A historic independent cinema is celebrating 30 years under its current name.
The Ultimate Picture Palace (UPP) in Oxford, one of the UK’s oldest independent cinemas, is planning a bumper summer season to celebrate its 30th birthday.
Originally opened as the East Oxford Picture Palace in 1911, it was renamed the UPP in 1996 and became community-owned in 2022.
Micaela Tuckwell, cinema director, said: "We work hard to offer the most diverse range of films in the city.
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"What’s less well known is that we’re more than a cinema.
"We’ve always welcomed a wide variety of art forms and events into our space including gigs, comedy, theatre, exhibitions, and talks on local history and we’re really keen to do more of that."
To mark the anniversary, the UPP has launched the "My UPP" competition, inviting the public to suggest creative uses for the venue—anything except screening films.
Winners will have a chance to use the cinema for their proposed event.
Whether it’s setting the world record for life drawing, teaching seated hip hop to toddlers or lecturing about quantum gravity, all ideas are encouraged.
Meanwhile, the cinema continues to face uncertainty over its long-term future.
More than 23,000 people have signed a petition urging its landlord, Oriel College, to extend its lease beyond 2037.
The current term is too short to secure funding for essential upgrades to improve accessibility and modernise the venue.
Ms Tuckwell said: "We launched a campaign to save this wonderful place so that it’s still going strong in another 30 years, showing great films and bringing people together for more than film."
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