Build your expertise in attracting cinema audiences
Ambitious to grow your audience?
Want to find ways to bring in people who have never been before?
Keen to diversify the types of people who regularly attend?
REACH: Strategic Audience Development training is for people working at cinemas and film festivals who want to build on their expertise in growing and diversifying audiences while implementing a real project for their venue.
Delivered by leading industry professionals, REACH is designed to increase your cinema or festival’s ability to attract new audiences, encourage them to explore a broader range of films and keep them coming back.
As the course progresses, you will put your new expertise into practice by running an audience development project at your venue or festival with several months of tailored support from an audience development expert.
REACH 2025 kicks off with three days of workshops in London from 29 September to 1 October. Your audience development project takes place from October 2025 to March 2026. The course finishes with an in-person workshop day in March 2026.
This is the sixth edition of REACH. 100% of previous participants found it to have a positive impact on their audience development work and would recommend the course to others.
Find out more about the application process and what to expect on the course by signing up for an online information session at 12pm, 3 July.
This is a UK-wide opportunity open to BFI FAN members from all regional/national Film Hubs. Find your local film hub here.
REACH was created by the ICO and is funded by the BFI Film Audience Network.
Programme & projects
Programme
The course starts with three days of workshops, presentations and case studies to help participants develop a greater understanding of their organisation’s potential and the current cinema audience landscape. Participants will be encouraged to use pioneering audience development success stories as the springboard for their own projects. This section of the course is led by experts with a proven track record of working with venues and festivals and looks closely at:
- How to understand, research and build audiences
- Delivering practical projects that produce clear results
- Bringing new audiences to a wider range of films
- Engaging audiences from diverse backgrounds
- Encouraging public participation and inclusion
- Making use of your resources to achieve goals
Your REACH Audience Development Project
During the early stages of the course you will be matched with an expert advisor to support you in developing your initial proposal into something actionable, achievable and with clear audience development goals that are right for you and your target audiences. Previous REACH projects have had a wide range of subjects and goals and the scale of the project will depend on the size of your organisation and your current role within it.
Some previous projects have included:
- A new workshop for Deaf filmmakers, taking them from film development to showing their work during a festival
- Using social media to grow young audiences for an arthouse venue by introducing new branding
- Introducing a new membership scheme for audiences who are under 25
- Increasing accessibility in the venue for groups living with Autism and Dementia
- Increasing young audiences by introducing a new strand programmed by a young programmer
- Establishing a new network of partnerships between venues in rural areas
- Engaging family audiences with children aged 7 – 12 who do not attend film events at the venue, but do attend other activities
- Establishing a community hub for Asylum Seekers and Refugees in the city around film screenings and workshops
- Hosting a commercially successful two-day festival to generate a new audience for the regular programming strands
Course Structure and Dates
Module 1 – Audience Development Forum (29 September - 1 October 2025, BFI Stephen Street, London)
Three days of workshops, presentations and case studies to help participants develop a greater understanding of their organisation and the current cinema audience landscape. Participants will be encouraged to use pioneering audience development success stories as the springboard for their own projects. This section of the course is led by experts with a proven track record of working with venues and festivals facing all kinds of audience challenges and with high aspirations.
Module 2 – Project Delivery (October 2025 – March 2026, in your organisations)
Having designed an Audience Development Project, participants will be matched to an expert advisor to help them implement their plans over the course of several months.
Module 3 – Mid-Point Sessions (December 2025, online via Zoom)
A day of online sessions to provide you with the opportunity to discuss your progress so far, and help work through any roadblocks you may have come across.
Module 4 – Seminar Day and Exit Sessions (March 2026, in-person, location TBC)
Participants will present their projects to their peers, with feedback workshops and discussion groups formed from these findings. Participants will have a final advisory session with their matched advisor and case studies will be posted online.
Who is this course for?
REACH welcomes applications from people who are able to deliver an audience development project at the cinema, festival or organisation where they work.
This doesn’t need to be a big project, and your initial idea will develop during the early stages of the course, but you should have a rough idea with a clear audience development goal in mind.
Delivering your project is a key part of the course, so make sure that your organisation is on board and supportive before you apply.
You should have worked for at least 1-2 years in film exhibition (this can include voluntary work). Many participants will be more experienced, and there is no upper limit to seniority or experience.
Information session and contact
Find out more about REACH: Strategic Audience Development by watching our information session.
This was an informal session discussing the application process (and the funding available to help you cover course fees), what you can expect at the in-person sessions and during the self-led period of project delivery, and what course alumni have been able to achieve through this course and since.
If you you’d like to have a short chat with the organisers to see if the course right for you, drop us an email on info@independentcinemaoffice.org.uk and we’ll be happy to arrange a time.
Testimonials
We have delivered four successful editions of REACH. 100% of previous participants gave feedback that:
- attending REACH had a practical and positive impact on their working practices
- they would recommend the course to others
- they considered the course to be good value for money
“After participating in the training programme, I’m looking to approach audience development in a more strategic way i.e. devising a data-driven marketing plan; programming with specific audiences in mind; and collaborating with other organisations to have a greater impact”
REACH Participant, 2024
“Working with other exhibitors has boosted my confidence in a multitude of ways. I’ve improved my vocabulary on how I talk about my cinema, how I interact with potential collaborators and how I write funding applications.”
REACH Participant, 2024
Speakers (announced so far)
Catharine Des Forges
Director, Independent Cinema Office
Catharine has spent over 20 years working in the exhibition sector for a variety of organisations including the BFI and Arts Council England. She has worked as a freelance programmer and arts consultant and progammed for festivals and cinemas both in the UK and internationally. She has lectured on film at a number of UK universities and is a regular contributor to industry events and a frequent filmmaker Q&A host. Catharine founded the ICO in 2003 and has been its Director ever since.
David Sin
Head of Cinemas, Independent Cinema Office
Over the past 25 years, David has worked as a Programmer, Consultant and Distributor, on occasions two or three of these at the same time. From 1998-2002, he was Director of Cinema at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) where he programmed an award-winning season of Japanese experimental film, increased admissions by 100% and also made a success of the ICA’s cutting edge distribution company; releasing over 40 films including Ring, A One and a Two and Kandahar. Whilst Head of Content at the British Film Institute, he co-produced a screening of Borderline staged at the Tate Modern Turbine Hall; and A Throw of Dice with a live orchestra in Trafalgar Square.
Duncan Carson
Projects and Business Manager, Independent Cinema Office
Duncan is the ICO’s Project and Business Manager, working on distribution, Screening Days and venue consultancy. He joined the ICO as Marketing and Communications Manager having worked as an editor and marketer in publishing. He runs the itinerant screening programme Nobody Ordered Wolves, which shows neglected films across London. He’s taken his love of film in a lot of different directions including running a university film society, working with an independent distributor, running a pop-up screen in Hackney and lecturing on film at various universities. He was a former Marketing Manager at Curzon Cinemas. He is currently also working part-time on a feasibility project to open his own cinema in Waltham Forest, London.
Kerry Radden
Associate Director, Indigo
Kerry is Associate Director at Indigo, leading on audience-centred projects across the cultural sector. Indigo is a team of audience specialists, driving strategy through audience insight. Kerry has over 20 years of marketing experience, gained predominantly in the arts and charity sector. For over a decade, she ran her own marketing and brand consultancy, working with cultural organisations and charities to design audience and business strategies. Her previous in-house roles included senior marketing and insight roles at Battersea Arts Centre and the Royal Shakespeare Company. Kerry holds the Market Research Society Advanced Certificate in Market and Social Research and a Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing. She loves supporting organisations to become more effectively data-driven and audience-centred in their programming and marketing and to help them communicate with confidence and clarity.
Saskia van Roomen
Founder, Small World Cinema
Originally from The Netherlands, Saskia has worked in the film and film education industries for over 20 years. In 2015, she founded Small World Cinema to introduce young audiences to classic and world cinema in a fun, interactive, and engaging way. Small World Cinema celebrates the best of children’s cinema from around the globe. Through relaxed screenings and creative activities, we offer a warm and inclusive space—ideal for families and for anyone who would benefit from a supportive, non-judgemental environment. What began as a labour of love has grown into a broader initiative. Today, we create bespoke events for cinemas and alternative venues looking to launch or strengthen their family-friendly programmes.
Charlie Little
Access Consultant, Matchbox Cine
Charlie Little (they/she) is Matchbox Cine’s in-house access consultant, working across the film exhibition sector on access and inclusion for Deaf and disabled audiences. They have lived experience of deafness and sight loss and are passionate about accessible cinema experiences for all. Charlie is BFI FAN and Film Hub Scotland’s EDI Champion and they have programmed for festivals such as BFI’s Busting The Bias and We Crip Film Festival. They are also a member of the BFI’s Disability Screen Advisory Group.
Yi Wang
Director, Queer East
Yi Wang is the founder, director, and programmer of Queer East, a festival dedicated to showcasing boundary-pushing LGBTQ+ cinema, live arts, and moving image work from East and Southeast Asia and its diaspora communities. In addition to his work with Queer East, Yi is a cultural and creative producer in the performing arts, with a primary focus on marginalised voices and intercultural productions. Yi has served as a jury member for several festivals, including the Iris Prize, MIX Copenhagen, Taiwan Women Make Waves Film Festival, and Taiwan International Queer Film Festival, and has delivered lectures, talks, and panels about festival programming, management and queer Asian cinema for various institutions. He is the co-founder of the Association of Curators and Programmers of Asian Cinemas.
Kirsten Geekie
FAN Young Audience Champion
As the FAN Young Audience Champion my role is to support and champion the development of young audiences across the Film Audience Network by providing advice and consultancy to members. I am an experienced family, schools and young audience programmer who has curated and delivered film programmes, festivals and workshops in cinemas and schools across the UK on behalf of the BFI and Into Film. I was the lead writer for the Cinema Book for Children (Dorling Kindersley, 2014) and have a background in festival and cinema management having worked for EIFF, London Film Festival, Sheffield Doc Fest, LSFF, East End and Bertha DocHouse.
Fees & Bursaries
Course Fee
The fee for the course is £800.
Course Fee Bursaries
A limited number of bursaries of up to £500 are available to individuals working for not-for-profit organisations (priority will be given to venues with an annual turnover of less than £400,000) to help cover fees. If you would like to apply for a bursary, please complete the additional form as part of the application process.
If you are successful in your bursary application, your organisation will need to pay the remaining fees to confirm your place, so please ensure you have funds in place.
Film Hub Bursaries
Your regional/national Film Hub may be able to offer bursary support for this training course. This can help cover fees, travel, accommodation, childcare etc. for the in-person sections of the course. Please contact your local Film Hub to apply for support in advance of your application to this course.
Supported by:
How to apply
Please complete the application form below:
REACH: Strategic Audience Development 2025 Application Form
The deadline for applications is Monday 18 August 2025. Applicants will be informed of decisions no later than Friday 29 August 2025.
The cost to take the course is £800. If you are unable to pay the full fees before the course starts, please let us know and we may be able to agree a staggered payment plan.
A limited number of bursaries of up to £500 are available to individuals working for not-for-profit organisations (priority will be given to venues with an annual turnover of less than £400,000) to help cover fees. If you would like to apply for a bursary, please complete the additional form as part of the application process. Your regional/national Film Hub may also be able to offer bursary support for this training course, which can help cover fees, travel, accommodation, childcare, etc. for the in-person sections of the course.
If you have any queries about your application or the course, please contact: training@independentcinemaoffice.org.uk