In 2026 Ffilm Cymru Wales celebrates 20 years of supporting film exhibition, with National Lottery funding delegated by the Arts Council of Wales.
Since 2006, the development agency for Welsh film has provided over £3.3m of exhibition funding to 372 projects, supporting 70,673 film screenings seen by more than 2.7m people pan-Wales.
This year, Ffilm Cymru Wales evolved the way it funds audience and exhibition projects to better reflect the sector’s needs. Applications were invited to one of three funding streams available to independent cinemas, film festivals, pop-ups, and community cinemas based in Wales: Cinema Innovation Fund, Film Festivals Fund, and Audience Discovery Fund.
In this new round of funding, Ffilm Cymru Wales has supported another 20 film exhibition projects across Wales, comprising:
Cinema Innovation Fund
CellB, Blaenau Ffestiniog
This year-long project will offer young people the opportunity to programme and showcase youth-focused films, including curated film seasons, Welsh-language screenings, filmmaker Q&As, climate-focused events delivered with community partners, and special events celebrating Welsh cinema and creativity.
Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff
An annual cinema engagement programme of 200 feature films reflecting a diverse range of independent films, new releases, accessible screenings, and Welsh language discussion.
Theatr Clwyd, Mold
Following a three-year £50m redevelopment project, Theatr Clwyd will now test new approaches to engaging underrepresented audiences, including young people, rural communities, Welsh speakers, audiences with additional needs, and those experiencing economic disadvantage.
The Magic Lantern, Tywyn
Croeso Cynnes i Bawb is a dedicated project to build upon their audience outreach and community engagement with dementia friendly screenings, Welsh language days, and LGBTQ+ films.
Memo Arts Centre, Barry
Sgrîn Agored works with local schools and communities to support low-cost cinema opportunities during school holidays, and help audiences of all ages experience film in their Sinema 1 and new Sinema 2 screens.
Neuadd Ogwen, Bethesda
A cinema programme strategically curated on five main pillars: historical and local films, bilingual and Welsh-language cinema, adventure and outdoor films, international films, and cultural heritage archive films.
Torch Theatre, Milford Haven
A new community-led approach to cinema programming in which participants will co-curate a season of screenings, design how events are experienced, and shape post-show conversations.
The Welfare, Ystradgynlais
A programme of activities supporting local groups that may not otherwise attend the cinema, including Cinecwtch for mothers and babies, Silver Screenings for older people, and Relaxed Screenings for neurodivergent people.
Film Festivals Fund
ADRA: Screendance Festival Wales 2027
Following a successful launch festival in Newport last year, Kokoro Arts aims to develop a sustainable national and internationally connected platform for screendance in Wales.
Cardiff Animation Festival 2026-27
A ten-month programme of activity focused on developing animation audiences with asylum seekers, refugees, and rural communities in Wales via their CAF on Tour programme, as well as bringing Welsh heritage archive animation to communities across the nation.
Carmarthen Bay Film Festival 2027
A free four-day festival in May 2027 at the Ffwrnes in Llanelli, screening 150 films across 15 categories, including a new Welsh Language Short Film section.
The Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival 2026
Also celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, Iris’ Open Doors project will pilot a new access-led model for the festival at Cineworld Cardiff, removing practical and economic barriers to participation through creche provision, audience pathways, and enhanced accessibility.
Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival 2026
A five-day festival showcasing a variety of Japanese animation from mainstream features to classic stop-motion, hosted by Aberystwyth Arts Centre and Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff.
Sheba Soul Ensemble
Peripheral Vision is a programme of 13 screenings focussed on films by Black and global majority women filmmakers, hosted in a warm and welcoming environment with add-on activities and discussions.
WOW Wales One World Film Festival 2027 + Ecosinema 2026
In addition to their regular world cinema festival in Spring 2027, WOW will host a special EcoSinema event in Autumn 2026; a space where cinema encourages audiences to consider land, climate, extraction, food systems, environmental justice and our relationship with the natural world.
Audience Discovery Fund
Cardiff Mini Film Festival Presents: Twisted Tales
An immersive experience combining curated short films with live performance and atmospheric design.
Friends of Earth Ruthin
Friends of Earth Ruthin will move their community cinema screenings to a larger venue, showing five films with environmental themes, including the climate and nature crises.
Theatr Gwaun, Fishguard
Evolving their Welcome Wednesday sessions to engage younger audiences and facilitate collaboration on delivering the cinema programme.
Hybu Llanymddyfri – Llandovery
This community development project will test new approaches to film exhibition through a structured programme of audience development experiments exploring who comes to the cinema, how they experience it, and who feels ownership of it.
Ruthin Artisan Markets
Ruthin Community Cinema will build on previous work to showcase films that are rarely accessible to rural communities, including Welsh Language cinema, culturally significant films, and work from emerging Welsh creatives.
Ffilm Cymru Wales’ flexible Audience Discovery Fund remains open for applications. Organisations and community groups can get support for one-off impactful projects, initiatives to enhance the audience experience or increase audience reach, developing a new festival or community cinema, or audience research to inform programming and outreach. The next deadline for applications is 4th December, and exhibitors can apply here.
