Call Out – Build A Community Cinema for Your Venue with Black Country Touring

Black Country Touring are launching an exciting opportunity for 3 community organisations, venues and volunteers in Sandwell who want to use cinema and film to bring people together in their community. In response to Covid-19, this activity will initially take place online through the creation of the Black Country Film Club and will transition to live screenings when we can all return to our wonderful local venues!

What is a Community Cinema?
Every Community Cinema we support is different, as it’s designed by the local community. From classics and golden oldies to family favourites and blockbusters, it’s all about bringing people together to enjoy great films together, with a chance to socialise before and after the screening.

Each Community Cinema will receive a subsidy to screen at least one film per month in their venue or online.

How Does it Work?
By taking part in this project you will be part of a collaborative network of community cinema promoters until 2022*. You will have access to online training, preparing you for community cinema events both online and when gatherings are possible again at your venue. You will also engage with your community online and have the opportunity to:

– Build an audience for your Community Cinema and organisation’s wider offering
– Recruit a volunteer panel to help programme your community cinema
– Help those who are isolated both now and in ordinary circumstances
– Bring people together in a safe, interesting and fun way
– Develop skills in events, promotion and film exhibition knowledge
– Have free access to BCT’s mobile cinema kit for live screenings

By 2022, we will support you to become self-sufficient and able to run your own Community Cinema long-term, with advice on fundraising provided by BCT and SCVO.

The Black Country Film Club
As a Sandwell Community Cinema, you’ll also be part of The Black Country Film Club, a place online where new and existing Community Cinemas from across Sandwell and the Black Country will work collaboratively to reach people in their homes and connect with film in exciting and engaging ways. This will be through online screenings, watchalong parties, q&a sessions with film professionals – the possibilities are endless and we want YOU to be involved in shaping it from the beginning. It’s a great way to continue to bring local people together at a time of social distancing.

If you are interested please contact film@bctouring.co.uk saying who you are, your organisation (if applicable) and where you are based with the subject header ‘Sandwell Community Cinema’.

The Sandwell Community Cinema is supported by SCVO’s EPIC Fund and Film Hub Midlands.