(18022) - The Edge Theatre and Arts Centre - To establish a Community Cinema.

The Edge Theatre was founded in 2011 in a Victorian building and has been transformed through grants from trusts and foundations and public donations. The building has three studio spaces, a gallery, an 80 seat theatre, lift access and accessible café and toilets. It welcomes more than 700 people each week to explore their creativity, learn new skills, make friends and improve their well-being with regular classes in drama, singing, dance, ukulele, life drawing, music making and it runs two community choirs.

The applicant runs a steering group made up of learning disabled participants who meet quarterly to discuss ideas and help shape its work so that it responds to their needs, aspirations and interests. The idea of a community cinema was one of theirs as, in general, mainstream cinema experiences are not accessible for them.

The community cinema will give them, and other community groups, the power to choose the films they want to see, fostering and empowering networks of people through being involved in managing and attending screenings. There is no facility of this kind near The Edge Theatre, other community cinemas (13 and 16 miles away) that present programmes for the mainstream public.