As a cinema development agency, we have been working to complement the support various agencies offer the film exhibition sector, chiefly through A Cinema Near You – the fixed term development programme we deliver in partnership with Screen Scotland and Film Hub Scotland.
As a direct response to the challenges of the pandemic we are now able to announce a revised and extended programme for A Cinema Near You.
As we reach the end of 2020, the situation for cinemas and film screenings remains challenging. Although there is the hope of a vaccine on the horizon, it’s also likely that Covid-19 restrictions will have to remain in place in some form, well into 2021. For some parts of Scotland, that will mean cinemas have to remain closed, for others, cinemas as such may be able to reopen, but more mixed use spaces such as theatres and community centres might continue to be unable to host film screenings.
Extending the Programme
A Cinema Near You was designed to be a programme that addressed significant gaps in screen provision, by providing capacity building support and funding that could enable new venues, organisations, groups and networks to be developed where the need was greatest. That programme has been largely on hold since March, and so we have agreed with our partners that the timescale of the programme can be extended by six months, so that funding awards can continue be made up until September 30 2021, and funded activity can continue until December 31 2021.
Open to existing exhibitors for long-term sustainability
But we also recognise that there is a need to prevent new gaps in provision, as a result of the pandemic restrictions. While crucial funding has been made available through Screen Scotland and Film Hub Scotland to support current losses and immediate reopening plans, it’s also been agreed that A Cinema Near You should be open to existing exhibitors to benefit from the same kind of capacity building support that has been available to new exhibitors, to help to ensure long-term sustainability. This is particularly critical for those smaller and more volunteer-led groups which may not have been eligible for the other forms of recovery funding that have been available.