Edmonton’s historic Garneau Theatre, operated by Metro Cinema Society, is a classic art-moderne style cinema, which combines the nostalgia of old Hollywood with the enjoyment of today’s quality cinematic experiences. The 500-seat auditorium and inviting lobby space are not only perfect for film screenings, but also live performance, fundraisers, photography shoots, conferences, weddings, private events, and a variety of other functions as well. Metro Cinema Society, a registered non-profit organization with a 40-year history in film exhibition and media arts, and with the Garneau Theatre as its home, is proud to be the place where community meets cinema.
If you are interested in booking the theatre it is best to consult with our staff well in advance. Registered non-profits receive a 25% discount on rates in exchange for sponsorship recognition.
Click on a drop-down header below for more information:
Rental Rates
Standard Venue Rental Rate:**
Sun–Wed @ 7PM–9PM – $1150
Sun–Wed @ 9:30PM–11:30PM – $700
Thursday @ 7PM–9PM – $ 1200
Thursday @ 9:30PM–11:30PM – $750
Fri/Sat @ 7PM–9PM – $1725
Fri/Sat @ 9:30PM–11:30PM – $1035
Sat/Sun Matinees – $1035
Daytime Mon–Friday – $300/hr
Late night (11PM+) – $700
**Rental slots are booked in 2 hour increments. There is some room for flexibility of the start and end times, but it may affect the quoted price. Bookings that cover more that one time slot will be quoted accordingly.
Additional Equipment/Services:
Setup/Rehearsal/use of space (No Tech Required) – $175/hr
Skype – $125
Ticketing Services – $1.50/ticket sold
File Conversion/Formatting – $50/hr
Extra tech required – $50/hr
Extra FOH staff $25/hr
Concession bulk orders/Bar:
Small pop – $2.50
Small Popcorn – $2.50
Corkage – $4/drink
Custom Liquor menu items – $75/event
Please inquire at info@metrocinema.org for more information.
Renting the Garneau
Metro Cinema programs in 2 months blocks and much of the schedule is finalized 3-4 months in advance. So we advise contacting us about bookings at least 3 months ahead of your preferred date. However, we do have some slots available at short notice so feel free to check in with us! Booking the theatre follows these general steps:
- To get started, fill out the form below providing as much details as possible regarding the event overview and preferred dates/flexibility.
- We can arrange a venue tour as desired in order to get you acquainted with the space.
- Because Metro Cinema is coordinating the needs of many renters, programming partners and our own programming, it may take as much as a week or two for us to confirm availability of a specific date. Your patience is much appreciated.
- Once we have arrived on an appropriate date and time for the event we will issue a rental quotation and a rental agreement. Your booking will be confirmed upon return of a signed rental agreement and 50% deposit.
- Our staff will then be in touch to discuss event logistics, tech, film shipping/classification and marketing in greater detail.
- The balance of the rental fee will be due 2 weeks before the event.
- If you are providing audio, video or other media for the event, we ask that it be provided at least 1 week prior to the event.
- Revenue from the tickets, invoices, and unforeseen expenses will be sent 1 week following the event.
There are a few important things to note as you plan your event and make your booking:
- If you are screening a film that is not your own, you will likely need to secure the screening rights. Our programming department may assist renters with contacting film distributors and securing the screening rights to films (subject to availability).
- Our programming department can also coordinate the classification of films through the Alberta Classification Board, often free of charge.
- We can play a variety of film formats:
- 35mm film
- MPEG-4 (H .264) in an MP4 container
- MKV
- M4V and MOV (quicktime)
- DCP
- Blu-Ray or DVD
- We can also support PowerPoint and a variety of other live digital feed formats.
- Skype and other communication formats are available by arrangement in advance.
- Depending on the nature of the event, we may recommend a preliminary meeting with our technical team to plan out how we can work together to serve the needs of your event.
- Metro Cinema has an in-house ticketing system capable of online advance ticket sales. We apply a $1.50 surcharge on all tickets sold on your behalf. You have the option of using our system and staff, or to provide your own ticketing systems and staffing in advance and at the door.
- We encourage renters to consider introductions, post-film Q&A’s or panel discussions, and various lobby activities. Consult with our staff for further details
Once you’ve spoken with a Metro Cinema representative and confirmed a date and time for your event, you’ll be invoiced for a 50% deposit to hold your booking. You can pay by cash, debit, or cheque at the Garneau Theatre, or hold the booking with a credit card or Paypal payment through the following form.
Renting the Marquee
We offer rentals of an individual side of the marquee for $150. After filling out the form below, someone will be on contact with you within one business week.
Your message will remain up for 24 hours. It will go up at noon on the confirmed date of your choosing and remain up until noon the following day. You may arrange a time in the evening for the marquee’s neon lights to be turned on – it makes for a great photo! This rental is intended for personal messages only, we do not accept requests for advertisement of businesses or products.
If you’re interested in booking, please fill out the form below and we will get back to you within 48 hours.
Events and Weddings
Metro Cinema is able to accommodate a wide variety of special events including:
- Conferences
- Music, dance and theatrical performance
- Speaking events
- Private functions
- Fundraisers
- Photo/video shoots
Technical rehearsals can be scheduled in advance and our technical staff will work with you to make sure you have a successful and enjoyable event. An event at our theatre can include:
- Concession and bar services
- Slideshow projections or video clips on our auditorium screen.
- A special message on our theatre marquee and a variety of locations for wedding photos.
Technical Information
Auditorium
Projection:
- Digital Cinema: Christie CP 2210 with Christie IMB-S2
- 35mm projection available
Screen:
- Metallic Screen with adjustable side masking
- Max viewable height: 14’
- Viewable Width: 29’2” (scope), 24’9” (flat)
Stage:
- Stage Height (to deck from auditorium): 3’6”
- Stage Width: 31’4”
- Stage Depth: 8’, curving out to 10’ centre stage
Audio:
- Cinema 5.1 system available for film screenings
- Live audio: up to 8 mics on cord, 2 lapel mics and XX DI’s
Lighting:
- Open white general front wash
- Two soft-focus specials (centre stage and stage left)
- LED colour washes available from top and high-angle fronts
- Footlights available by advance request
You must consult with our technical staff regarding special lighting requests.
Furniture:
- Renters have access to a variety of tables and chairs, and one podium.
Metro Gallery
The Garneau Theatre lobby now includes Metro Gallery, a multi purpose art exhibition and event space, perfect for receptions, meetings and corporate functions, intimate musical and theatrical performance, and press conferences. Metro Gallery includes a projection system, optional stage platform, audio system and lighting. Metro Gallery can add features and options to an event in the auditorium, or a perfect standalone space for a more intimate event.
Projection:
The Metro Gallery space features a ceiling mounted Benq HT1085ST projector capable of high definition 1080p (1920×1080) projection. The projection screen is an Elunevision 135” motorized unit with a 16×9 aspect ratio to match the projector. The screen can be raised and lowered remotely. The projector is tied into our Audio/Video system.
Audio:
The Metro Gallery Audio/Video system utilizes an Onkyo TX-NR656 receiver that outputs video to our Benq projector. The receiver inputs and volume can be remotely controlled from the Lobby area. The audio outputs over two JBL wall-mounted speakers in a stereo configuration.
The Front Office has a computer and BluRay player that are connected to the receiver and projector. We can play music and videos for your event in the Gallery from those devices. There are also audio and video (HDMI and RCA) ports for your devices in the stage area of the Gallery. Let us know your needs and we will come up with a solution that works for you.
In addition, we have a Peavey XR1212 12 channel mixing console and two 12” Behringer P.A. speakers with stands for live music performances in the Gallery.
Lighting:
Metro Gallery can create a focused open white light for the stage area.
Furniture:
Metro Cinema has 4’x4′ modular stage units that can create a platform of up to 8′ x 16′ size.
Metro Gallery includes movable seating for 24, and has a variety of tables and linens available.
