Friday nights are perfect for dinner and a movie. Check out the Book to Movie Film Series at the Gateway! (Photo by Walker Evans.)

The Gateway Film Center is celebrating their fifth anniversary tomorrow, and is using the opportunity to make a big announcement as well. The organization is switching from a for-profit movie theater to a non-profit model.

“We have always been a community and mission-driven film center,” said GFC President Chris Hamel. “Transitioning to a non-profit organization is the natural next step in growing our reach and our programs.”

The move allows the theater new access to funding sources, partnerships and programming that it did not have as a for-profit business. The Drexel Theatre in Bexley underwent a similar process in 2011, when it was purchased by the “Friends of the Drexel” nonprofit and shifted operations and management to the Columbus Association of Performing Arts, also a nonprofit organization.

“Ultimately, the change enables us to better pursue our vision: playing movies that inspire people to see the world and each other in new ways,” added Hamel said.

The first addition to the Gateway Film Center under this new approach is the creation of a new art gallery space that will be accessible to all ticket holders for no additional charge. The “Gallery at Gateway” will open on January 9th with an exhibition called “Not Human – Creatures in Film” by local artist Tony Simione.

For more information, visit www.gatewayfilmcenter.com.