A total of 11 movie theaters Canary Islands have joined the program to encourage people over 65 to return to cinemas, promoted by the Ministry of Culture and Sports, thanks to which they will be able to enjoy cinema at a reduced price of two euros.
By provinces, in the palms6 cinemas have been incorporated:
-Artesiete Las Terrazas (telde)
-Ocine Premium 7 Palms (The Gran Canarian palms)
-Yelmo Cines Alisios (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria)
-Yelmo Cines Las Arensa (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria)
-Helm Cinemas Neighborhood (Santa Lucia de Tirajana)
-Yelmo Cinemas Fuerteventura (caleta de fuste, Ancient)
While in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerifethere have been five adhered cinemas:
Tenerife
-Yelmo Cines Meridiano (Santa Cruz de Tenerife)
-Multicines Tenerife (San Cristobal from La Laguna)
-Helmo Cinemas Orotava (La Orotava)
-Multicines Zentral Center (Arona)
-Cine Chico Municipal Theater (Santa Cruz de La Palma)
In Spain, they have joined a total of 420 private establishments, 64.22% of the total that, according to data from the Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts (ICAA), it was estimated that they could benefit from this direct subsidy program aimed at one of the segments of the cultural sector most affected by the pandemic. Together, there are more than 3,000 projection screens distributed throughout the territory.
According to the Royal Decree approved by the Council of Ministers on June 13, at the proposal of the Minister of Culture and Sports, Miquel Iceta, the measure will allow one day a week, preferably Tuesday or another day in the case of theaters which are only open during the weekend, people aged 65 or over can access a movie for 2 euros. Tickets can only be issued at the ticket offices of the rooms, after identification of the person and proof of their age.
The program has a budget of 10 million euros under the General State Budget for 2023. The theaters will receive the amount of the subsidy depending on the number of tickets sold at a reduced price, depending on the difference between their ordinary price and the price reduced from two euros, with a maximum eligible amount of three euros per entry.
Once the subsidy is awarded, the payment will be made bimonthly. Thus, before September 30, 2023, the amount corresponding to tickets sold between July 1 and August 31 will be paid; and before November 30, the number of tickets sold between September 1 and October 31. The beneficiaries must justify the activity carried out prior to receiving the corresponding payment.
This grant is compatible with other aid from any administration or public or private entity that have the same purpose, promoting access to movie theaters.
big screen cinema
People 65 years of age or older are the age group that is taking the longest to resume their pre-pandemic movie-going habits. Thus, in cinema attendance there are still notable differences between age groups: if 49.3% of young people aged 20 to 24 went to the cinema at least once a year between 2021 and 2022, that percentage drops to to 6% in the older population.
Of all the cultural sectors, cinema is one of the most affected, still today, by the pandemic. The sanitary measures taken as a result of the COVID-19 caused a significant drop in the average attendance at movie theaters among the Spanish public, an attendance that has not fully recovered. Despite the upturns experienced in 2022, the sector still finds itself with approximately 40% fewer viewers compared to the average for the years 2017 to 2019.
This measure is aligned with the objectives of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. Its component 24 seeks to facilitate access to culture and promote the transition to the new digital environment that allows the incorporation of new possibilities and realities. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals also recognize the safeguarding and promotion of culture as two ends in themselves.
The new program of direct subsidies is added to the direct aid to the rooms that the Ministry of Culture and Sport launched to counteract the effects of COVID-19. In 2022, it allocated more than 10 million euros to 232 companies and entities, and a total of 476 exhibition halls spread throughout the territory.