Sundance Film Festival Is Moving From Utah to Colorado in 2027

After over four decades in Utah, the Sundance Film Festival is moving to a new location.

As the Sundance Institute's Board of Trustees confirmed in a statement issued on Thursday, March 27, the iconic film festival will now take place in Boulder, Colorado beginning in 2027. Next year's incarnation of the festival will be the last to take place in Park City, which has hosted Sundance since 1981.

"This decision was informed by a detailed evaluation of the key components essential to creating our Festival," said Sundance Institute Board Chair Ebs Burnough. "During the process, it became clear that Boulder is the ideal location in which to build our Festival's future, marking a key strategic step in its natural evolution. We have a profound appreciation for the finalist cities and their communities—including Boulder, Colorado, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Salt Lake City, Utah—who presented overwhelmingly strong proposals and dedicated their time, passion, and commitment every step of the way."

The contract the Sundance Institute inked with the city of Boulder is for ten years. Retired actor Robert Redford, who is the founder and president of the Sundance Institute, thanked Park City and the state of Utah for hosting the festival for over four decades.

"As change is inevitable, we must always evolve and grow, which has been at the core of our survival," said Redford. "This move will ensure that the Festival continues its work of risk-taking, supporting innovative storytellers, fostering independence, and entertaining and enlightening audiences. I am grateful to the Boulder community for its support, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for the Festival there."

Redford founded the festival in 1978, where it was first hosted in Salt Lake City. The announcement of its new home comes after the state of Colorado introduced an incentive of up to $34 million in refundable tax credits for film festivals.

Earlier this month, Utah's Republican State Senator Daniel McCay did not mourn the news that Sundance was seeking to move and accused the festival of promoting "porn" and "alternative lifestyles." Per the Salt Lake Tribune, the state is projected to take a sizeable financial loss because of Sundance's move. As reported by Deadline, Park City's mayor Nann Worel, meanwhile, was disappointed by the efforts to move and expressed frustration with a bill passed by the Utah legislature that bans LGBTQ+ pride flags and banners from public buildings and schools.