Filmhouse and film festival set to be backed as Edinburgh protects £4.58m arts funding pot

Events, venues and organisations set to secure support

Efforts to bring back the Edinburgh International Film Festival and the Filmhouse cinema are set to be boosted under plans to protect millions of pounds of crucial culture funding in the city.

Councillors are set to approve £4.5 million worth of backing for festivals, events, venues and arts organisations.

The Edinburgh International Festival, the Fringe, the Traverse, Lyceum and Festival Theatres, the Queen's Hall and Dance Base are among those expected to be supported.

The Filmhouse cinema in Edinburgh closed suddenly in October 2022 after the arts charity Centre for the Moving Image went into administration. Picture: Chris Scott

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However the council is also expected to approve grants to kickstart the revival of both the film festival and the Filmhouse cinema, after the financial collapse of their operator in 2022.

The film festival is due to return in August in a new format which will include a prize for best feature film backed by the family of the late Sir Sean Connery, a long-time patron. Plans for the new-look EIFF have been led by film producer Andrew Macdonald, the chair of its board, and festival director Paul Ridd.

Meanwhile a four-strong team of former Filmhouse staff are trying to raise at least £1.25m for a refurbishment of the Lothian Road building, which closed suddenly when the Centre for the Moving Image went into administration.

The audience at the premiere of Nude Tuesday at the Edinburgh International Film Festival un 2022. Picture: Pako Mera

Although at least half of that funding is now in place, a fundraising deadline was recently extended from the end of this month until the end of April as the results of various applications for support are expected to be known before then.

The latest £40,000 contribution from the council for the EIFF and the Filmhouse will bring the tally committed in recent months to £100,000.

The International Festival is expected to receive the biggest grant, around £1.9m, while the £75,000 in backing for the Fringe is expected to help pay for the running of its street events.

Capital Theatres, which runs the Festival Theatre, is due to receive £585,130, while £328,830 is earmarked for the Lyceum and £40,000 expected for the Traverse.

Lead actors Frankie Corio and Paul Mescal, with Charlotte Wells, the writer and director of Aftersun, which opened the 2022 Edinburgh International Film Festival. Picture: Getty/Euan Cherry

A council report states that it may need to review the level of support it provides to some organisations depending on the result of long-awaited funding decisions from Creative Scotland, the first of which are expected this week.

Council culture convener Val Walker said: “Edinburgh is a city that is renowned the world over for its cultural sectors and influence.

"Whilst we’ve had to make difficult decisions across the council, we’re proud to have protected funding for this key area in the next financial year.

"The city’s cultural industry is a hugely important draw for our residents and visitors whilst also strengthening the local and national economy.

It is hoped Edinburgh's Filmhouse cinema will be able to reopen by the summer.

“All decisions on strategic partner funding are determined by an independent panel. All applicants are required to demonstrate in their applications that awarded funding would make a positive contribution to the aims of Edinburgh’s citywide culture strategy.

“We’ve been clear in our support for the return of the Filmhouse at 88 Lothian Road. We will continue to work closely with Filmhouse (Edinburgh) Ltd, the Scottish Government, Creative Scotland and other key partners going forward. We remain supportive of the Edinburgh International Film Festival in its relaunched format.

“I’m proud that we’ll invest over £4.5m in our cultural sector for the next financial year, which is testament to our commitment to culture in the capital of Scotland.”