Erik Vilhelm Sørensen was the founder of the Andelen we know today. In 1969, he transformed the town's derelict cooperative granary into a house of culture. The old and beautiful beams of the building became bearers of culture, playing host to many art exhibitions and concerts.

 

In June 1976, Andelen showed its first film - The Pink Panther with Peter Sellars. This heralded the beginning of a new era, where films became the main media of Andelen with the establishment of the cinema. In the mid 1990s, an independent local association took over the management of the cinema, and up to this very day it is still run by volunteers.

 

In 2013, Andelen Bio faced a new challenge. The medium of analogue 35mm spool films became obsolete in Denmark and digitalisation became the new technological necessity. In order to survive, the association had to raise DKK650.000. This was impressively accomplished within a year with almost a third of the funding raised by locals. The cinema is a vivid example of how the islanders of Ærø protect and cherish their cultural inheritance.

 

Today Andelen Bio is the island's only cinema and officially Denmark's smallest and most intimate with a capacity of 45.