Grant News
The British Film Institute (BFI) is inviting applications from UK-based organisations that have experience running creative or professional development programmes.
Through the BFI National Lottery Creative Challenge Fund, the BFI will support programmes that help writers, directors, producers and other creators develop feature film projects. These may include narrative, documentary or animation films, as well as narrative immersive media projects.
Funded programmes should be structured and designed to move participants’ projects forward. They can run as a series of day sessions over six to twelve months, or as an intensive week-long programme. Programmes may be open to all or aimed at a specific creative community or under-represented group.
Programmes may include activities such as:
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shadowing opportunities
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mentoring
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creative practice sessions (for example, script read-throughs or scene shoots)
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peer support
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finance and packaging advice
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long-term career planning
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connecting creatives with industry advocates and champions
Grants of up to £150,000 are available. Funding can be used to cover costs such as staff and freelance fees, payments to participants, venue and equipment hire, travel, mentoring, creative practice sessions, and access support.
Successful applicants will be required to run an open call to recruit participants for their programme.
The fund aims to increase genre diversity, support early-career producers, and help develop projects with strong potential to reach UK and international audiences.
Both not-for-profit and for-profit organisations can apply, as long as the funded activity itself is delivered on a not-for-profit basis.
The application deadline is 16 March 2026.
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