EU Funding Available for Cinemas as Innovation Hubs for Local Communities

The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply affected the cinemas and has changed the cinema going experience in a dramatic way. This preparatory action will continue the support to cinema in creating innovative cultural hubs around cinema theatres, notably in areas where there is limited cinema and cultural infrastructure and where the crisis has had a very strong impact.

The action will test new cinema-going experiences, while taking into account local audiences’ needs, and will focus on:

Rethinking the cinema experience in the aftermath of the pandemic crisis with a view of creating innovative cultural venues in particular with cooperation between cinemas and VOD platforms.

Audience development and building communities through interactive experiences (offering a wide range of cultural and educational activities).

The following types of activities are eligible:

Cross-border cooperation projects among cinema operators, as well as between cinemas, VOD platforms or other cultural organisations.

Curated and diverse cinema programming of at least 60% of European content (mainly from EU countries) from different genres and formats, embodying European cultural diversity; the programming should present a strong cultural value and might include among others: feature films, TV series, animation, documentaries, heritage films, short formats or innovative content like VR).

Education activities (including debates or creative workshops also in online environment) on topics such as cinema, new audiovisual technologies (VR, cross media etc.) and other cultural activities or performing arts.

Innovative actions that take into account the effects of the pandemic crisis and revitalising the cinema experience both in real and virtual dimension (ie collaboration with VOD platforms).

Promotion and communication activities related to the action.

Actions aiming at the creation and improvement of networks, exchanges of good practices.

Financial support to third parties.

Proposals must be submitted by a consortium composed of legal entities of which at least one is a cinema operator. The minimum number of partners is three, coming from at least three different EU Member States. Partners can be cinema exhibitors or cultural organisations established in EU Member States and the UK.

The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of projects under this call for proposals is estimated at €1.5 million. The Commission expects to finance up to four/five projects with a maximum of €500,000 grant per project. The EU co-financing is limited to a maximum co-funding rate of 70% of the total eligible costs.

The proposed start date is between November 2020 and March 2021. The proposed maximum duration of the project is 18 months.

Proposals can be submitted until 7 August 2020 (23:59 CEST).

More information about this funding opportunity and the application process is available on the GRANTfinder funding information platform. GRANTfinder provides up-to-the minute content, insight and analysis on funding news and policy. To find out more about how GRANTfinder can keep you in the know, and subscription fees, contact us today.