Cinema Digitisation Scheme Returns With €500,000 | The Irish Film & Television Network

The Department of Tourism, Culture & Sport has agreed to make funding of up to €500,000 available for the scheme which is being managed by the Arts Council and the IFB. Two types of capital grant funding will be offered, namely Major Capital Support of Digital Projection 2K DCI Standard (maximum grant per installation: €75,000) and Minor Capital Support of Digital Projection less than 2K (maximum grant per installation: €25,000).

The scheme has been designed in a bid to ensure that Irish audiences in all parts of the country have access to a range and choice of cinema programming that is more diverse than the commercial ‘mainstream' and so that Irish cinema operators offering ‘non-mainstream' programming have an opportunity to install digital projection equipment at a cost that is compatible with their turnover and operating costs.

Under the scheme capital funding towards the cost of purchasing and installing digital projection equipment will be made available to cinema operators who can demonstrate that the installation of digital projection equipment will enable them to avail of the cultural and audience development opportunities afforded by new technology and who undertake, maintain or increase a commitment to offering a diverse programme of films on a year-round basis.

The first round of the scheme in 2009 saw a total of €750,000 divided between seven Irish cinemas including The Lighthouse Cinema, IFI, Screen Cinema, Cinema North West, Cinemobile, Mermaid – Wicklow Arts Centre and Galway’s Town Hall Theatre.

The purpose of the scheme is to help to build and support a national circuit of digitally-enabled arthouse cinema screens in a variety of venues throughout Ireland. The deadline for receipt of applications for the Cinema Digitisation Scheme is 5:00pm on Friday, October 1st. Guidelines for the scheme and an application form are available for download from the Arts Council website here: www.artscouncil.ie.

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