Matt Fenton is the Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Contact. In this case study on the theme of leadership and development, Matt talks about their model which relies on young people aged 13–30, and the wide-ranging impact two specific projects have had on participants, communities and audience development.
Black Moon Film Club hosts screenings all over Northern Ireland, with a home in Belfast’s Black Box arts venue in the Cathedral Quarter area of the city. The film club has been supported by Film Hub NI who offer funding and audience development support to film exhibitors in Northern Ireland. Black Moon Film Club is an inclusive … More
The resource covers five of the most popular or impactful films from Into Film’s inclusion project, provides tips for the arrangement of your Into Film club, suggestions for film reviewing and activities to enhance and support screenings.
Experiencing films on the big screen is something that can be enjoyed by everyone, but accessibility can sometimes lag behind demand. How do we make sure the cinema is open to everyone?
Extract from Clare Wilford’s 2016 PR Presentation ‘How to Get the Press on Your Side’ for the ICO’s REACH: Strategic Audience Development participants
The project was created to develop inclusive cinema serving rural/isolated audiences on the Isle of Tiree, the most westerly of the Inner Hebrides. Tiree has a population of 650 and the nearest cinema is 4 hours away on a ferry. The project was initiated by Jen Skinner in December 2015 using an old projector in … More
Being inventive about funding sources is essential in cinema. From sponsorship, to film funding, to support from trusts and foundations, there are options available to most organisation types.
The BFI distributes National Lottery funding for national audience projects through two avenues. National-scale projects can apply directly to the Audience Project Fund, a rolling project fund. You can find out more at this link.
Cinemas running regional projects can apply for funding from their film hub. Each hub operates their funding calendar in a different way, although the aims of the funds are largely the same and refer to the priority areas under BFI 2022:
● Engaging audiences – maximising the number of audiences engaging with FAN activity and increasing the quality and cultural depth of their experience
● Broadening film choice – increasing access to a wide range of independent British and international film for audiences – especially those outside London
● Diversity – increasing the diversity of audiences engaging with FAN activity
● Young audiences – boosting participation of 16-30 year olds in FAN activity
● Screen heritage – facilitating greater access to archive content with a particular focus on national and regional collections
Find out about each hubs funding on their websites.
Film Hub Midlands
Film Hub North
Film Hub Scotland
Film Hub Northern Ireland
Film Hub Wales
Film Hub South West
Film Hub South East
Film Hub London
Film hubs respond to the needs and make up of their regions so funds may be formatted individually, and focus on different elements of the priorities at different times. You must register as an organisation to be a FAN member to receive funding, but registration is free.
Some regional film hubs also offer project funding to any FAN members across all the nations and regions through national programmes:
Major Programmes (large national seasons led by BFI and FAN)
Screen Heritage (national archive seasons)
New Releases (supporting independent film titles)
If you have access requirements that mean you need assistance when applying for BFI and film hub funds, you may be able to request financial support through the BFI Access Support scheme. Find out more information here.
BFI Audience Projects Fund
Creative Europe UK
Cinema for All
Screen Scotland
Creative Scotland
Northern Ireland Screen
Ffilm Cymru Wales
Film & Television Charity
There are also a range of funders who fund projects supporting diverse groups.
Reaching Communities from National Lottery
Big Lottery Fund
Heritage Lottery Fund
Esmee Fairbairn Foundation
The Baring Foundation
Paul Hamlyn Foundation
The Allen Lane Foundation
Arts Council
Comic Relief
Arts & Humanities Research Council
The Rayne Foundation
Creative Scotland
Wolfson Foundation
Garfield Weston
Foyle Foundation
Trusthouse Charitable Foundation
John Ellerman Foundation
The Tudor Trust
The Henry Smith Charity
The Dunhill Medical Trust
From in-kind support of food and drink for your event to large CSR (corporate social responsibility) funds from major commercial organisations, there is money to be found for cinemas that can align the work they’re doing to the priorities of companies.
In 2018 we asked our network members to tell us how inclusive they felt their cinemas were and what they’d like to do to increase access to their film programmes. 70% felt that more training could help.
The BFI Diversity Standard encourages exhibitors to offer inclusive cinema programmes – inclusion for those with additional needs, as well as for those who may feel culturally excluded.
Lots of us have fears and are aware of the barriers that stand in our way when we try to develop diverse audiences, but we don’t often get the time to consider our options, talk to peers and come up with solutions and ideas to improve what we offer.
FAN delivers training in Inclusive Cinema to our membership, through face-to-face workshops, resources such as this, 121 consultancy, and industry conferences like This Way Up. See us at major independent cinema events, such as Slate Days and Screening Days. The ICO, UKCA and other organisations that specialise in accessibility and diversity also have regular programmes of training to support exhibitors looking to grow their diverse audiences.
FAN’s regional film hubs – links on the funding page
Independent Cinema Office (ICO)
Cinema for All
Into Film
UK Cinema Association (UKCA)
Centre for Accessible Environments – accessibility
Arts Marketing Association – audience development incl. Diversity Academy
Audience Agency – audience development
The Other Box – bias, diversity and inclusion training
BRAP – diversity and inclusion training
A&IM – Access and Inclusivity Matters
Sunsurfer – equality, disability and mental health training
The Diversity Trust – equality, diversity and inclusion training
Shape Arts – disability equality training
DASH – accessible marketing and disability equality training
Equality and Diversity UK
ACAS – equality, mediation and management training
Zebra Uno – Deaf awareness and sign language training
RNID – Deaf awareness
Royal Deaf – Deaf awareness
Remark! – Deaf awareness
Deafinitely Theatre – Deaf awareness
BIFA – Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Training
Amiokaa – equality, diversity & inclusion training
Diverse Matters – equality, diversity and inclusion training
For filmmakers, BFI Network offers a full list of funders and training providers for filmmakers and production roles.
Independent cinemas, film clubs and societies, and multi-arts venues have produced some of the most exciting cinema events, engaging with audiences across the broadest spectrum of the UK public. From R&D projects, piloting screenings for children with multi-sensory needs, to symposiums on LGBTQ+ film, to festivals raising awareness about living well with dementia, to film clubs led by Black, Asian and minority ethnic d/Deaf audiences, much of the Film Audience Network’s membership – large and small – have been bringing valuable film experiences and a slice of normal life to all people, whatever their protected characteristics.
Here, we share some best practice case studies, in an aim to engage more cinemas to take up inclusive cinema projects, collaborating with partners and specialist organisations to build a cine-literate and appreciative film culture.
If you’d like to submit your own case study, please download this Inclusive screening case study template and submit it to toki[at]filmhubwales.org, so we can share your experiences, too.
Over 1500+ members make up the Film Audience Network. We work with hundreds of partners in arts organisations, the charity sector and through education to broaden the reach of British and international film to diverse audiences, but this only happens when staff take time to step away from the day-to-day to address the bigger picture.
We’ve collated existing best practice guidance on working with diverse groups and diversity specialists from various sectors, not just our own. We’ve also started to fill in the gaps, by creating new guides for exhibitors where there’s demand.
Here you’ll find an array of guidance to support your inclusive cinema aims. Where there are gaps, we’re aiming to fill them. If you have ideas, or would like to contribute, get in touch.
