Silver screen £200k richer
Stirling’s Macrobert cinema has received a grant of almost £200,000 from the Scottish Government.
It is part of a £3.19m pan Scotland recovery fund to help stabilise, rebuild and revitalise independent cinemas, and two touring cinema operators, following Covid-19.
There are 29 independent cinema recipients in total from Annan’s Lonsdale Cinema to Mareel in Shetland and Campbeltown Picture House to the Moray Playhouse in Elgin.
The grants have been distributed by Screen Scotland and the Macrobert’s is £198,069.
Macrobert film programmer Grahame Reid said this week:“We are delighted to be one of the 29 independent cinemas receiving this funding.
“It will not only enable the continued recovery of our film programme, it will also support an innovative new project to increase access to cinema for our local communities.”
Head of audience development at Screen Scotland, Sambrooke Scott, said:“Scotland has a marvellously unique cohort of independent cinemas serving communities across the country, from historic purpose-built venues to arts centres and multi-screen cinemas.
“Despite facing unprecedented challenges as we adapt to living with Covid they have continued to provide vital cultural, social and economic hubs for the towns and cities they serve.
“This fund will ensure they are able to continue that work and make vital changes to welcome cinema-goers back, to reach new audiences and future generations to come.”
Scottish culture secretary Angus Robertson said the financial support for independent cinemas will help to build back and adapt the businesses in the light of the challenges faced by the industry throughout the Covid pandemic.
He added: “Local cinemas are a focal point for communities and these funds will help them to develop new activities to grow their audiences.”
This latest funding takes the total emergency funds awarded to cinemas, from the Scottish Government through Screen Scotland, since the pandemic began in March 2020 to £8,727,829 through the Independent Cinema Recovery and Resilience Fund and the Recovery Fund for Indie Cinemas.