The Arta Cinema and its summer garden are among Timisoara’s oldest cinema halls, the official opening dating back to 1926. The cinema is situated in the famous Iosefin neighborhood and until 1948 it was named “The Regal”. The building belonged to industry tycoon Lajos Weisz. In 1946 Ana Weisz, the widow of Ludwig (Lajos) Weisz inherited the building, and, with the help of Anton Schmeltzer, started to rehabilitate it. The cinema hall was functional up until the mid-nineties, after which the building had various other destinations, which lead to the increased deterioration of the building because of negligence. The space lost is cultural function, after it was abandoned by RADEF (Romanian Authority for Film Distribution and Exploitation) so that, with the passing of each year, it became impossible to use.
In 2018, Timișoara City Council gave the Arta Cinema and it summer garden to the Csiky Gergely Hungarian State Theatre for administration during the following 25 years. Csiky Gergely Theatre has already taken the necessary steps to apply for funding together with the PROTESZT Association. Therefore, during December 2018, the necessary documents were submitted to Bethlen Gabor Allapkezelo Zrt. In Hungary in order to design the architecture project together with the project for authorization of technical intervention and the project theme, the resistance project, obtaining necessary permits, the electrical and sanitary, heating and ventilation project, geotechnical study, topographic building, permits, authorizations, estimates, fire protection, expertise, repairs and additions to building and hall structure, protection against fire, protection of ceramic tiles, repairs and finishes to the ceiling in the main hall, throughs, systems for evacuation of rain water, hydro-isolation. The funding authority demanded that the project be supervised by a site supervisor.
The rehabilitation project aims to bring back to life this space by theatre and dance performances as well as cinematographic, educational and contemporary culture projects, including projects created by the community.
Besides performance venues, the building will have rehearsal spaces, a storage hall for décor, dressing rooms and productions workshops, which are all currently placed in improper conditions in the Hungarian Theatre’s building - 2, Marasesti Street, the Palace of Culture.
The space which will be re-functionalized and re-constructed will have one large venue for performances, at least 12 x 30 sqm, with no pillars. The venue will have a total of 200 seats on mobile platforms which will allow the venue to be arranged based on the requirements of the hosted show. Besides its Puppet Section, Csiky Gergely Theatre wants to open a Choreography Section once this building is functional, which might contribute significantly to the affirmation of the presently underdeveloped local dance scene.
The studio hall will have at least 6 x 20 sqm and it will be used mainly for film projection. At the present, Timisoara has no state-owned functional cinema halls, therefore the reinsertion of this venue in the city’s cultural life will support the distribution of authorial, European and independent films, while also offering a new venue for the city’s international film festivals, as well as individual initiatives.
The rehabilitation of this building is a complex and lengthy process. A reinsertion of this building into the city’s cultural map for 2021, the year when Timisoara will be the European Capital of Culture, could enhance the Theatre’s capacity as well as increase the city’s potential for organizing remarkable events in modern technical circumstances.
Therefore, we invite you to join us as partners in order to find as many ways possible to create dialogue between the private and public sphere and artists.
