The Cinemabox at Thornwillow Makers Village

Pavilion by day and cinema by night—the Cinemabox hosts public film screenings, exhibitions, and workshops that amplify underrepresented voices and provide cultural programs in historically underserved neighborhoods. Combining flexibility and timeshare programming into a compact form, the Cinemabox aims to advance cultural equity while inspiring novel modes of using public space.

The Cinemabox is a mobile, multimedia-equipped pavilion measuring 24ft long, 12ft wide, and 18ft high. The design uses two basic architectural elements, the frame and the attic, to create a new type of urban infrastructure. Modularly designed for convenient re-deployment, the frame has an open, reconfigurable base for staging events, and a steel structure supporting the attic. Made of foldable polycarbonate doors, the attic encases an innovative double-screen projection system along with stage lights and audio equipment powered by solar energy. As the ultimate outdoor community theatre, the Cinemabox is designed as a one-stop film screening structure. For performances, the pavilion can be configured either as a stage for small performances or as a backstage for larger productions. For exhibitions, the Cinemabox can be turned into a year-round display-case capable of running content on its exterior envelope.

With your support today, we can cover the needed materials to begin hosting pop-up film screenings and exhibitions at the Thornwillow Makers Village!

Additionally, we will continue to fundraise for the upcoming design-build workshop and installation at 25 S Lander Street.

1) Fundraise through ioby’s Artists Lead! matching grant (dollar for dollar, up to $15,000!)
2) Purchase materials needed to host upcoming film screenings, exhibitions, and workshops
3) Launch the Cinemabox Series pilot at the Thornwillow Makers Village!

Access to arts and culture play a key role in building vibrant and equitable communities. Yet in most cities, these resources remain unequally distributed at the expense of impoverished neighborhoods. The Cinemabox is an experimental structure designed to expand access to arts and culture in the City of Newburgh.

Important design and programmatic strategies include:

Flipping the Script - Physically turning the traditional, inward-looking cultural venue inside out

Building Together - Hosting a participatory community design-build workshop to share in the collective experience of design

Designing for Flexibility & Mobility - Leveraging vacant sites as new public spaces to be used in uninhibited, imaginative ways

Forming a Partnership Network - Supporting local and regional initiatives that share diverse narratives and strengthen community inclusivity

Every dollar counts, and every dollar is doubled through the ioby Artist Lead program!