Preparatory Action “Cinemas as Innovation Hubs for Local Communities”

The Commission is launching a 1,5M € call for proposals to create innovative cultural hubs around cinema theatres, notably in areas where there is limited cinema and cultural infrastructure and where the the Covid 19 crisis has had a very strong impact. The Covid 19 pandemic has deeply affected the cinemas and has changed the cinema going experience in a dramatic way.
 
Local cinemas have been bringing communities together, enhancing local cultural life and playing an important social inclusion role. They provide education opportunities and contribute to the local economy, being a vector for urban development in the longer term. Their cultural, social and economic impact should be revamped after the disruption of the Covid 19 crisis. However, the pandemic crisis will require new instruments of interaction and in turn new business models for the exhibitors and for the community around the cinemas.
 
In addition, this action aims to create an appetite for the best European audiovisual and cultural content (feature films, concerts, opera, TV series and animation, documentaries, heritage films, short formats and innovative content like VR) by attracting audiences to cultural hubs.
 
The preparatory 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 new deadline for sending proposals is 21 August 2020.
 
More information: https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/news/preparatory-action-ci…