Waterfront Film Organization ushers in new era of year-round activity with Holland venue space

With more than 3,500 square feet of floor space and five giant retractable garage doors, Waterfront Film Organization co-founder Hopwood DePree says the former auto garage at 479 Columbia Ave. in Holland is the perfect space for the nonprofit’s new venue space and office facility. 

“It’s really just perfect for our needs and what we’re looking to do, and we’re really looking forward to connecting with the community and talking with people about how they envision using the space,” says DePree, whose organization is able to move forward with goals of establishing a physical headquarters in Holland thanks to a $25,350 matching grant from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. 

Awarded the grant through MCACA’s peer review process, Waterfront was one of 559 applications competing for the 2016 fiscal year funding. 

Plans for the new facility designate some of the renovated floor space to private offices and meeting space for organization administration and reception. However, the bulk of the area will be around the retractable garage doors, which they plan to use as a multi-purpose screening venue and gallery space.   

Originally founded in 1999, Waterfront has operated for the past 17 years as an event-based film festival, only recently making the transition into an active year-round foundation for supporting cinematic endeavors. DePree says that, over the years, organizers were inspired to restructure into something with more longevity as they found more and more people looking to participate in events beyond the planned festivals. 

“We just kept thinking, ‘Wow, wouldn’t it be great to have a home base with meeting places and a screening facility and space for arts-related causes and events,’” DePree says. “…We’ve been contacted by great film programs throughout the year about screening, but we’ve been fairly contained to just doing those during the festival.” 

DePree says construction is already underway on the building’s interior, and exterior renovations are planned for spring, with scheduled summertime completion and a fall 2016 grand opening celebration. 

“We really want this to be a resource for people in the community and people interested in getting involved and hosting events. We really see this as a hub not just for film organizations, but also for other activities that the Waterfront Film Organization can help support as a year-round nonprofit organization.” 

For more information on Waterfront Film Organization, visit www.waterfrontfilm.org or find Waterfront here on Facebook. 

Written by Anya Zentmeyer, Development News Editor
Images courtesy of Waterfront Film Organization