Sundance Film Festival officially moving to Boulder, Colorado in 2027

PARK CITY — The Sundance Institute Board of Trustees announced Thursday that after 40 years in Park City, the famed Sundance Film Festival will move to a new permanent home in Boulder, Colorado.

Starting in 2027, the festival will move to the Colorado mountain town because of its "engaged community, distinctive natural beauty and vibrant arts scene," the board said. The board chair, Ebs Burnough, said the decision was made after a "detailed evaluation."

"During the process, it became clear that Boulder is the ideal location in which to build our festival's future, marking a key strategic step in its natural evolution," Burnough said.The Sundance Institute — the nonprofit that hosts the festival — has not released any detailed plans for its Park City-based headquarters, but said the institute would also grow with the festival in Boulder.

The institute's founder, Robert Redford, personally thanked the community in Utah.

I founded the Sundance Institute with a commitment to discovering and developing independent artists, with the Sundance Film Festival serving as the platform for stories to help expand audiences and broaden the landscape. That mission remains even more critical today and will continue to be our core principle. Words cannot express the sincere gratitude I have for Park City, the state of Utah, and all those in the Utah community that have helped to build the organization. What we've created is remarkably special and defining. As change is inevitable, we must always evolve and grow, which has been at the core of oursurvival. This move will ensure that the Festival continues its work of risk taking, supporting innovative storytellers, fostering independence, and entertaining and enlightening audiences. I am grateful to the Boulder community for its support, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for the Festival there.

"The Institute and its Board of Trustees want to thank the Festival's current home and beating heart for more than 40 years — Park City together with the state of Utah. Park City and Utah will always be a formative part of the Festival," the institute said.

In 2026, Utah will hold its final film festival in both Park City and Salt Lake City from Jan. 22 to Feb. 1, 2026.

"Park City and Utah's independent spirit continues to inspire the institute, and the beloved communities are invited to celebrate the Festival in Utah," the board said.

Recent politics

In its reasoning, the board discredited news reports indicating that a recent ban on pride flags in Utah's schools might have had something to do with the move. The new law only allows a few sanctioned flags in public buildings and schools. LGBTQ advocates asked Gov. Spencer Cox to veto the bill since it would not allow rainbow flags in those spaces. But the governor's window of opportunity to veto the bill lapsed Thursday — the same day of the Sundance announcement.

When asked if Utah politics played a role in the festival's move, Park City Mayor Nann Worel seemed to address some Utah lawmakers who have openly criticized Sundance, saying it no longer fits in Utah.

"I do know that words matter, rhetoric matters, and, you know, it made me sad to hear some of the comments that were made about Sundance after they've been such a great partner for Park City as well as the state of Utah for the last 40 years," Worel said.

She said Utah was ready and willing to do the festival differently than before.

"We heard Sundance when they had concerns about the affordability of Park City, and so our bid was creative," Worel said. "We still had the magic of Park City and our main street that everybody loves and gives the festival so much energy. And then we had the affordability of Salt Lake City, the housing and much of the festival moving down there rather than keeping it all up here."

Worel said she would be willing to try and bring the festival back to Utah, if there was an opportunity. "I think they'll want to come back," she said.

Economic impact

The board did not explicitly acknowledge any of the specific bids made by the finalist cities — Cincinnati, Boulder and Park City. But the Utah Bid Committee said it had the logistics and finances to pull off the film festival, and do it differently than before. Lindsey Nikola with the Salt Lake City mayor's office explained how the festival would be split between the capital and Park City.

She said a proposed shuttle would bring people from Salt Lake's Main Street to Park City's. She said they also offered the festival a competitive financial package.

"In terms of public funding, our offer to the Sundance Institute for this festival was $6.6 million in in-kind donations annually," Nikola said. "In cash, what we offered from public funding was about $5.5 million. This, of course, included the $3.5 million, which was passed this year by the state legislature as part of the governor's budget."

CEO and President of Visit Park City Jennifer Wesselhoff said the state makes about $130 million from the festival each year.

"It's really too early to tell what the economic impact for Park City is going to be in 2027 when the festival relocates," Wesselhoff said.

According to her, the city will lean into ski tourism and hosting winter sporting events to make up for losing Sundance.

"We are gearing up for (2034) for Winter Olympic Games, and as part of that, we're required to hold a lot of World Cup events in our community, and we're focusing on the winter legacy and the Olympic legacy and how we can really dive into that and lean into those roots," Wesselhoff said.

Nikola said she doesn't think there was one singular issue that led the festival to move away. She and Worel said they felt confident about their bid.

"It's very natural that after 40 years of history with this festival, a big change of it shifting out of the state is going to create a lot of feelings for a lot of people," Nikola said. "Most Utahns have many memories of the festival experiences with the festival, so many volunteers at the festival. So I think that for a lot of people in our community, it's going to mean a multitude of different things. "

Reaction from Utah Leaders

Cox issued a statement on the decision, including a new plan for the state to create "a new festival."

While we're disappointed by Sundance's decision to leave Utah, we wish them continued success in their next chapter. For more than 40 years, Utah has supported the Sundance Film Festival to become a global force in film, art, and culture. As I've said from the beginning, we wanted Sundance to stay. We made that clear to their leadership and put together a highly competitive package. Ultimately, this decision is theirs to make — but I believe it's a mistake, and that one day, they'll realize they left behind not just a place, but their heritage. In the meantime, we'll keep doing what we've always done: supporting filmmakers and building a world-class film economy right here in Utah. We have already begun meeting with partners, stakeholders, and creative voices to create a new festival — one that honors our legacy and writes the next chapter of independent film in Utah.

Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilison posted on X that she believes that Sundance's "current leadership has lost sight of the legacy and spirit that has been a staple of the organization for nearly 50 years." Worel said she believed there may not have been other action the state could have taken to keep the festival:

Sundance's departure marks the end of an incredible era, but not the end of Park City's magic. For over 40 years, we weren't just the host of the Sundance Film Festival – Park City was part of the beating heart of the independent spirit that made it such a success. While I am deeply disappointed, I'm grateful for the legacy we built together. For the past year, we put our heart and soul into finding a way to keep Sundance in Utah. I am proud of our team in Park City and thankful to the Utah Bid Committee for their commitment and creativity. Frankly, I don't know if there is anything else we could have done. To our residents: Our commitment to the creative spirit of the arts has always been a cornerstone of our community. We will continue to build on that legacy – we will deepen our investment in arts and culture – with energy, purpose, and that Park City magic that defines us.

Worel additionally made another joint statement alongside Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall and Utah Film Commission Director Virginia Pearce:

While we are naturally disappointed by the decision, the State of Utah, Park City and Salt Lake City have long been proud partners of the Festival, and we are grateful for the lasting impact it has had on our communities. We remain committed to fostering the arts right here in Utah, where the spirit of storytelling will always thrive.

In its statement, the Salt Lake Film Society said Utah "continues to stand as a premier destination for filmmakers," calling out Kevin Costner's new film studio in southern Utah. In addition to itself, it also called out the Utah Film Commission, SpyHop Productions and SpyHop Productions as "powerful platforms for independent voices, historic cinema preservation, accessibility advocacy and environmental sustainability in film." Likewise, Sundance Resort articulated the change by calling out its namesake:

The birthplace of all things Sundance will always be right here at Sundance Mountain Resort, Utah, at the foot of Mt. Timponogos — made up of many boulders, glaciers and breathtaking views that will inspire future generations of artists and dreamers.

Related topics