Arts, Film & Theater

40 North is dedicated to fueling the growth and well-being of Champaign County by nurturing its arts, culture, and entertainment community.

Local multiplex. DLP Digital Projection in all auditoriums, refills on all size popcorn for .27 and free drink refills.

True to its name, the Boardman’s Art Theater’s single screen shows festival winners, French comedies, Japanese animations and other films off the beaten path. The Art Theater has been completely rehabbed with state-of-the-art sound and visual technology since it was built in the early 1920s, but retains its intimate, vintage ethos.

The annual Boneyard Arts Festival is a unique countywide event that takes place in 80 different venues. Sculptors, weavers, photographers, painters and other visual artists join musicians, dancers, actors, poets and other performers sharing their creativity in a wide variety of venues - from cafes, galleries and cultural houses to retail stores and salons.

Information about shops, dining, and upcoming events in the downtown Champaign area (where our offices are located).

OPENSOURCE is an alternative art space accommodating a variety of non-traditional, community-oriented art projects and events within Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. They host and support a diversity of projects: artists’ workshops and lectures; short-term art exhibitions and events by local, regional, and national artists; and arts-based community outreach activities.

Every spring, C-U native Roger Ebert takes over the historic Virginia Theatre to showcase the best off-beat films. He usually brings along the directors for Q & A sessions. See the website for examples of past programs. Get tickets early, because every show sells out.

Local multiplex.

An independent video store near campus. Amazing selection of anime, foreign, and offbeat films. A must for any movie-lover.

The historic Virginia Theater is being fully renovated back to its old-fashioned vaudeville glory. The original Wurlitzer pipe organ entertains before shows, and the Spanish Renaissance-inspired auditorium is complete with gilded moldings, balcony seating, and a 56’ by 23’ movie screen that tucks away to make room for live acts. The Virginia is homebase for the annual Roger Ebert Overlooked Film Festival.