Sundance Institute names David Linde CEO as festival prepares to move

David Linde was named the new chief executive officer of the Sundance Institute on Jan. 15, 2026, and will assume the role Feb. 17, 2026. The appointment comes as the organization prepares to shift the Sundance Film Festival's primary location to Boulder, Colorado, beginning in 2027, a move that carries immediate implications for Summit County's cultural calendar and local economy.

Linde arrives with decades of industry experience. He led Participant, co-founded Focus Features, held a chairmanship at Universal Pictures and served on the board of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The Institute expects Linde to oversee artist labs, grant-making and festival operations during the transition, and he has said he intends to steward the Institute's mission and support independent storytelling.

For Summit County, the change in leadership intersects with a broader, concrete change: the relocation of the festival that for years concentrated winter visitors, filmmakers and press in Park City. That seasonal influx has supported hotels, restaurants, retail, short-term rentals and a large cohort of event and hospitality workers. The festival's move will alter timing and geography of that demand, creating both immediate revenue gaps during festival week and longer-term questions about how the county markets its shoulder seasons and cultural assets.

Local arts organizations and businesses will need to assess how much of the Institute's programmatic footprint remains tied to Park City beyond the annual festival. The Institute's artist labs and grant programs are central to its mission; if those programs continue to operate locally, they could sustain some year-round engagement and economic activity tied to film development and allied services. If programming centers shift to the Front Range, Summit County stands to lose not only festival-week visitation but also potential year-round partnerships and workforce opportunities in production services and hospitality.

Linde's industry relationships may shape the Institute's programming priorities, grant strategies and festival format as it relocates. For local stakeholders, the immediate questions are practical: which events and labs will remain in Park City, how the timing of festivals and markets will change, and how county tourism officials and businesses can mitigate short-term revenue losses through alternative events or marketing strategies.

This leadership change and the planned 2027 festival move mark a turning point for Summit County's role in the independent film ecosystem. Residents and local businesses should expect announcements in the months ahead about specific programming and logistical plans, and officials will need to weigh steps to preserve year-round cultural tourism and economic resilience as Sundance evolves.