Seattle-area cultural institutions founded by the late Paul Allen, including the Cinerama movie theater and Living Computers Museum + Labs, face the possibility of permanent closure after Vulcan Inc. announced Wednesday that it will wind down Vulcan Arts + Entertainment and Vulcan Productions by the end of the year.
In a statement from Vulcan, the organization cited the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the need to continue to assess its evolution as an organization following the 2018 death of Allen, the Microsoft co-founder.
While the ongoing health crisis has caused numerous businesses to close during state-mandated lockdowns, Vulcan’s move called into question whether some of its organizations would ever return.
The move affects the historic Cinerama, which was undergoing renovations that had been halted by the pandemic; Living Computers: Museum + Labs, a historical showcase of computing technology as well as interactive exhibits; Seattle Art Fair, a modern and contemporary art showcase in Seattle; the Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum in Everett, Wash.; and more.
The full statement from Vulcan Inc.:
Like so many businesses worldwide, the economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis require Vulcan to assess its size and structure to maximize effectiveness and impact, and continue to evolve as an organization following the death of our co-founder. We have made the extremely hard decision to close two divisions over the next several months as we move to a future that will be changed in untold ways by the pandemic. This means we are winding down both Vulcan Arts + Entertainment and Vulcan Productions by the end of the year.
The pandemic has had devastating effects on many businesses and nonprofits alike, especially those that rely on public gatherings and special events as part of achieving their mission.
For this reason, Living Computers: Museum + Labs will remain closed for now and spend the coming months reassessing if, how, and when to reopen. Cinerama’s renovation was already paused given the pandemic, and will also stay closed for the foreseeable future. The Seattle Art Fair, which was already cancelled for 2020, will take some time to see how the situation and art world calendar evolve before deciding any further plans. And similarly, the board of the Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum in Everett has decided it will also remain closed for now to evaluate if, how, and when to reopen. We have also made the extremely difficult decision to permanently close h Club LA and are beginning the proposal process toward closing the original h Club in London.
Vulcan Productions will continue to work with their trusted partners and co-producers to wind down and transition projects this year, doing their best to set these projects up for success as we make a gradual exit.
We are proud of the hundreds of thousands of people that have been educated, entertained, and inspired by these unique institutions and film projects, and their global impact cannot be underestimated. Vulcan remains committed to its mission of making and leaving the world a better place, and we are grateful to each and every team member for the dedication and commitment they have exhibited on a daily basis. It is through their expertise and passion for our mission that we have accomplished so much in these projects throughout the years.
Allen’s death left a gaping hole in Seattle’s philanthropic arts scene, as he was a longtime champion of music, art, film and science fiction, and spent large sums of his wealth in pursuit of those passions.
The future of Vulcan and the vast array of holdings near and dear to Allen, including the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks and NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers, have faced an uncertain couple of years under the leadership of Allen’s sister, Jody Allen.
The Museum of Pop Culture, or MoPOP, another Allen creation, was not listed by Vulcan among the organizations facing uncertainty, and Vulcan said the music and sci-fi museum is an independent 501(c)3 organization that is not impacted by the decisions.
Cinerama, the high-tech movie theater that Allen purchased in 1998, underwent a major start-of-the-art technology upgrade in 2014 and was closed for more changes in February. With what was billed as a temporary closure at the time, before COVID-19, Vulcan laid off a number of employees.
An update from Cinerama. pic.twitter.com/MuWEIJfdhG
— Seattle Cinerama (@SeattleCinerama) May 27, 2020
An update from Living Computers: Museum + Labs. pic.twitter.com/mdHIbTdzma
— Living Computers: Museum + Labs (@LivingComputers) May 27, 2020
The Upstream Music Fest and Summit, created by Allen as a three-day showcase of diverse musical talent, lasted two years before being shut down before the event could be staged in 2019.
Vulcan added on Wednesday that operational challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic have forced the long-term moorage of the Research Vessel Petrel, and that it will not be deployed for the foreseeable future. Acquired in 2016, the ship-hunting Petrel has been credited with finding numerous shipwrecks.
