Entry No. 31 — the Kansas City file — filed under: indie-cinema
Stray Cat Film Center
An artist-run, 100% volunteer-run non-profit microcinema and community space dedicated to screening wild, challenging, and obscure films.
The story
Since 2018, while commercial multiplexes lean heavily on focus-group-tested blockbusters, an understated storefront on Broadway Boulevard has been running a very different kind of film canon. Tucked into the Crossroads Arts District, Stray Cat Film Center operates as a 50-seat, 100% volunteer-run non-profit microcinema dedicated to the cinema that usually falls through the cracks.
The programming here bypasses mainstream streaming algorithms entirely. Instead, an artist-run collective curates runs of forgotten B-movies, gory vintage horror, experimental indie cinema, and live underground soundscapes. It functions less like a commercial theater and more like a communal sanctuary for celluloid oddities that would otherwise never touch a projector bulb in Kansas City.
What it's like
Stepping off Broadway into the cozy lobby, you're greeted by a wall of retro televisions flickering with odd video clips. The screening space itself is intimate—just 50 seats—so every showing feels like a secret midnight gathering. Settle into a chair for a gory cult classic or an experimental import, then linger in the lobby afterward to talk shop with the local film obsessives who run the place.
The move: Catch a screening of a bizarre B-movie, a gory horror flick, or an experimental indie film, then chat with local film enthusiasts in their cozy, multi-television lobby.
- 📍 Crossroads Arts District
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 1662 Broadway Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64108
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Oracle Natural Science — Pair a night of obscure cult cinema with a daytime visit to this nearby shop filled with skull collections and ethically sourced taxidermy.
- For Strange Women — Match Stray Cat's offbeat aesthetic with a trip around the corner to sample small-batch botanical fragrances.
- The Media Tech Museum — Complement obscure moving images on screen with a look at vintage communications hardware just a short walk away.
Good to know
How many seats are in the theater?
The main screening room is intentionally micro, maxing out at just 50 seats.
What kind of movies do they screen?
Expect a mix of bizarre B-movies, gory horror flicks, avant-garde experimental films, and indie releases ignored by mainstream chains.
Who operates Stray Cat Film Center?
It is an artist-run non-profit microcinema operated 100% by community volunteers.
Where is it located in Kansas City?
You'll find it at 1662 Broadway Blvd in the Crossroads Arts District.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site
last checked: 2026-07-21