The Dominion, Filmhouse Edinburgh and Edinburgh-based touring cinema operators Regional Screen Scotland and the INDY Cinema Group are among 30 independent cinemas and two touring operators to receive £3.55 million from the Scottish Government’s Independent Cinema Recovery and Resilience Fund and The National Lottery, through Screen Scotland.
The Fund, which aims to bridge the immediate financial gap faced by independently owned cinemas as a result of COVID-19, will now support these cinemas who can operate in the short-term, within Scottish Government guidelines, and help others towards reopening, when it is safe to do so.
Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture said: “We understand the severe impact this pandemic has had on businesses across Scotland, including our independent cinemas which play such an important role in communities across the country.
“We have had to make some really difficult decisions recently that will impact on cinemas which have worked so hard to re-open safely, but we have to put health considerations above everything else and I hope this funding, along with the business support that will be available, will help independent cinemas cope with all the challenges they face.
“Culture is vitally important to all of our lives, and we are determined to do everything within our powers to see the sector through this crisis. This fund is part of the ongoing financial support the Scottish Government is making available to the sector.”
Sambrooke Scott, Head of Audience Development at Screen Scotland said: “Independent cinemas have always played a vital role in communities across Scotland, bringing people together to immerse themselves in great film experiences from filmmakers around the world, and around the corner.
“It’s been the most challenging of times for these hard-working venues but, with the help of this Scottish Government and National Lottery support, they will continue to open and operate safely as local restrictions allow.
“By putting stringent measures in place to protect staff and audiences alike they will open where able and bring the magic and escapism of cinema back, which is something we need now more than ever.”
The Dominion Cinema said: “We are very fortunate to be in a position to benefit from the Recovery and Resilience Fund for Independent Cinema.
“This will allow us to maintain our position in the industry and help enable us to welcome our loyal patrons back when the time is right.”
Ian Brown, Group CEO and Founder of Edinburgh-based touring cinema operator the INDY Cinema Group said: “This support from Screen Scotland has been crucial in ensuring that INDY Cinema Group and its team are here both now and for the future to support our cinemas and communities across Scotland.
“Without the support all our work over the past 10 years to assist in building community cinemas, commercial independents and ever growing cinema support services for our industry was at risk of being lost.
“Now we are in a position to not just survive but ensure that we are ready for the challenge to come and helping all of our communities and cinemas grow again”
Ken Hay, CEO of Centre for the Moving Image (Filmhouse Edinburgh) said: “Cinemas are the heart of many communities and Filmhouse and Belmont Filmhouse are no different.
“Our communities want us to be open so that we can dim the lights and help people escape everything else for a couple of hours with the magic of cinema – and they’ve already donated over £100,000 so that we can do just that.
“And this funding from Screen Scotland will be integral in keeping both cinemas open over the next 5 months – when we’re allowed to be.”
Robert Livingstone of Edinburgh-based Regional Screen Scotland, operator of the touring cinema The Screen Machine said: “The Independent Cinema Recovery Fund is a crucial measure to help to sustain cinemas across Scotland.
“At Regional Screen Scotland we’re very grateful for this support, as it will allow us to begin touring again with the Screen Machine, by compensating for the box office income lost through the need to maintain 2m physical distancing.
“This means we can bring at least some Christmas cheer to many smaller communities in the Highlands.”
Recipients of the Fund are:
| Organisation | Cinema Name | Funding Amount |
| An Lanntair | An Lanntair (Stornoway) | £44,200 |
| Caledonian Cinemas Limited | Moray Playhouse (Elgin) | £149,583 |
| Campbeltown Community Business | Campbeltown Picture House (Campbeltown) | £65,000 |
| Centre for the Moving Image | Filmhouse (Edinburgh), Belmont Filmhouse (Aberdeen) | £627,849 |
| D&G Council | Robert Burns Centre (Dumfries) | £24,896 |
| Dundee Contemporary Arts | Dundee Contemporary Arts | £143,588 |
| Eden Court Highlands | Eden Court (Inverness) | £158,814 |
| Falkirk Community Trust | Bo’ness Hippodrome (Falkirk) | £51,552 |
| G1 Group | Perth Playhouse | £128,622 |
| Glasgow Film Theatre | Glasgow Film Theatre | £415,171 |
| Granada Cinemas (Edinburgh) Ltd. | Dominion Cinema (Edinburgh) | £224,846 |
| INDY Cinema Group Ltd | INDY Cinema Group (Various) | £216,035 |
| Kino Entertainment Ltd | The Kino Leven, The Kino Glenrothes | £106,313 |
| Lonsdale Cinema | Annan Lonsdale Cinema | £43,842 |
| Macrobert | Macrobert (Stirling) | £111,244 |
| Newton Stewart Cinema | Newton Stewart Cinema (Newton Stewart) | £32,878 |
| NPH Cinema | New Picture House (St Andrews) | £87,723 |
| Oban Phoenix Cinema | Oban Phoenix Cinema (Oban) | £61,818 |
| Pavilion (Galashiels) Ltd | Pavilion (Galashiels) | £207,362 |
| Premier Leisure | Premier Leisure (Saltcoats) | £71,259 |
| Regional Screen Scotland | Screen Machine (Various) | £24,521 |
| Shetland Arts Development Agency | Mareel (Lerwick) | £40,860 |
| The Birks Cinema Trust Ltd | The Birks Cinema (Aberfeldy) | £68,500 |
| The Pickaquoy Centre Trust | The Phoenix Cinema (Kirkwall) | £21,244 |
| The Tower Digital Art Centre | The Tower Digital Arts Centre (Helensburgh) | £81,328 |
| Universal Sounds (Arbroath) Limited | Bathgate Cinema, Alloa Cinema, Arbroath Cinema | £96,875 |
| West Coast Cinemas LLP | Studio Cinema (Dunoon), Waterfront Cinema (Greenock) | £244,441 |
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