Artists' films put to mainstream cinema crowds in "guerilla" approach to programming

A programme that puts artists’ films in front of mainstream cinema audiences has launched. The Artists Cinema programme, facilitated by The Independent Cinema Office (ICO) and Lux, and funded by Arts Council England, aims to bring new audiences to artists’ films by screening shorts before mainstream films at cinemas across the UK through a “guerrilla-style distribution approach.”

Previous programmes took place in 2006 and 2010, and for the 2016 edition five artists have been commissioned: Corin Sworn, UK; Margaret Salmon, USA; Gabriel Abrantes, USA/Portugal; Naeem Mohaiemen, Bangladesh and Dora García, Spain. The films cover a broad range of styles and subject matter, from a meditative reworking of the dawn chorus in Margaret’s Bird to a charming insight into Brancusi’s Princess X sculpture from Gabriel.