News from our partners: Flicks in the Sticks employs five young people to engage new audiences
News from our partners Arts Alive
Thanks to funding from the British Film Institute (BFI), rural cinema Flicks in the Sticks has been able to employ five young people as Cultural Co-ordinators in a bid to reach and engage new audiences through film events specifically for young adults.
Based in and around market towns in Shropshire and Herefordshire; Whitchurch, Shrewsbury, Hereford, Leominster and also Welshpool, the co-ordinators aim to work closely with groups of local young people to organise film screenings for those aged 16-30.
Arts Alive – Flicks in the Sticks
The funding has given jobs to young people who are passionate about film and are keen to organise events with, and support attendance by, other young people with similar interests. It is important to Flicks in the Sticks that we expand our audiences to include more people under 35.
We hope to learn from the new audiences how we can make Flicks more accessible to under-represented groups and offer a much more social event, moving away from the trend of watching films on a phone or tablet. With the introduction of streaming sites like Netflix, iPlayer and YouTube and the costs of travelling and going to mainstream cinemas, rural young adults are increasingly engaging with film at home.
Ian Kerry, Director of Arts Alive, said:-
“We are really excited to have received this support from the BFI, and we are now in a position to employ some young people to deliver this great project. If you are between 16 and 30 and want to screen films in a venue of your choice now is your chance to get in touch!”
Tune in to BBC Radio Shropshire to hear Cultural Co-ordinators Polly and Jo on The Seven O’Clock Show: Thursday 14 November, 7pm.
Flicks in the Sticks, the flagship project of rural touring scheme Arts Alive, delivers over 1,000 high quality film events to village hall and community venues across Shropshire, Herefordshire and beyond. In 2018 alone, 48,000 people attended a Flicks screening. This year Flicks in the Sticks celebrates 20 years of bringing a wide range of cultural film to local audiences.
If you are interested in putting on a film screening for people between the ages of 18-30, please contact info@artsalive.co.uk.
