Reference Funding for Vienna Arthouse Cinemas

The Reference Funding for Viennese Arthouse Cinemas aims to sustainably strengthen the cultural film offerings of the City of Vienna. As an annual grant, it rewards cinema operators who primarily present artistically sophisticated film programs at their venues. A prerequisite is that at least half of the screenings in the previous year consisted of those arthouse films that are classified as eligible for funding according to the municipal guidelines. This funding honors program cinemas that significantly contribute to Vienna’s film culture through high-quality selection and curatorial excellence, enriching audiences with diverse, innovative content.

Cinema operators with business premises and cinema locations in Vienna can apply for the grant annually once the respective budget framework has been established by the City Council resolution. The amount of funding is published annually based on available resources and is determined per location according to the extent of the funded program share. A complete application requires fulfilling the funding prerequisite of at least 50% funded screenings in the reporting year. The allocation is carried out by the Cultural Department of the City of Vienna (MA 7), which ensures a fair, transparent distribution and equal support of different cinema concepts. Interested cinema operators can find all details on the application process and guidelines on the Cultural Department’s website.