Help Us Restore the Historic Starr Cinema: Contribute to the Shine the Starr Campaign
Did you know that Upstate Films is a 501c3 nonprofit? As a small arts organization with a mission to connect the Hudson Valley through transformative cinema and powerful stories, we also maintain a high standard for your overall experience.
For nearly 100 years, the Starr Cinema has been an inspiring cultural cornerstone for our entire region. Now, it’s time to ensure this beloved space is ready for the next generation. We’ve launched Shine the Starr, a bold, multi-year initiative to revitalize Upstate Films’ flagship theater. Shine the Starr is a $1.5 million investment in making a more welcoming, comfortable and versatile space—ready to host the best in cinema and with music, literary and community events.
Our Shine the Starr initiative has, to date, quietly completed $300,000 of projects. We’ve installed a new HVAC system and audio system and completed other technical upgrades. We are moving into the most exciting phases.
Construction is now underway. We are converting our “Little Theater” into the Huseby Screening Room, a 49-seat jewel-box intimate space; adding an ADA bathroom adjacent to the lobby; and renovating our lobby for comfort and better service.
In the spring, we’ll reinvent the Big Theater, adding a stage and expanding the screen. And later in 2026, we’ll add an atrium and courtyard. By the time we are through, we intend to have created, with your help, a world-class cinema for the Hudson Valley.
Join us. Donate today and help us Shine the Starr. All support is welcome. Visit our campaign page for information and to make a donation, click here to view our project deck and contact Kym@upstatefilms.org for high-level naming rights (above $10,000) and to answer questions.