£3million of new funds to support the screen sector and skills development open for applications today, Thursday 16 April, 2015.
Full application details for the £1m Screen Skills Fund Scotland and the £2m UK Tax Credit Advance Facility, are available here.
The Screen Skills Fund Scotland offers funding to support a range of skills and professional development programmes and initiatives, in partnership with industry and other public bodies, for people already involved in the sector and young people considering a career in screen.
The UK Tax Credit Advance Facility is available for producers to access an advance payment against receipt of the UK Film, High-End TV and Animation Tax Credits. Its purpose is to assist producers move their projects into production by securing this element of financing and enable them to use a greater proportion of the UK Tax Credit on the creative realisation of their projects.
Natalie Usher, Director of Film and Media at Creative Scotland, said: "The new funds will provide additional support for Scottish film, animation and high-end TV productions and will support skills development in the screen sector.
“These developments are part of our wider work to address the priorities identified in our Film Strategy, published last year. As envisaged by the Strategy, we are continuing to work closely with the sector and with our public agency partners to achieve our ambition to generate the conditions necessary to position the screen sector at the heart of Scotland’s economic and cultural life."
Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, said: “These funds will help producers to finance their projects and support skills development in our workforce, helping the industry to build on its existing strengths, supporting new talent to emerge and addressing skills gaps identified by the sector.
“Scotland is already widely recognised for our world-class talent, crews, facilities and breathtaking locations. The Scottish Government and its agencies recognise and value the vision and the ambition of Scotland’s screen sector and we are committed to working together to continue to create the conditions that will enable our screen sector to flourish. These new funds underline that commitment.”
Guidance for the £4m National Lottery Film Fund for 2015-16 has also been revised in line with recommendations made in the Film Sector Review; subsequent commitments made in Creative Scotland’s Film Strategy and taking into consideration the views of the sector.
Natalie Usher continued: “As a result of commitments made in our Film Strategy and in response to sector recommendations, we have conducted a review and refresh of our guidance, application process and assessment criteria and have provided enhanced guidance to assist applicants when they are considering making an application to Creative Scotland for film funding.”