Film programming

We offer three levels of programming advice services to film exhibitors in the UK:

1. A comprehensive film programming and booking service for ICO client cinemas
2. The ICO associate membership scheme which provides a lower level of programming support and access to industry intelligence
3. Free programming advice to all film societies in the UK

The ICO's programming team has over 30 years' collective programming and film-booking experience, offering an extraordinarily wide knowledge of contemporary and historic cinema and a strong relationship with all UK film distributors. In addition to watching previews of new releases, our programmers attend key international and specialist film festivals to ensure that the ICO is among the first to know what's hot (and what's not) for the year ahead.

The programming team can also curate special one-off programmes, even for cinemas and festivals that are not regular clients. Among the team’s particular areas of expertise are children’s cinema, archival film, animation, short films, artists’ film and video, lesbian and gay cinema, cult cinema, horror films and South East Asian cinema.

1. ICO client cinemas

The ICO works in partnership with cinemas and mixed arts venues to help them create unique, commercially viable film programmes that appeal to the most diverse possible range of local audiences. Our team draws on decades of experience to create bespoke programmes for cinemas encompassing the latest blockbusters, arthouse cinema, archive content and artists' moving image work.

In 2011, ICO cinemas had a total of 1million admissions and total box office of £4.6 million. For more information visit the ICO client cinemas page.

2. ICO associate members

The ICO has launched a new service to provide cinemas in the UK with access to specialist industry intelligence, expert programming support and exclusive networking and staff development opportunities. For more information visit the ICO associate members page.

3. Programming advice services for film societies

The ICO provides a programming advice and enquiries service to all film societies in the UK. For further information on the services please visit the Film Societies section.