Haringey Community Cinema

What is a community cinema? How do you develop a meaningful programme, build and sustain an audience, and make the finances work?

This practical, introductory workshop is open primarily to active and prospective members of HCC, with a limited number of tickets available to members of the general public interested in community-led cinema.

Led by Edwin Mingard, founder of Deptford Cinema (DC), the session will draw on DC as a case study to explore the realities of setting up and sustaining a grassroots cinema initiative. Edwin will share insights on programming, audience development, partnerships, access, and funding, alongside the challenges and trade-offs involved in community-led cultural work.

The workshop will combine:

⛮ Short inputs grounded in lived experience and collective knowledge 

⛮ Group discussions focused on the specific challenges HCC currently faces (e.g. resources, venues, audience reach, governance, care)

⛮ Collective problem-solving, drawing on participants’ knowledge and capacities

The session will also reconnect with the aspirations, values, and dreams articulated during the zine workshop, using them as a foundation for thinking about what kind of community cinema HCC wants to build. These reflections will contribute to the ongoing development of HCC’s manifesto and long-term vision.

👾 Who it’s for:

HCC Organising Committee members and volunteers (past, present and future), with limited spaces available for members of the general audience who are interested in community cinema and grassroots cultural organising.

🍃 What participants will gain: 

⛮ A shared understanding of what a community cinema can be

⛮ Practical insights into programming, audiences, and finances

⛮ Space to collectively imagine and shape HCC’s cinema practice

⛮ Tools to move from vision to action, together

Booking: Eventbrite (Limited seats)