Applicants for funding should read the BFI Diversity Standards, which encourage equality of opportunity and address underrepresentation in the screen industries.
Our main areas for providing distribution and exhibition support are:
BFI National Lottery Audience Projects Fund
The BFI National Lottery Audience Projects Fund supports ambitious, audience-facing independent UK and international film and broader screen activity of national scale.
ApplyBFI Film Audience Network
The BFI Film Audience Network (BFI FAN) is a collaboration of 8 film hubs, managed by leading film organisations and venues around the UK.
Find out moreBFI National Lottery Open Cinemas
This is a new pilot activity which aims to boost attendance of new audiences at independent cinemas and grow engagement with independent film.
Find out moreBFI Audience Fund
The BFI Audience Fund ran from April 2017 until March 2023, welcoming applications for a range of audience-facing film activities of national reach and significant cultural ambition. An evaluation of this fund is available.
Find BFI evaluationsCulture Recovery Fund for Independent Cinemas
Part of the UK government’s cultural recovery package which provided support for world-class cultural, arts and heritage institutions.
Find out moreIf you are looking for production and development support see Production and development funding.
For information and resources on community cinema see Cinema For All’s My Community Cinema.
For details of the funding awards made by the BFI for films, projects and organisations, please see our Funding awards page.
Related resources
Environmental sustainability in the film exhibition sector
Recommendations and resources to help develop greener, climate-friendly work practices in the film exhibition sector.
Find out moreAudience data and learnings
Reports and learnings from supported projects and audience data on film releases.
Find out moreBFI National Lottery Sustainable Screen
Supporting National Lottery awardees and industry to be more sustainable.
Find out more