The Lab will take place from Wednesday 29 October to Saturday 1 November 2025 in Valladolid
The 70th International Film Week of Valladolid-SEMINCI will host the Europa Cinemas Audience Development & Innovation Lab from 29 October to 1 November 2025. This year’s Lab will be led by Erika Borsos (Programmer, Schikaneder Kino & Top Kino, Austria), Catherine Lemaire (Programmer, Cineflagey, Belgium), and Jens Lanestrand (Managing Director, Biografcentralen, Sweden). Together, they will guide participants through a programme focused on how cinemas can develop and strengthen their capacity to remain competitive in a fast-changing environment—marked by increased market concentration, an overwhelming volume of content, and shifting audience expectations.
Entitled “Shaping Tomorrow’s Cinemas: Innovative Tools and Skills to Navigate Change”, the Lab will explore forward-thinking strategies for enhancing digital marketing, programming, communication, and collaboration across the exhibition sector.
Open to all European cinema professionals, the Lab offers a valuable opportunity to take a step back from day-to-day operations, share experiences, and explore innovative approaches with peers from across the continent. Through a combination of expert-led sessions, small group discussions and hands-on workshops, participants will reflect on their own practices and co-develop practical solutions to common challenges.
As always, the programme will be shaped by participants’ input and expertise. However, key themes we anticipate addressing include:
Strategic Vision & Sector Leadership
- Leadership and sustainability: what does a future-ready exhibitor look like today?
- What does it mean to take a stand for diversity and inclusion?
Programming & Audience Engagement
- Engaging young audiences and co-curating with emerging European programmers
- Creating added value: Expanding the cinema’s role in cultural and social life
- Building strong community strategies and cross-border collaborations to enhance the circulation of non-national films
Tools for Innovation & Transformation
- AI literacy for exhibitors: ethical engagement with emerging technologies
- Professional and audience development frameworks, including Collaborate to Innovate and Boot Camp initiatives
- Effective tools for project and time management in the cinema sector
To apply please fill in the following application form before 30 August 2025.
The Lab will be held in Spanish and English; simultaneous translation will be provided in both languages.
This lab is open to all European exhibitors, members of Europa Cinemas network or not. Applications will be considered in the order they are received. However, priority will be given to exhibitors who never attended a Europa Cinemas Lab before.