The Picture House Regional Film Center plans to seek a permit to serve beer and wine in its two theaters and will launch a new fall festival celebrating Westchester County’s growing film and TV production sector, Executive Director Laura deBuys said during a Business Council of Westchester webinar.

The Picture House’s executive committee voted last week to apply for a beer and wine license for the theaters, according to a Business Council press release Tuesday on the webinar that focused on innovation in the local arts.

“We’re seeing that audiences are coming out less casually, whether that’s to a restaurant or to the movies,” said deBuys, who was quoted in the release. “They want to have a complete experience rather than just a random night out, so that’s what we’re focusing on with the expansion.”

The Picture House expanded its operations to the former Bow Tie Cinema in Bronxvillle, which began operating under the non-profit’s banner in March.

“We’re excited about the state of film in Westchester County,” said deBuys. “What we’ve seen during the pandemic is that an already healthy film industry has just taken off… Lionsgate has built a huge studio in Yonkers.”

The arts and culture sector, which was the hardest hit during the pandemic, “is coming back strong and evolving and being innovative and transformative in Westchester County,” said Business Council President-CEO Marsha Gordon, who moderated the panel.

A recording of the webinar is on the BCW’s Facebook page.