Watershed (in its role as Film Hub Lead Organisation for the South West) is delighted to be one of 11 organisations across the UK to be awarded National Lottery Funding from BFI to continue to develop cinema audiences for UK independent and international film, support the development of new filmmaking talent and ignite a passion for screen culture in young people across the South West.  

The BFI is awarding £15.2 million National Lottery funding over three years to 11 UK-wide strategic partners as it begins to implement its recently published 10-year National Lottery Funding Strategy from April 2023.  

Harriet Finney, Deputy CEO of the BFI says;

“Our partners are fundamental to the successful delivery of our ambitious National Lottery Strategy across the UK. We are very much looking forward to working with the venues and organisations announced today to ensure the BFI Film Audience Network, BFI NETWORK and BFI Film Academy Plus programmes evolve and grow to meet the changing needs of our sector. Driven by our belief everyone should have access to screen culture – from experiencing a diverse range of films in cinemas through to creating original screen works and a chance to forge careers – we are supporting these fantastic partners so they can bring those opportunities to local communities and people of all backgrounds, across the whole of the UK.”

The £15.2m announced aims to address a number of primary objectives of the BFI’s National Lottery Strategy. These include seeking to:  

• empower children and young people to develop their own relationship with a wider range of screen culture – as viewers, creators or as part of the future workforce 
• ensure people across the UK can access a wider choice of film and the moving image, including stories that authentically reflect their lives 
• tackle a range of social, economic and geographical barriers for UK audiences  
• support the  of the exhibition workforce so venues are better equipped to thrive in an increasingly challenging marketplace 
• open up opportunities to those who want to express their creativity through stories on screen and support and nurture their careers 
• encourage innovation and back a wide range of stories that wouldn’t otherwise be told 
• open up equitable and more visible routes into the sector 

Here in the South West, there will be an investment of £1.6 million over three years which will enable us to support film exhibition and talent development activity across the region, building on frameworks and networks established since 2012.  

The funding decisions announced today enable us to deliver three distinct but interconnected areas of work here in the South West region over a three year period; BFI FAN (£987,000), BFI NETWORK (£480,000) and BFI Academy Plus (£171,300). 

By continuing to support this UK-wide structure, this also responds to a consistent message heard throughout the extensive consultation with public and industry undertaken to develop the strategy: that every part of the UK has a different set of needs, opportunities and challenges around screen culture, and local organisations are best placed to respond to these.  

Maddy Probst, Film Hub South West Managing Producer says;

“We believe that everyone should be able to access a rich variety of screen culture wherever they live in the South West and that talent can come from anywhere. We look forward to building on our work to date with partners to respond to the regional operating context and enable a whole range of organisations to show a broader range of films on the big screen and help talent begin their journey in filmmaking and the wider screen sector here in the South West, working collectively towards a thriving and inclusive screen sector.”  

Image Credit: c/o Jana Rumley (Compass Presents: Foley Grail)

A collaboration of eight leading venues or film organisations representing the UK nations and regions, the BFI Film Audience Network supports a stronger and more connected approach to growing audiences for UK and international film on the big screen. FAN has over 1,700 members (including 234 members here in the South West) comprising cinemas, festivals, mixed-arts venues, community cinema and film archives, which can access training, funding, programming support and network opportunities. Find out more about the current Film Hub South West offer. 

BFI NETWORK exists to support, develop and champion new and emerging filmmakers across the UK. Working with partners, NETWORK has an on-the-ground presence in every UK nation and region, led by BFI NETWORK Talent Execs, to connect with and deliver support to new and emerging filmmakers. BFI NETWORK offers funding for short films and first feature development, as well as a range of professional development support to writers, directors and producers. Find out more about the current BFI NETWORK South West offer and Talent Exec for the South West Nadia Attia. 

BFI Film Academy Plus, the newly named UK-wide in-venue education offer, helps connect 16- to 25-year-olds with opportunities to pursue their love of screen culture and learn how to set about a career in the industry. Funding will enable venues across the UK to provide locally tailored support packages such as masterclasses, screenings and bursaries, helping them to learn more about the film industry, watch cultural cinema, become familiar with their local venues and develop skills as independent filmmakers, film curators or film industry new entrants. Find out more about the current BFI Film Academy South West. 

The BFI National Lottery Funding Strategy aims to build a diverse and accessible screen culture that benefits all of society and contributes to a prosperous UK economy. At its heart are three core principles: equity, diversity and inclusion, so everyone can develop a meaningful relationship with screen culture, regardless of their background or circumstances; UK-wide, so that everyone across the four nations of the UK should be able to experience and create the widest range of moving image storytelling; and environmental sustainability, from reducing the BFI’s own carbon emissions to supporting wider industry efforts to get to net zero and address biodiversity loss.  

Further UK-wide partners will be announced in the coming weeks, as recipients of National Lottery Funding to support skills and education activity, which will complement this work. Alongside BFI FAN, support of the exhibition and distribution sector is available via the BFI National Lottery Audience Projects Fund which is currently open for applications.  

 

 

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