Silver screen given cash boost

Two cinema projects in Ayrshire are to receive welcome funding to help them serve their communities.

The Iris Mobile Cinema programme in Ayr is to receive £10,223, while East Ayrshire Leisure Trust (Cumnock Town Hall Community Cinema) is to net £12,612.

The grant awards are part of a larger £491,285 handout to 24 projects from The National Lottery- through Screen Scotland’s Cinema Equipment Fund. It will go towards the purchase of new equipment.

Cumnock Town Hall Community

Cinema has received funding to purchase a motorised cinema projection screen, projector and supplementary equipment to expand the services provided from its base.

They are aiming to establish a yearround accessible film programme.

The film programme will be created in partnership with the local community who will have the opportunity to shape the programme.

Michelle Laats from East Ayrshire Leisure said: “This award will enable East Ayrshire Leisure to install high quality cinema equipment to provide a small cinema programme from Cumnock Town Hall. This award is a great boost for the community, making cinema accessible to those that most need it.”

And community arts venue The Iris Arts will use funding to support The Iris Mobile Cinema and the purchase of equipment for the project that directly engages with local community groups and organisations across South Ayrshire, providing an “entertaining, thought provoking and informative” cinematic programme for audiences .

The Iris Mobile Cinema will run five regular monthly screenings programmed in part by a team of volunteers that accurately represents marginalised communities in the area.