We are delighted to reveal that we have received support from the Culture Recovery Fund to enable us to continue operating in 2021.
When Covid-19 tiering restrictions allow, we will be able to throw open our doors again, as the £34,000 funding injection from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund will enable us to operate in the first part of next year, despite our diminished seating availability due to Covid-19 safety measures.
The Electric Palace is one of 202 independent cinemas across England that is receiving support, from a £30 million pot being allocated by the British Film Institute (BFI), on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
Speaking of the good news, Electric Palace cinema founder and director Rebecca E Marshall commented:
"I want to say a heartfelt thank you to the BFI for this support. The Electric Palace is a very special place with a rich and colourful history, and it has brought so many people together. It's been running now for 18 years, and it would have been awful for the pandemic to have ended the life of our venue."
"We pride ourselves on offering an affordable, welcoming night out – an evening that often ends with a round of applause for the film, and a post-film chat. This funding enables our staff and volunteers to continue making the cinema a welcoming place for our audience to come and feel safe with other film lovers, to enjoy the serenity and transformative power of watching a film in a darkened room," she said.
"The Culture Recovery Fund support ensures that the Electric Palace cinema can continue helping to keep the appreciation of cinema alive in all its most provoking, challenging and entertaining forms," Marshall continued.
Local cinema recovery support
We're very pleased that other local cinemas were also able to benefit from the Culture Recovery Fund, including Hailsham Pavilion, Kino Rye, Kino-Teatr, Depot Lewes and Picture House Uckfield.
Ben Roberts, BFI Chief Executive, said: “Across the country, local independent cinemas are hubs and lifelines for communities and often the only form of culture and entertainment. From educational programmes and workshops for young people, to screenings for the elderly and audiences with specialised needs, these cinemas play such an important role in people’s lives. The Culture Recovery Fund will mean that many of these cinemas survive the current crisis, and go on to play a vital role in the recovery of local economies and communities, bringing people together to offer joy, solace and the magic of the big screen.”
A Christmas message from the Government
“The magic of film is such an important part of the festive period and this investment will help protect our independent cinemas so they're around for many Christmases to come," said UK Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden.
NB - main image taken October 2020.