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Friday kicks off a weeklong film series at The ShowRoom Cinema with an aim to support art programs throughout the city, organizers announced Tuesday.

The Arts Curious Film Series is hosted by the Arts Coalition of Asbury Park [ArtsCAP] to help fund initiatives that spark awareness of public art and a youth oriented filmmaking challenge in the city, according to a news release.

“ArtsCAP’s mission is to promote the arts as a positive force for growth in Asbury Park,” said the organization’s President Ginny Otley. “The public needs to be made aware and become an active participant in helping to provide the resources to make our projects a reality,”

Founded in 2005, ArtsCAP is a nonprofit that also advocates for supportive public policies and works to lend support to arts-based businesses.

“The Arts Curious Film Series is one of many fundraising efforts ArtsCAP will hold with the ShowRoom in order to support arts projects that will benefit the community,” said movie theater co-founder Mike Sodano. “Arts-centric films are the catalyst to drive the community to the theater and in so doing, ArtsCAP will have the opportunity to directly solicit community support and raise awareness for their current arts projects.”

The film lineup includes “Art Bastard,” a profile of famed artist Robert Cenedella. The documentary was hailed by The Examiner’s Phil Hall as a four star pure delight.

“This tribute to a marvelous talent is long overdue and ‘Art Bastard’ pays an invigorating celebration to a one-of-a-kind genius,” Hall wrote.

Also playing, is the next installment of the ShowRoom’s Art and Architecture in Cinema series. Running through September, the seven film showcase gives a behind the scenes look at a number of the art world’s most prolific icons.

In “Renoir: Revered and Reviled,” director Phil Grabsky examines this artistic giant but more than that it uncovers a rarely told story that places Renoir as a critical link between the old and the new, according to the written statement.

The ArtsCAP fundraiser will allow movie-goers to pledge their support via a tax deductible donation during the June 10 to 16 screenings.

“The Arts Curious banner permits us to offer unique pairings of films under a cohesive effort and reach out to our arts-centric community in support of the arts in Asbury Park,” Sodano said.

For more information, visit www.TheShowRoomAP.com and www.ArtsCAP.org.

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