The Sundance Film Festival is relocating from its longtime home in Park City, Utah, where the annual event has been held for more than four decades.
The organization said that “after a thoughtful and thorough process to identify the future location,” the film festival would be moving to Boulder, Colorado, beginning in 2027.
“Boulder’s storied and vibrant community of audiences, artists, and filmmakers allows the Sundance Institute to lay the foundation for a strong future for the Sundance Film Festival,” the organization penned.
“This evolution will preserve the experience that attendees and the global independent film community recognizes and values.”
The Sundance Institute conducted a year-long review of proposals and potential sites in various cities to determine the best location for the event. In September 2024, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Salt Lake City, along with Boulder, were named the top three finalists.
“The process included a comprehensive evaluation of finalists’ infrastructure, ethos and equity values, event capabilities, and how each finalist could sustainably serve and support the Festival’s ever-growing community of independent artists and audiences,” the nonprofit wrote.
“Each finalist demonstrated how they would welcome and continue to foster the diverse Festival community and culture of independent creativity.”
In a statement, Ebs Burnough, chair of the Sundance Institute’s Board of Trustees, said it became clear during the review process that Boulder was the ideal location for the film festival, “marking a key strategic step in its natural evolution.”
“Boulder is an art town, tech town, mountain town, and college town. It is a place where the Festival can build and flourish,” said Amanda Kelso, acting CEO of the Sundance Institute.
‘A Bold, New Journey’
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said the Centennial State was “thrilled to welcome” the event.“Here in our state, we celebrate the arts and film industry as a key economic driver, job creator, and important contributor to our thriving culture,” Polis said in a statement.
“Now, with the addition of the iconic Sundance Film Festival, we can expect even more jobs, a huge benefit for our small businesses, including stores and restaurants.”
Redford, 88, served as the inaugural chairman of the festival’s board, helping to generate interest in the event. However, the festival still faced financial setbacks, prompting its relocation to Park City, where it was hosted at a ski resort during the winter months in an effort to attract larger Hollywood crowds.
Renamed the United States Film and Video Festival, the first Park City event was held in January 1981, the same year Redford founded the Sundance Institute. In 1985, the nonprofit organization took over creative and administrative control of the festival, and six years later, it gained its current moniker, the Sundance Film Festival.
In a statement, Redford said he founded the Sundance Institute to help discover and develop emerging artists. The addition of the film festival helped to serve as a way for them to tell their stories.
“That mission remains even more critical today and will continue to be our core principle,” Redford said in a statement.
“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 our survival.”
Redford expressed gratitude to the Boulder community for its support.
“This move will ensure that the Festival continues its work of risk-taking, supporting innovative storytellers, fostering independence, and entertaining and enlightening audiences,” he said.
“I look forward to seeing what the future holds for the Festival there.”
The final Sundance Film Festival in Park City will be held from Jan. 22 to Feb. 1, 2026.
