Breaking: PACKW Steps in to Save Tropic Cinema

Just weeks after the abrupt summer hiatus of Key West’s only downtown movie theater, Performing Arts Centers of Key West (PACKW) announced Tuesday that it is taking over all operations and responsibilities of Tropic Cinema effective August 4.

Palm & Prejudice was first to learn of Tropic Cinema’s announcement. After contacting PACKW about the release, the organization said its own statement was imminent and issued it shortly afterward.

PACKW announced it will manage the cinema’s daily operations while continuing its independent film programming and broader mission. The organization says it hopes to reopen the theater by October 1, although that timeline will depend on the level of community support it can secure in the coming weeks.

PACKW is the nonprofit organization responsible for the Tennessee Williams Theatre and the operation of KeysTix, a ticketing platform used by arts organizations throughout the Florida Keys.

“Key West knows the pressure Tropic Cinema has been under, and that’s exactly why PACKW is stepping in,” PACKW Executive Director Matthew Rawls said in the announcement.

Rawls said PACKW would bring additional operational strength to the cinema but cautioned that the organization could not secure Tropic’s future alone.

“There’s no rescue plan that doesn’t include major community support,” he said. “Tropic’s future depends on Key West showing up the way it always does, by buying tickets, renewing memberships, and stepping up as donors and volunteers.”

In a separate statement that Palm and Prejudice was the first to report on, Tropic Cinema’s outgoing Board of Directors described the handover as a positive development following an extended period of financial pressure caused by multiple factors.

The release describes the handover as a positive development following an extended period of financial pressure caused by multiple factors.

“When PACKW reached out, the Board believed PACKW would have a better opportunity to be successful in the space,” the Tropic statement said.

That statement went on to thank the members, supporters, volunteers and staff who worked to bring independent film to Key West. It specifically recognized former executive directors Matthew Helmerich and Carla Turner, past and current board members, and Tropic co-founder George Cooper for his “tireless support and leadership.”

PACKW first disclosed in early July that it had entered discussions with the Key West Film Society about taking on stewardship of the cinema. At the time, the organization said any agreement would preserve Tropic’s identity, membership commitments and mission of presenting independent, documentary, international and classic films.

As a result, Key West Film Society still exists, but the current board is expected to step down. PACKW's board will step in to replace them.

PACKW now says the immediate goal is to keep that programming and community identity intact while giving the cinema the operational footing necessary to remain open for years to come. It thanked s the outgoing Tropic Cinema board and the Key West Film Society for entrusting PACKW with its future.

This is a developing story