The funding aims to bridge the immediate financial gap faced by independently owned cinemas as a result of COVID-19, and will support cinemas, like Mareel, who can operate in the short-term, within Scottish Government guidelines, and help others towards reopening, when it is safe to do so.
Graeme Howell, CEO of Shetland Arts said:
“We are extremely grateful for the support that we have received from Screen Scotland. This investment will mean that we can continue to offer a diverse cinema program in a COVID-safe way”.
Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture said: “We understand the severe impact this pandemic has had on businesses across Scotland, including our independent cinemas which play such an important role in communities across the country.
“We have had to make some really difficult decisions recently that will impact on cinemas which have worked so hard to re-open safely, but we have to put health considerations above everything else and I hope this funding, along with the business support that will be available, will help independent cinemas cope with all the challenges they face.
“Culture is vitally important to all of our lives, and we are determined to do everything within our powers to see the sector through this crisis. This fund is part of the ongoing financial support the Scottish Government is making available to the sector.”
Sambrooke Scott, Head of Audience Development at Screen Scotland said: “Independent cinemas have always played a vital role in communities across Scotland, bringing people together to immerse themselves in great film experiences from filmmakers around the world, and around the corner.
“It’s been the most challenging of times for these hard-working venues but, with the help of this Scottish Government and National Lottery support, they will continue to open and operate safely as local restrictions allow. By putting stringent measures in place to protect staff and audiences alike they will open where able and bring the magic and escapism of cinema back, which is something we need now more than ever.”
Recipients of the Fund are:
Organisation | Cinema Name | Funding Amount |
An Lanntair | An Lanntair (Stornoway) | £44,200 |
Caledonian Cinemas Limited | Moray Playhouse (Elgin) | £149,583 |
Campbeltown Community Business | Campbeltown Picture House (Campbeltown) | £65,000 |
Centre for the Moving Image | Filmhouse (Edinburgh), Belmont Filmhouse (Aberdeen) | £627,849 |
D&G Council | Robert Burns Centre (Dumfries) | £24,896 |
Dundee Contemporary Arts | Dundee Contemporary Arts | £143,588 |
Eden Court Highlands | Eden Court (Inverness) | £158,814 |
Falkirk Community Trust | Bo'ness Hippodrome (Falkirk) | £51,552 |
G1 Group | Perth Playhouse | £128,622 |
Glasgow Film Theatre | Glasgow Film Theatre | £415,171 |
Granada Cinemas (Edinburgh) Ltd. | Dominion Cinema (Edinburgh) | £224,846 |
INDY Cinema Group Ltd | INDY Cinema Group (Various) | £216,035 |
Kino Entertainment Ltd | The Kino Leven, The Kino Glenrothes | £106,313 |
Lonsdale Cinema | Annan Lonsdale Cinema | £43,842 |
Macrobert | Macrobert (Stirling) | £111,244 |
Newton Stewart Cinema | Newton Stewart Cinema (Newton Stewart) | £32,878 |
NPH Cinema | New Picture House (St Andrews) | £87,723 |
Oban Phoenix Cinema | Oban Phoenix Cinema (Oban) | £61,818 |
Pavilion (Galashiels) Ltd | Pavilion (Galashiels) | £207,362 |
Premier Leisure | Premier Leisure (Saltcoats) | £71,259 |
Regional Screen Scotland | Screen Machine (Various) | £24,521 |
Shetland Arts Development Agency | Mareel (Lerwick) | £40,860 |
The Birks Cinema Trust Ltd | The Birks Cinema (Aberfeldy) | £68,500 |
The Pickaquoy Centre Trust | The Phoenix Cinema (Kirkwall) | £21,244 |
The Tower Digital Art Centre | The Tower Digital Arts Centre (Helensburgh) | £81,328 |
Universal Sounds (Arbroath) Limited | Bathgate Cinema, Alloa Cinema, Arbroath Cinema | £96,875 |
West Coast Cinemas LLP | Studio Cinema (Dunoon), Waterfront Cinema (Greenock) | £244,441 |
