Film London's Exhibitors' Forums are a regular opportunity for those working in cinemas, at film festivals or any other screening space in the capital to meet each other, the Audience Development team and discuss issues relevant to the cultural exhibition sector today. Hosted by the newly renovated Phoenix Cinema in East Finchley, September's edition showed how programming screen heritage material can be an effective way to attract new audiences to cinemas and festivals.

After the restored Phoenix was unveiled by the Chief Executive of the Phoenix Cinema Trust, Paul Homer, Film London's Rebekah Polding, London Screen Heritage Manager and Chris Jones, Project Coordinator: London Screen Heritage, gave a brief update on the London Screen Heritage Programme, a £247,000 funded-project from the DCMS through their Screen Heritage UK strategy. The fund is being invested in archives, museums and libraries across the region to support them in caring for their collections, whilst offering improved access, long term, to their film and video materials. Jones and Polding discussed the growing popularity of programming of archive screenings, owing to people's nostalgia and a willingness to relive or learn more about their own past and the history of their communities.

The Exhibitors' Forum warmly welcomed Simon McCallum, Mediatheque Coordinator at the BFI, who presented the many routes to access materials from the BFI National Archive, These include their digital and online resources such as BFI Mediatheques, screenonline, BFI on Youtube and the BFI Film and TV database. McCallum also elaborated on the wide range of research options available at the BFI which includes the National Library, research viewings and the curatorial unit records.

A panel chaired by Anna Kime, Manager: Cultural Film Exhibition & Education Projects at Film London discussed programming ideas around maximising the use archive footage. The panel was comprised of three awardees who have received funding for their projects through Film London and the UK Film Council's Digital Film Archive Fund. Eleanor Sier, Heritage Officer at the Phoenix, presented the cinema's screen heritage programme including building a hub of local archive footage which can be accessed in the new Phoenix Café through a touch screen TV. Similarly, Inga Fraser, Associate Curator at the Fashion in Film Festival talked about taking archive film to the general public in more interactive and original ways. The festival's new project involves six re-designed 'kinoscopes', peephole machines which will be scattered in 12 locations across London and will enable people to view and enjoy archive film in playful environments in alternative locations,  including a charity shop, a horticultural nursery and a curiosity shop.

Offering tips to bring screen heritage to younger audiences, Jemma Buckley, Audience Development Officer at the Rio Cinema, presented the cinema's successful educational use of local archive footage, and how the Rio used this to engage with children from local schools to improve their awareness of local history in an entertaining environment. The Rio put out a call to the local residents in Hackney to send in their archive footage and was overwhelmed by the fantastic response. This footage served the Rio's educational strategy whilst fitting in with the national curriculum.

Closing proceedings, Film London's Filming Advisor Francesca Walker informed attendees of the opportunities and possibilities of opening up cinemas and exhibition venues as a location for filming through the London Filming Partnership.

The next Exhibitors' Forum will take place on 4 November and will be hosted by Open the Gate: The Black Culture Café in Dalston. If you would like to join us for the next forum, please email audiencedevelopment@filmlondon.org.uk.