Independent cinema Glasgow Film Theatre has launched Visible Cinema, a new initiative designed to both increase awareness about cinema access and to provide a relaxed and welcoming environment, where those who are deaf or hard of hearing can enjoy a range of films.

There are more than 10 million people in the UK with some form of hearing loss, a number estimated to rise to 14.5 million by 2031. Visible Cinema will enable the GFT to deliver a high quality programme of films for this demographic that includes captioned, subtitled and British Sign Language (BSL) interpreted screenings, as well as BSL-interpreted post-show discussions.

Visible Cinema is run in partnership with Film Hub Scotland – part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network which aims to increase the reach and depth of independent British and specalised film – and Solar Bear, a company who work with the deaf community across Scotland to make the arts fully inclusive for them whether they are performers, practitioners or audience members.

Karen Forbes, training and learning manger at Solar Bear said: 'This initiative will make cinema going more accessible and with captioned screenings of new releases as well as classics. It is fantastic that GFT recognise the need for more captioned screenings and are aiming to make this art form more accessible for the deaf community.'

The pilot scheme is the first of its kind in Scotland. It will run for an initial ten months, and the tools, knowledge and methodology developed by the GFT, along with participant feedback, will provide Film Hub Scotland with a model to roll out similar film clubs throughout cinemas in Scotland.

The initiative launches on Tue 24 Mar with a captioned screening of Foxcatcher