Huddersfield org to lead country's first 'live cinema' research

In response to the booming live cinema industry in the UK, Huddersfield-based Live Cinema UK has announced the first piece of national industry research on the sector funded by Arts Council England Grants for the Arts.

After a string of hugely popular events, including producing DJ Yoda goes to the SCi Fi Movies as the headline show of Festival of Light 2015, Live Cinema UK are delighted to be commencing on this groundbreaking research.

In partnership with the University of Brighton, with contributing partners including Film Hubs North, North West Central and Scotland as part of the BFI Film Audience Network, This Way Up conference, HOME Manchester, Sensoria Festival, Leeds International Film Festival, Sneaky Experience and the BFI, ‘Live cinema in the UK’ aims to identify the economic value and impact of live cinema events in the UK: film screenings augmented by immersive theatre, live soundtracks or other additional experiential activity.

Surveying the industry as a whole, alongside live cinema public audiences, the research will produce an online searchable database of live cinema projects, artists and exhibitors, encouraging further collaboration between the film and arts sectors.

A wealth of musical talent will contribute to the project, with artists including DJ Yoda, Asian Dub Foundation and British Sea Power to contribute to a series of online videos covering their experiences of creating live music to film screenings.

The full report will be published in May 2016 to coincide with the inaugural International Live Cinema Symposium and the launch of the first academic journal issue dedicated to Live Cinema (Participations: Journal of Audience & reception Studies, Edited by Atkinson and Kennedy). The initial findings of the research and economic impact will be discussed as part of This Way Up: Exhibition Innovation conference at HOME Manchester on December 2nd and 3rd 2015.

Lisa Brook, Director of Live Cinema UK said:
“We are thrilled with the Arts Council’s decision to fund this ground-breaking research project, demonstrating a commitment to supporting artists and producers who take the moving image as inspiration for the creation of art, thrilling audiences around the UK unlike any other country in the world.”

Anna Kime, Film Hub North Manager said:
"I'm delighted to hear about Lisa's ongoing success with Live Cinema. Film Hub North is lucky to work with exhibitors who push the boundaries of what it means to put a film in front of an audience. We launched This Way Up with our Scottish and North West colleagues to celebrate innovation in the industry and we're looking forward to showcasing Lisa's latest work at HOME Manchester in December."

A comprehensive call for participants will take place in August 2015. Any artists, exhibitors, distributors and producers interested in the project can email info@livecinema.org.uk to register their interest. Regular updates will be available at www.livecinema.org.uk, on twitter @livecinemauk and on Facebook at /livecinemauk.

For more information visit http://livecinema.org.uk/blog/2015/07/live-cinema-uk-to-lead-uks-first-industry-research-into-live-cinema-events