Irish exhibitors to receive grants for switch to digital

http://www.screendaily.com/ScreenDailyArticle.aspx?intStoryID=41149

 

Ted Sheehy in Dublin

01 Oct 2008 13:43

 

Ireland's Cultural Cinema Consortium has announced a scheme which will provide funding for the purchase and installation of digital projection equipment in Irish cinemas. The consortium comprises the Arts Council and the Irish Film Board (IFB),

 

The grants will be made available to full-time cinema operators who can demonstrate that they already offer "a clear majority of diverse programming on a year-round basis." Grants made through the scheme will cover 85% of the installation costs for up to ten screens, subject to a maximum allocation of €75,000 per screen.

 

Simon Perry, IFB Chief Executive said "It is vital that public funding intervenes to ensure that cinemas offering Irish audiences a wider choice of film than that available in mainstream commercial cinemas are not left behind in the digital race".

 

Fionnuala Sweeney, Head of Film and International Arts at the Arts Council said "This grant scheme will help arthouse cinemas play their part in the digital age and ensure that Irish audiences have access to a diverse range of cinema programming."

 

The Cultural Cinema Consortium was established to support and develop a national infrastructure for cultural cinema in Ireland. The deadline for cinema operators wishing to apply for funding under the scheme is Oct 24.