Audience Pitch Pot
Apply to the rolling Audience Pitch Pot for awards from £100 up to £2,000 per year.
The BFI Film Audience Network (FAN) reaches out across the UK to ensure people have opportunities to watch and enjoy a diverse range of films and moving image, regardless of geography or circumstance.
As part of FAN, Watershed, the Film Hub Lead Organisation for the south west has been awarded funding from the BFI National Lottery to support member organisations from across the region to deliver activity to realise this ambition against the priorities set out in in BFI’s Screen Culture 2033 strategy.
Apply to this rolling fund for between £100 – £2,000 to support the costs of in-person film exhibition activity such as speaker/hosting fees, marketing and promotion and presentation.
The activity proposed has to take place between now and March 2025, target specific audience groups and show how the funding is necessary to reach those identified audiences.
For larger scale activity above £2000, refer to the FAN Film Exhibition Fund 2024-26
Audience Pitch Pot Key Information
Key Info at a glance
Awards: £100 – £2,000
Deadline: Rolling until the fund is depleted
Activity supported: In-venue screening activity focusing on cultural engagement, meeting the BFI Diversity guidelines and principles of Screen Culture 2033
Activity window: April 2024 – March 2025
Turnaround time: 4 weeks – please ensure your activity has sufficient lead-in time.
What is the Audience Pitch Pot?
The Pitch Pot is a rolling fund with a short turnaround that can be used to support FAN member organisations in the south west to deliver in-person events that bring audiences together for a communal viewing experience in line with priorities outlined in the Audience Pitch Pot guidelines and the BFI’s Screen Culture 2033 strategy.
Members can apply for up to a maximum of £2,000 for activity taking place between now and completed by mid-March 2025. (Please note: The fund will roll until depleted, therefore, if empty, not all activity can be supported until the new financial year in April 2025)
Who is eligible to apply?
The fund is open to south west based exhibitors that are Film Audience Network member organisations including cinemas, mixed arts centres, community cinemas, film societies, film festivals, touring operators, and other film exhibition organisations.
We particularly welcome and encourage proposals from organisations who are currently underrepresented in the exhibition sector. These include organisations led by working class, black and global majority people, disabled people, and LGBTQIA+ people.
FAN Membership is free. To become a member of Film Hub South West, take a moment to fill in our application. We can only accept applications from legally constituted organisations operating in the south west (including Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.)
How do I apply?
Read the Pitch Pot guidelines.
Note that a Word version of the form is available for reference only to enable you to prepare your responses offline.
Submit your application online.
Note that you will not be able to save this form as you go along so we recommend you keep an offline copy. Once you have completed your form, you have the option to have your proposal emailed to you when you submit your form.
For projects seeking funding for more than £250, you will be asked to upload a budget and delivery timeline using the templates provided.
Getting in touch
Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions, concerns or specific access requirements regarding the process or guidelines. We are very happy to discuss your project with you before you apply and will advise and support wherever possible.
In the first instance contact: filmhub@watershed.co.uk
To find out more about Film Hub South West and what we do, visit: https://watershed.co.uk/filmhub/
- Pitch Pot Application 2023 WORD Download
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Advice and Expertise
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Watershed is the Lead Film Hub Organisation for Film Hub South West, part of the BFI Film Audience Network.
Watershed is a Registered Charity No. 284188 and a Social Enterprise
Watershed, 1 Canons Road, Harbourside, Bristol, BS1 5TX
Film Hub South West &
BFI NETWORK South West
are part of the BFI Film Audience Network, supported by The National Lottery.
