BFI National Lottery Skills Clusters will work with local industry, education and training providers, and other screen organisations across the UK, to coordinate skills and training in their area. Skills Clusters will help identify skills gaps and develop clearer pathways to employment for anyone in their area. The focus of this work will be to build local skills bases, leading to more people across the UK, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, working in the screen industry.
BFI National Lottery Skills Clusters will be spread across the UK and encouraged to work together, and with key stakeholders, to share knowledge, best practice and ensure a pipeline of skills into production. The BFI will play a coordinating role, enabling knowledge-sharing between Clusters and ensuring consistency in delivery.
The BFI’s National Lottery Funding Plan 2023-2026 allocates £9m of National Lottery funding over three years to Skills Clusters. Successful applicants will be able to demonstrate existing relationships with local production bases, leadership authority in the area they are applying to represent, and partnership support including match funding.
To date, six BFI Skills Clusters have been awarded a total of £8.1 million over three years and will be led by organisations covering the following areas:
- Screen Yorkshire (North of England): £2.3 million
- Film London (London, Hertfordshire, Surrey, and Buckinghamshire): £2.2 million
- Screen Scotland (Scotland): £1.1 million
- Create Central (West Midlands): £1 million
- Northern Ireland Screen (Northern Ireland): £0.9 million
- Resource Productions (Berkshire): £0.6. million
We expect to open further rounds of funding at the end of the current Funding Plan for both new and established Clusters to achieve accessibility across the UK.
When you can apply
Applications are now closed and partners have been announced.
About BFI National Lottery funding
Since the very first National Lottery draw in 1994, public support – raised directly through National Lottery ticket sales – has funded more than 670,000 projects, raising more than £46 billion for good causes.
As a recipient, it is important to publicly acknowledge the source of this funding throughout the lifespan of the project. Effectively communicating it is supported by BFI National Lottery funding ensures those engaging with the work recognise the value and benefit of this unique Good Cause funding.
Therefore, if your application is successful, you will be responsible for prominently crediting BFI National Lottery funding and thanking National Lottery players.
As such, you are encouraged to ensure that elements of your project/s which have the potential to engage a broad public audience are capitalised in order to communicate this message.