Cork Film Centre in peril after Arts Council cut

A nursery for young Irish film-making talent has been left reeling after a crippling 50% cut in its Arts Council funding this year.

And the Cork Film Centre is now facing a very uncertain future following confirmation that the Arts Council will provide absolutely no funding to it next year.

The council’s grant represents up to 60% of the centre’s core funding.

The centre’s board has now been advised to spread this year’s funding over six months — between April and October.

But its members are frantically trying to find other sources of funding in a desperate bid to keep the doors open next year.

“The board will seek a meeting with Arts Minister Jimmy Deenihan and we are exploring all funding avenues,” centre director Chris Hurley said.

“But our view is that this funding cut to us is actually a funding cut to future film makers and TV directors. It will be cutting off their opportunities.”

The centre is one of three in Ireland — alongside the Galway Film Centre and Film Base in Dublin.

The Cork centre has seen its Arts Council funding fall from a high of €102,000 around 2008, to just €70,000 last year.

During the same period, it worked with both city and county councils to establish the Cork Film Commission to promote film and TV productions in the region.

And while its funding has been slashed this year, and axed for next year, Film Base has seen no cut in core funding, and Galway is down 40% this year.

The Cork Film Centre receives some support from the city and county councils and also generates limited income through equipment hire, workshops and occasional special projects.

The centre was established 21 years ago and has over the years enabled many filmmakers to make their first films through access to advice, equipment and facilities.

Enda Walsh’s debut, Not a Bad Christmas, was made under the Cork Film Centre/RTÉ Short Script Awards. He went on to international acclaim with such films as Disco Pigs and Hunger.

The centre is seen an essential support to film-makers and artists, helping them develop their careers after graduating from art colleges and courses.