecle, Community Development Director at 253.572.6062.

Here is a list of last year’s submissions:

http://www.thenewstribune.com/944/story/442829.html

Good luck!

Please send all entries to:                                                     

rachel@grandcinema.com   

mail finished 11x17 posters to:

The Grand Cinema

606 S. Fawcett

Tacoma, WA 98402

Stop by the Pantages Theater for your map and guide of the tour both May 16 & 17. This is a great opportunity to tour half a dozen of the best
condominiums that Tacoma and Ruston has to offer. For more information
visit www.tacomacondotours.com http://www.tacomacondotours.com/ .

The Grand Cinema encourages you to stop by The Commencement Condominiums located in Ruston @ 5219 N. Shirley St. There will be food provided by Merende and the chance to win great prizes by entering the drawing at the Commencement on May 16 & 17. Prizes include movie passes to the Grand, great restaurant gift certificates and one grand prize. For more information about The Commencement visit www.thecommencement.com.