£5.75M LOTTERY GRANT WILL ESTABLISH FILMMAKING CENTRE FOR CITY EYE

City Eye's plans to develop an exciting new centre of facilities for filmmakers are to be realised thanks to a major award from Arts Council England. Working with Southampton City Council and 3 partner arts organisations the project is now underway to deliver a new complex of arts facilities and resources in the centre of Southampton.

Once building works are complete, moving image, visual, performing and Asian arts organisations - with equipment and facilities for community and professional filmmakers, performers and artists - will occupy the lower floors of a larger residential scheme, featuring two landmark towers and overlooking Southampton's East Park.

The complex will bring fantastic new resources to extend the support City Eye offers and the range of work it undertakes with local filmmakers. With excellent facilities and the latest technology, including production offices from which filmmakers can work, a viewing theatre, education and training facilities and a range of post-production suites, opportunities for established and aspiring filmmakers in the area will be significantly enhanced.

City Eye, which was established in 1987, produces videos, provides training and facilities for digital film making and is the regional delivery partner for Screen South covering Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Its partner organisations in this dynamic project are:

Art Asia, which promotes all South Asian art forms and initiated the city's annual Mela festival;

The John Hansard Gallery, which presents innovative contemporary art exhibitions, and is part of the University of Southampton;

The Performing Arts Organisation which is the working name for Southampton's newest venue for a full range of live performing arts, including theatre, cabaret, comedy, music and a range of education and outreach projects.

The Arts Council funding will be augmented by a £2.8 million contribution by way of land from Southampton City Council, together with contributions from the University of Southampton.

A fundraising scheme, managed by the University's Development Office, will be launched to ensure that funds are in place for the arts partners' ambitions for the complex to be fully realised.

For more information contact City Eye on 023 8067 7167 or email admin@city-eye.co.uk