The scheme aims to encourage member venues to take more risks within their annual programme, to increase opportunities for diverse audiences to experience a broader range of cinema beyond the mainstream and to develop the UK market for a wider range of film.
It supports and encourages more risk taking in programming, particularly for smaller venues who are under enormous pressure to cut back on riskier titles to make way for more 'popular' films. It could really change the landscape of programming...Plymouth Arts Centre
What is it?
The scheme offers an incentive to encourage members to increase the proportion of British independent and international titles within their annual programme.
We have adapted this scheme to provide an award upfront for venues that can demonstrate their eligibility. We will base eligibility on assessment of screening figures from 2025.
We are offering a scaled upfront award between £250 – £2,000 towards programming and audience development costs for venues that can demonstrate a commitment to cultural film programming.
All venues that have previously participated in the scheme will be offered this upfront award automatically.
If you would like to apply
Venues that are new to the scheme are asked to submit screening figures for 2025 (1st January – 31st December)
Who is it for?
All venues within the Film Hub South West membership that present more than *100 public screenings a year are invited to apply for the Cinema Incentive Scheme. (*based on 2025 figures.)
Eligibility & Incentive for Full Time Venues
A sliding award is offered to support full-time venues (showing a minimum of 250 screenings per year*) that demonstrate a commitment to screening British independent or international (specialised) films as part of their annual programme, as follows:
- Where 55% or more of the annual programme is specialised a fixed offer of £2,000 will be awarded
- If 45% – 54% of the annual programme is specialised a fixed offer of £1000 will be awarded
- If 40% – 44% of the annual programme is specialised a fixed offer of £750 will be awarded
Full-time venues screening less than 40% specialised films are not eligible for an award.
*based on 2025 figures.
Eligibility & Incentive for Part Time Venues
A sliding award is offered to support part-time venues (offering a minimum of 100 screenings per year*) that demonstrate a commitment to screening British independent or international (specialised) films as part of their annual programme, as follows:
- Where 55% or more of the annual programme is specialised a fixed offer of £1000 will be awarded
- If 45% – 54% of the annual programme is specialised a fixed offer of £500 will be awarded
- If 40% – 44% of the annual programme is specialised a fixed offer of £250 will be awarded
Part-time venues screening less than 40% specialised films are not eligible for an award.
*based on 2025 figures.
Parasite (2019)
Rocks (2020)
How does it work?
Eligibility for this scheme is assessed based on the previous year’s annual screening figures.
At the point of initial assessment, the number of screenings of British independent and international cinema for each applying venue will form that venue’s baseline.
In line with BFI Screen Culture 2033 priorities, bonus points will be awarded for:
- Increasing the number of British independent and International cinema titles screened compared to the previous data set. Any increase in the number of British independent and international screenings for the same time period will earn 1 point.
- Screening titles beyond the mainstream that are targeted towards the 16 – 30 age group: 1 point for each screening
- Accessible screenings of British independent and international (specialised) titles (such as Audio Described / Descriptive Subtitled or relaxed screenings) – 1 point for each screening
The level of bonus each participating venue will receive will be calculated based on 2025 screening figures, (1st January 2025, or date from which screenings commence in 2025 – 31st December 2025) to be submitted to the Film Hub by 7th February 2026.
How Bonus Awards are calculated:
The size of the bonus pot depends on the number of participating venues. We anticipate that after fixed awards are paid out, the bonus pot will be circa. £20,000.
- The total bonus pot available will be divided by the total number of points earned by participating venues to ascertain the value of each point
- Funding will be allocated to each venue according to the total value of their earned points.
Please note there will be a cap of 20% of the available bonus pot for any one venue, therefore a maximum potential bonus award of £4,000.
How do I apply?
Applying to the Cinema Incentive Scheme through Film Hub South West is a simple and supportive process.
The scheme supports cinemas to help grow audiences and increase access to a wider range of films, whilst financially supporting cinemas to screen more challenging, specialised and niche films or documentaries.
Please email the Hub by clicking here to see if your cinema qualifies.
Absolutely fantastic. Just what cinema in general needs. With cinemas being financially freer to show a more diverse variety of film there is more opportunity to encourage cinema audiences in general to broaden their viewingGloucester Guildhall