Sundance Film Festival Considers Leaving Park City, Utah

For 40 years, the iconic Sundance Film Festival has called Park City, Utah, its home. But the Sundance Institute announced on Wednesday that it is exploring other potential host cities within the U.S, beginning in 2027 when its contract with Park City is set to expire.

The nonprofit institute issued a request for information, which will be open from April 17 through May 1. A request-for-proposal process will follow, with submissions accepted from May 7-June 24. A future host location is expected to be announced in Q4 2024 or Q1 2025.

"We are in a unique moment for our festival and our global film community, and with the contract up for renewal, this exploration allows us to responsibly consider how we best continue sustainably serving our community while maintaining the essence of the [Sundance Film] Festival experience," said Eugene Hernandez, director, Sundance Film Festival and Public Programming.

Utah is still in the running

The Sundance Institute said it will consider Utah among the potential options, given the festival's long-standing relationship with the destination. In 2023, the hybrid festival contributed $118 million to Utah's economy and generated 1,608 jobs for Utah residents, according to Sundance's 2023 economic impact report.

"Park City has been our home for more than 40 years, together with the state of Utah, and Sundance cherishes and respects our history and partnership," said Ebs Burnough, managing director of production company Hatch House Media and Sundance Institute board chair. "We look forward to reviewing each proposal and working together with all of our potential collaborators to determine how we can collectively meet the needs of the independent film ecosystem and broader creative community."

Hybrid event success

A total of 423,000 people attended the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, including 138,000 in-person attendees and 285,000 online viewers. The festival continued a hybrid format in 2024 but only made the online content accessible after the first week ended.

The 2025 and 2026 Sundance Film Festivals will be held in Park City as planned. The 2025 festival is scheduled to take place in Park City and Salt Lake City from Jan. 23 through Feb. 2.