Inclusive Cinema’s podcast series, Working Class Inclusion: Audiences, Colleagues & Programming, provides information and guidance to support exhibitors in improving cinema experiences for working-class people and those in poverty.
The resource comprises a series of six podcast episodes that cover a range of areas, from sliding-scale ticketing and equitable employment practices, to the films that are programmed and how they are presented.
There is also an access and inclusion checklist to support venues, festivals, industry initiatives and event organisers with strategic and operational measures to welcome working-class audiences and colleagues.
The series is presented by Dr. Leanne Dawson, senior lecturer in Film and Diversity and Inclusion Consultant.
The resources are intended as a practical guide to support cinemas, festivals and film exhibitors to welcome working class people as audiences and staff to their venues and increase access to independent cinema for all.
Working through these 6 short podcasts we hope you can find ideas and understanding of barriers for working class people, with a view to increasing access in cinemas, and offer a chance to reflect on where your venue is currently at.
Click on each link to listen to all 6 podcasts
You can download the transcript for each episode from the downloads section.
This introductory episode explores some issues with working class inclusion such as how we define class and that the term ‘working-class’ groups many different experiences together.
What to reflect on your organisation and how it can take small, cost-free measures to improve it’s welcome to working class people.
What to reflect on whilst working on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion EDI) in your organisation.
Consider the barriers you create that prevent people entering and/or enjoying your space or event.
How to include a spectrum of working class representation onscreen.
How to ensure you have working class employees at all levels of the organisation.
You can listen to all six podcast episodes of Working Class Inclusion: Audiences, Colleagues & Programming here:
Coming soon to:
We have provided a checklist of measures as suggested in the podcasts to provide your staff and venue with an easy point of reference when considering inclusion of working-class people in your work.
You can find this in the downloads section on this page.
We have provided a list of film suggestions which can be used for ideas and inspiration for film programmers when considering working-class representation in cinema. We’ll be updating this with distributor/access materials information as this comes in (until the end of March 2023).
You can find this in the downloads section on this page.
Inclusive Cinema spoke to Rianne Pictures founder Caris Rianne and team member Sophie Duncan on their approach to implementing the toolkit Dismantling Structural Inequality in Your Cinema by Sadia Hameed. How did you hear about the toolkit? Caris: We came across it, I think it was around January time, and it was on my to … More
Why the project matters The pilot challenges barriers to cinema and film faced by wider communities, and takes a bespoke approach to meeting needs which heighten the barriers during COVID. It ensures that during a time of desperation for survival in the exhibition industry, that already marginalised communities do not continue to be neglected. Aims … More
Queer disabled writer/director Charli Whatley and producer and animator Toby Anthonisz set up production company Faded Neon Films to support underrepresented voices to tell bold cinematic stories. Inclusivity is at the heart of what we do, and we are working on developing new ways to approach filmmaking that make the development and production process accessible … More
In 2019, This Way Up took to Nottingham for the event’s sixth edition, which kicked off with opening sessions reflecting the key themes of the overall conference: Celebration, Resilience and The Future.
The conference featured more talks around inclusion than ever before, and we at Inclusive Cinema captured four of our favourite talks so those who couldn’t make the event could still get the benefit of case studies and insights shared.
The talks below are provided by the following speakers:
Rabab Ghazoul, the Founder & Director of Welsh cultural organisation platform Gentle/Radical, shared her vision of what the future of working with audiences could be. What does ‘outreach’ look like now, and what could it become?
Karena Johnson, Artistic Director and CEO, Hoxton Hall, shared her experience of re-launching Hoxton Hall, a Victorian music hall, and tackling the sometimes uncomfortable issue of diversity. She led a workshop session where delegates were invited to explore their own approach. She spoke about shifting organisational culture, bringing a team with you on a journey and how to manage expectations.
Rico Johnson-Sinclair, Director and Programmer of CineQ Birmingham discussed campaigning for queer, trans, and intersex people of colour’s stories on screen and how he reaches audiences.
Nikki Stratton, Co-Founder & Director, Deaffest looked at the best ways to market to D/deaf audiences. Catherine Downes (Co-Founder, usheru) discussed their work aiming to reach those that start the ticket-buying process but don’t complete the all-important checkout process. With tips and tricks to maximise the potential of your marketing output.
Creative & Cultural Skills, on behalf of the Creative Careers Programme, has launched a new Best Practice Recruitment Guide for Creative Leaders. The Best Practice Recruitment Guide for Creative Leaders has been designed to help employers reflect on how they might currently approach recruitment and offers simple steps that could help a business reach beyond … More
Project Overview A strategic project as part of Film Hub Wale’s Diversity & Access strand for 2015/16, developed in response to both audience and member demand. Contact a Family are a national charity that support families with children who have a range of sensory needs and learning difficulties. In 2015, Film Hub Wales awarded support … More
This report is one of a number of evidence reviews commissioned by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) to support their development of an anti- poverty strategy for the UK. More information can be found at http://www.jrf.org.uk/work/workarea/anti-poverty-strategy
Scottish Queer International Film Festival (SQIFF) was founded in 2014, holding its first one-off screening in September of that year and 3 annual Festivals since then. Attendance has grown from 1801 at our first festival in 2015 to 4609 in 2017 (a 156% increase). SQIFF’s audiences are made up of diverse LGBTQ+ communities and a … More
Opening Our Doors was a day of workshops and talks developed by Film Hub Wales, aimed at highlighting inclusivity and equality in film exhibition. The event was aimed at exhibitors seeking to capacity build within their own cinemas. It was a tailor-made day of workshops, case studies and discussions by experts and FAN members for FAN members aimed to boost exhibitor confidence in being more inclusive.
Working closely with Film Hub Scotland, and forming part of their Amplify programme, an Opening our Doors day was delivered in January 2019 to support members of the network in understanding and engaging with diverse communities including low-income, BAME, and disabled groups. The event also referenced programming, and marketing for diverse audiences.
The BFI diversity standards task exhibitors with supporting better inclusion in cinema, such as inclusion for those with additional needs and for those who might feel culturally excluded.
Many of us know about the barriers that are in front of us when we talk about building diverse audiences. We don’t really get the time to consider and talk about our options, our fears, talk to our peers and come up with solutions to improve what we offer.
