Atlanta is no longer in the running to be the new host of the Sundance Film Festival come 2027.
When Sundance first announced a bidding process for a possible new city to call home earlier this year, Atlanta threw its name in the ring early. The city officially submitted a Request for Proposal in June, and was named one of the six finalists in July.
But the city is no longer in the running, according to a press release from the Sundance Institute. The three cities moving forward are Park City/Salt Lake City, Utah (the current home of the festival), Boulder Co., and Cincinnati, Oh.
“As we move to the next phase in our search for a sustainable home for the Sundance Film Festival, we see great promise and potential in Boulder, Cincinnati, and Salt Lake/Park City,” said Eugene Hernandez, festival director and head of public programming in the release. “Each has shown us the blend of exciting possibilities, values, and logistics needed to produce a vibrant, inviting, and inclusive Festival.”
The city released a website during its Sundance run dedicated to why it would be a good host city for the festival. The cities that made it to the finals are all much smaller than Atlanta, which was the largest city in the running. The other two cities no longer in the running other than Atlanta are Louisville, Ky. and Santa Fe, NM.
According to the release, the new host of the festival is expected to be announced after the 2025 Sundance Film Festival in late winter/early spring. The festival is currently held in Park City, and wouldn’t transition to the new city until 2027.
