You are here: Home / News / BFI’s New Film Centre Suffers Deep Government Cut

BFI’s New Film Centre Suffers Deep Government Cut

June 19, 2010 By 2 Comments
StumbleUponRedditFarkPinterestShare

Though somewhat inevitable the news that the UK government have elected to cut their funding for the BFI’s new Film Centre on London’s South Bank is still depressing.

Previous PM Gordon Brown, perhaps knowing his number was up, announced that the government was to give £45m to the BFI to aid their building a 5 screen National Film Centre, which was to become a hub for film based exhibitions and research facilities. Today though the BFI put out this statement, coming after the news that the money would not be available,

We had anticipated that the government would not be able to afford investment in the BFI Film Centre at this time and knew that we would face a challenge on the project. We still remain committed to taking the BFI Film Centre forward.

We are concerned that film is bearing the brunt. Over 50 per cent of the DCMS cuts announced are coming from the film sector. Film is a critical component of Britain’s future cultural and economic prosperity and we welcome the Minister’s commitment to reviewing government’s support for the industry. Our one plea is that this is done as a matter of urgency.

Deadline and The Guardian have their take on this story, and none of it makes for cheery reading. Don’t get me wrong, in London we are spoiled for choice when it comes to the Arts, with the National Film Theatre on the bank of the Thames, alongside a wonderful range of galleries and theatres nearby, and the BFI are to pursue their Film Centre regardless, although it will now be a tougher fight.

We are constantly told that the recession is biting and we are all feeling consequences, and these cuts by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport are just are just one of a thousand cuts the country is facing, along with similar cutbacks across the world, my concern is that the Arts will be relegated to luxury status as opposed to a necessity. We’ll see how funding for the UK Film Council and lottery grants to smaller independent projects fare in the coming years, but now more than ever it is important to support the people who make these films, and such a difference to us all.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: , , , , ,
About Jon Lyus

Father and writer. In gutter, looking at stars.

Movie quotes I live my life by: 'Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around once in a while - you might miss it.' 'Carpe Diem!' 'When somebody asks you if you're a God - you say YES!'

  • Craig_Skinner

    Department for Culture, Media and SPORT. They're not cancelling the Olympics are they…

  • Filmlad

    The current BFI SouthBank is more than adequate as a home for The Bitish Film Institute, rent free and only recently having a multi millon pound refit at the expense of the taxpayer, what benefits are there to people who live outside of London ?

    The BFI is more concerned about its own self interest, rather than any promotion of British Film, with the axing of the UK Film Council, its time to take an evaluation of the BFI's six figure salaries, final pension salary schemes, International travel expenses etc., none of which are available under “The Freedom of Information Act”.