The Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) provides funding of up to EUR 315,000 to cinemas throughout Germany, especially outside metropolitan areas.
You can receive funding for the following measures:
- Smart data / customer loyalty / investment marketing measures, for example.
- Hardware and software,
- licenses,
- agency expenses,
- legal advice and programming work, and
- Expenditure on advertising facilities
- Green cinema / sustainability / environmentally friendly processes, for example
- Modernization of heating systems,
- air conditioning and ventilation,
- sanitary installations,
- Investments in the use of renewable energies, for example
- solar energy,
- LED lighting,
- cooling equipment,
- waste separation and reduction systems, and
- Creation of bicycle parking spaces and e-charging stations in the outdoor area.
- Accessibility in the cinema, for example
- Construction of ramps and elevators,
- Construction of barrier-free sanitary facilities,
- Measures to adapt the fire protection concept to existing standards
- Acquisition and installation of technology for the visually and hearing impaired,
- Production of a barrier-free website in accordance with current standards and regulations,
- Installation of a public W-LAN,
- Installation of signage systems for the visually and hearing impaired, and
- Installation of barrier-free car parking spaces in accordance with local building regulations.
- Cash register technology, such as the renewal of
- servers,
- workstations,
- cash drawers,
- ticket and receipt printers,
- scanners,
- network technology,
- digital signage and
- Software
- Projection and sound technology, such as renewal of:
- Projection technology as well as
- subcomponents, such as
- server,
- projector,
- light engine,
- IMB,
- lens,
- 3D unit,
- fan and
- Screen
- Renewal of the entire sound equipment in the projection room and auditorium, for example:
- Loudspeakers,
- amplifier
- processor,
- event technology, for example:
- Microphone technology,
- Lighting technology
- Seating and movie theater equipment, for example:
- Auditorium improvement expenditures, for example:
- Replacement of seating,
- Work on wall,
- floor,
- ceilings,
- curtain,
- lamination,
- substructure,
- fire protection/security technology and
- Network and event technology
- Furnishing of visitor areas / foyer, for example:
- Modernization of the foyer,
- the furnishing,
- sales counters and
- catering technology
- Measures for the repair of the outdoor facilities, for example:
- Modernizations of the outdoor advertising system,
- showcase system,
- facade and
- doors and windows
Also funded Due to the current pandemic, current remodeling and equipment needed to adequately reduce the risk of infection (especially with the SARS-CoV-2 virus) in the public and non-public areas of the cinema .
You will not receive funding for:
- Measures that you started before you submitted the application,
- Special types of cinemas, for example:
- Open-air cinemas,
- traveling cinemas,
- drive-in cinemas,
- cinemas in hotels,
- restaurants,
- barracks,
- new installations, expansion or reopening of cinemas,
- own services,
- office and administrative expenses,
- second-hand goods,
- consumables,
- leasing,
- cleaning services,
- film rental,
- labor costs,
- the purchase of land and buildings,
- repairs,
- maintenance contracts,
- support services,
- subscription fees,
- guarantees.
If you want to invest in the future viability of your cinema, then you can get a subsidy of up to 40 percent of the total eligible costs.
The amount of the subsidy depends on the number of your movie theaters:
- if you have a cinema with only one auditorium, you can get up to EUR 60,000
and
- if you have a cinema with at least 2 auditoriums, you will receive up to EUR 45,000 per auditorium, max. EUR 315,000.
Grants of up to EUR 5,000 are paid out once.
Grants of more than EUR 5,000 are paid out in up to 4 installments depending on the progress of your measure and on request.
Proof that the financing of the measure is secured must be submitted by the time the first installment is paid out at the latest.
Proof of use must be submitted before the last installment is paid out. The proof of use consists of a factual report and a numerical proof in the form of invoices and transfer vouchers. The funds must be used within 6 months after the grant is awarded.
You must keep all invoices and receipts related to eligible costs.
You are not entitled to receive the grant.
You submit the application for funding under the Future Cinema Program to the German Federal Film Board (FFA).
If you select a location under "Localization" the contact details of the responsible authority and, if applicable, locally valid information will be displayed.