Landee Bryant, Executive Director of Maiden Alley Cinema, will represent Paducah at Europa Cinemas Audience Development & Innovation Lab in the UNESCO Creative City of Bologna, Italy.

Taking place at the inspiring Il Cinema Ritrovato Film Festival, dedicated to ‘rediscovering’ lost or forgotten cinema, the Lab is an opportunity for cinema professionals to share current thinking and practical solutions. The focus of this year’s Lab is on Generation Z, understanding and responding to the growing demand for a new generation of socially aware, digitally connected consumers and makers.

“At Maiden Alley Cinema, we strive to be a home for cinephiles and filmmakers alike, we hope to create cross-culture awareness visual literacy and always promote filmmaking as an artform," says Landee Bryant, Executive Director of Maiden Alley Cinema. "Being invited to join this lab is a thrilling opportunity to learn from innovators in film around the world and continue to build programming and cultural opportunities in Paducah.”

In addition to Paducah, UNESCO Creative Cities participating in the Lab include Berlin, Germany (Design), Dublin, Ireland (Literature), Galway, Ireland (Film), Ghent, Belgium (Music), Kaunas, Lithuania (Design), Liubjana, Slovenia (Literature) and Nottingham, United Kingdom (Literature).

Since Paducah’s designation as a UNESCO Creative City in 2013, Maiden Alley Cinema has facilitated multiple Creative City collaborations to bring international film and music to Maiden Alley Cinema. These include featuring musicians from Bologna, Italy on the Music @ MAC stage and partnering with representatives from Bradford, United Kingdom (Film) to jury the River’s Edge International Film Festival and later present a special film block of short films from Creative Cities around the globe.

Bryant is able to attend through involvement with the Art House Convergence and sponsorship through the Europa Cinemas Exchange Program.

Find more information about Maiden Alley Cinema at maidenalleycinema.org and more information about Paducah’s ongoing engagement with the Creative Cities Network at paducah.travel/creativecity.