Tull Family Foundation not renewing Sewickley theater sponsorship

The Tull Family Foundation will not renew naming rights for a movie theater that’s become a cultural destination in Sewickley.

Sponsorship of The Tull Family Theater, as the independent non-profit movie house has been known since it opened in February of 2017, will expire at the end of the year.

In a letter to stakeholders and theater supporters, theater CEO Carolina Pais-Barreto Thor said a new sponsor and name for the theater is being sought for 2023.

“Regardless of its name, the ethos of the theater will remain unchanged – a spirit of service, supporting creativity, inclusivity and accessibility, extending the advantages of cultural opportunities into the rural edges of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler and Washington counties,” Pais-Barreto Thor said.

She said she learned last week that the Tull sponsorship of $500,000 for seven years would not be renewed and that no reason was given for the decision.

This comes just over a week after the Pittsburgh Steelers, of which Tull Family Foundation co-founder Thomas Tull is a part owner, awarded the former Heinz Field naming rights to Michigan-based financial tech insurance brokerage Acrisure.

Pais-Barreto Thor said a new sponsor has not been lined up yet but, she is not concerned about finding one. She would not disclose a specific amount being sought, but said the amount depends on the “length of time and the nature of the sponsorship.”

“We are not concerned because, in just a few years, the organization has really become a cultural hub and resource for school districts, non-profits, the special needs community,” she said. “So I think we have established a rapport in the region as a valuable asset and I’m confident we’ll find another naming sponsor.”

Since it opened, the Tull Family Theater has shown classic films as well as cutting-edge art house movies such as “The Man Who Knew Infinity,” “My Octopus Teacher,” and “Sleepwalk with Me.”

The theater has also prided itself on increasing accessibility including becoming the first in Pennsylvania to feature on-screen captioning for the deaf community every Wednesday during screenings.

Pais-Barreto emphasized that they will always be grateful for the initial sponsorship and that the theater will continue to be called the Tull Family Theater for the remainder of 2022.

Representatives from the Tull Family Foundation were not immediately available to comment.