A diverse coalition of local advocates for Aberdeen’s city centre, local business people and third sector leaders have rallied behind the campaign to secure funding for the refurbishment and reopening of The Belmont Cinema in the Scottish Budget on Wednesday December 4.
Campaigners are urging the Scottish Government to prioritise the cinema as a key investment in Aberdeen’s economic, cultural and educational future as part of the administration’s ongoing commitment to increase culture funding in Scotland to £100million per year by 2028/29.
In a collective letter to Shona Robison MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance, and Angus Robertson MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, the group outlined the profound benefits of the Belmont Project, describing it as a "transformational” opportunity for Aberdeen’s city centre.
Economic and cultural revival
Located on Belmont Street, The Belmont Cinema is positioned at the epicentre of Aberdeen’s commercial and cultural activities. Its reopening is expected to rejuvenate the area, drawing increased footfall to local businesses, including restaurants, cafés, and shops on Belmont Street.
Proponents argue that the cinema’s refurbishment aligns with broader strategies for economic recovery and city centre revitalisation.
Sustainability and inclusivity at its core
The proposed upgrades aim to modernise The Belmont Cinema with improved energy-efficient facilities, ensuring it becomes an environmentally conscious model for city-centre renovations.
The revamped venue will also champion inclusivity with accessibility features like captioned and autism-friendly screenings, while amplifying underrepresented voices through diverse programming, putting the needs of Aberdeen’s communities front and centre of the renewed operation at the site.
A central component of the project is the creation of a state-of-the-art education and filmmaking suite, operated by a strategic partnership with Station House Media Unit (shmu), a community anchor organisation in the North-east.
This initiative is designed to inspire and equip young talent in the North-east of Scotland, bolstering the region’s creative industries and attracting new businesses.
Funding and progress
The campaign has already secured approximately £500,000 in grants and donations, with additional funding applications totaling £1.5million underway. The remaining £1.2million needed represents a significant investment opportunity to preserve a beloved cultural asset while stimulating long-term economic and cultural growth in Aberdeen’s city centre.
Supporters have spent weeks writing to their local and regional MSPs, urging the Scottish Government to allocate funding for The Belmont Cinema in the upcoming budget, emphasising its potential to become a cornerstone of Aberdeen’s cultural and economic vitality once again.
Jacob Campbell, chairperson of Belmont Community Cinema Ltd, the charity that is spearheading efforts to bring the Cinema back to life, said: “Our community is clear that the reimagined Belmont Cinema will be more than just a venue to watch the best of domestic and world cinema, but a driver of regeneration, a hub for community creativity and education, and a model for sustainable, inclusive growth in our city centre.
"Aberdeen, Scotland’s third-largest city, has gone from being Scotland’s cinema capital in the 20th Century to the only one without it’s own independent cinema - a gap that we cannot and will not accept.
"That’s why we are urging the Scottish Government to honour its commitment to increasing culture funding by £100million annually by 2028-29, prioritising support to refurbish and reopen Aberdeen’s local, independent cinema.
"This is not merely a project for today, but a vital investment in Aberdeen’s people, in our economy, and in our cultural future."
The campaign, started in 2022 following the collapse of previous operator the ‘Centre for the Moving Image’ (CMI), continues to gain traction, with widespread community and political support underscoring the importance of this vital initiative.
Supporters are asked to write to their local and regional MSPs ahead of the Scottish Budget on Wednesday December 4, urging them to prioritise the refurbishment and reopening of the Belmont Cinema:
https://belmontcinema.co.uk/la...