Róża Thun, MEP, and Marek Nawara, Marshal of the Małopolska Region, are pleased to invite you to participate in the conference devoted to the issue of cinema digitisation.

Held on the 15th of September in the European Parliament, Digital Future of the European Cinemas will address the challenges for the future culture industry and the opportunities it creates for the modern regions.

The conference is a part of the broader, European debate on digitisation. On May,19 2010, Commissioner Neelie Kroes presented the Digital Agenda for Europe, containing guidelines for action in the ICT area. The Digital Agenda answers one of the Europe 2020 strategy flagship initiatives, intended to build Europe through intelligent and balanced development. It indicates that the cinema digitisation has become one of the current priorities, in line with a broader support for creative industries, currently developed by the European Commission. This will be reflected in the future projects of international cooperation.  The conference is organized within the project „Invest in Małopolska”. A project part-financed by the European Union within the Małopolskie Regional Operational Programme 2007–2013.



The meaning of the digitisation of cinema for local communities, and the challenges that it presents, will be discussed by:

  • Professor Krzysztof Zieliński, AGH University of Science and Techology,

  • Michael Gubbins, Journalist and analyst of the audiovisual arts market,

  • Ryszard Rutkowski, President of the Cinema Development Foundation,

  • Łukasz Poniński, Representative of the ALVERNIA Studios,

  • Aviva Silver, Head of MEDIA Unit, DG Education and Culture,  European Commission,

  • Anna Sienkiewicz – Rogowska, Head of the Department of Dissemination and Promotion of Film Culture of the Polish Film Arts Institute,

  • Jan Runge, Creative industries specialist at KEA European Affairs

  • Charlotte Appelgren, General Secretary of the CineRegio, network of regional European film funds.

Other participants, invited to take part in the discussion, include representatives of the film industry from all over Europe, European institutions, and other regions cooperating with Małopolska.


The European Commission will shortly be publishing its communication on the challenges associated with the digitisation of cinemas. Appropriate financial instruments will also be designed to allow continuous financing of activities in this area. Małopolska Digital Cinemas Network, being the only project of its kind financed by structural funds, sets an example for others to follow. We aim to present it to enhance Małopolska Region’s strong position in creating innovative solutions. We also hope that the project will become a case study for similar undertakings to be implemented in other parts of Europe. 

Cinema digitisation is mentioned by the revised development strategy as one of Małopolska Region priorities: industries generated by science and culture are characterised by a high level of innovation and creativity and it appears desirable to change the positioning of the cultural sector. It is necessary to break through the stereotype that treats culture as “auxiliary” category of the economy, a luxury that the economy works to support. Treating culture as a driving force in development and an important branch of the regional economy should be the standard for the effective management of the development of the Region.  In this context, resources intended for the development of culture as the management of cultural heritage should be treated not as ”expenses”, but rather as “investments”, and therefore as profitable economic undertakings.

 


     


A project part-financed by the European Union within the Malopolskie Regional Operational Programme 2007-2013