For 40 years, one of the oldest movie theaters in the country sat empty on Baltimore’s North Avenue, languishing behind the grocery store that had moved into its lobby area. Behind a wall erected by the store’s owner, the theater’s domed ceiling, grand balcony and elaborate, decorative molding lay unseen and largely forgotten.

Now after a multi-year campaign to raise the money, the Parkway Theatre has been resurrected as the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Parkway to serve as both a permanent home for the Maryland Film Festival and new, year-round destination for film and arts programming in Baltimore.

“We have a team of programmers that can really provide thoughtful, innovative programming that isn’t seen in Baltimore,” said Adrienne Peres, director of development and marketing for the 19-year-old film festival, which runs from May 3 through May 7. “We have a lot of initiatives that we’re launching this year in terms of community programming. That’s something that is a huge area of focus for us.”

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