Following last year’s successful Film Exhibition Fund, which saw £750,000 awarded to UK exhibitors to support diverse programming and bring back audiences, BFI Film Audience Network have launched a new exhibitor fund for 2021, awarding funds from the National Lottery to help exhibitors with their reopening plans.
As independent cinemas get set to reopen over the next few coming months, BFI FAN are launching a new funding opportunity to help restart independent, grassroots film culture with the help of the National Lottery.
The Film Exhibition Fund will support activity to re-engage audiences with collective, big screen film experiences at film festivals, mixed arts venues, and both community and traditional cinemas. While the prospect of reopening is encouraging for the sector, there’s still considerable uncertainty facing audiences and exhibitors alike and as such, this round of the Film Exhibition Fund has been designed to be as flexible as possible to reflect the changing needs of a changing industry.
Support of up to £5,000 is available and the fund is open to a variety of organisation screening film in the region. Screening programmes supported in this round of funding will take place between June 2021 – March 2022.
(Please check your local Film Hub’s websites for regional variations)
How to apply for the BFI FAN Film Exhibition Fund
BFI FAN is a unique collaboration of eight Film Hubs managed by leading film organisations across the UK, who will award the funding in their region or nation.
This BFI FAN Film Exhibition Fund will enable FAN Members to deliver a broad range of programming once they restart, ensuring excellent British and international independent cinema is available to audiences all over the UK. Other priorities of the Fund are incentivising exhibitors to embed inclusion and environmental sustainability into their approach to reopening, post shut down.
Activity can vary in length, scale and format. Members can apply for up to £5,000 (note that there are slight regional variations on this) and support can cover programming, marketing and associated costs.
Funding can support a range of costs, including staffing, programming and marketing expenses for traditional screenings as well as hybrid and online events.
All proposals must also be able to set out how they will address the BFI Diversity Standards and sign up to the BFI Anti-Bullying and Harassment Principles, as well as demonstrate how they will operate safely during COVID-19, reference can be made to the UKCA’s Cinemas – keeping workers and customers safe during Covid-19 Guidelines.
Online activity will only be a priority when accompanied by ‘in-venue’ work.
Find out more and apply via your local Film Hub
- Film Hub Scotland
- Film Hub North
- Film Hub Midlands
- Film Hub Wales
- Film Hub South West
- Film Hub South East
- Film Hub London
- Film Hub Northern Ireland
