£50 million of government investment announced for creative businesses across the UK

£21 million will go into the three-year UK Global Screen Fund to promote UK films internationally.

Creative industries businesses will benefit from a £50 million government boost to help drive economic growth and level up the country, Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries announced today.

The investment includes £21 million to help build on the international success of the UK film industry through a three-year UK Global Screen Fund. This follows a successful one-year pilot of the DCMS scheme that has boosted the global reach of UK independent productions, including The Miracle Club (starring Maggie Smith) and Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (starring Emma Thompson), administered by the BFI.

£8 million will help start-up gaming businesses across the country grow their operations, through the UK Games Fund. Based in Dundee, the UK Games Fund will make sure video games firms’ talented workforces have the skills they need to thrive in the sector. This includes increased support for early stage businesses and entrepreneurial young developers, nurturing talent and fostering new games creation across the UK.

The Creative Scale Up Programme, which provides finance and business support to firms in the creative industries, will also be expanded with more than £18 million of new funding. This investment will support innovative creative businesses outside of London as part of the government’s levelling up plans.

The creative industries have made a substantial and sustained contribution to economic growth and job creation across the UK growing, on average, nearly twice the rate of the wider economy. Today’s announcement is recognition of their great work, and will form part of the government’s Creative Industries Sector Vision, which will be published in the summer and will set out the approach for supporting this high-growth sector into the future.

“The creative industries in the UK are truly world class and I am committed to doing everything I can to support their innovative work as they continue to thrive,” said culture secretary Nadine Dorries. “£50 million of government investment will provide businesses across the country with the tools they need to expand their work and provide even more jobs as we look to level up opportunities across the country.”

“It’s great news that the UK Global Screen Fund is set to deliver a further three years of vital support to our world class independent screen industries,” said Ben Roberts, BFI CEO. “In its pilot year, the fund has stimulated new international partnerships, boosting co-production, distribution and development opportunities to drive growth and export. This continued investment recognises the power and potential of UK screen content and ensures that we can build on its global impact, delivering for the UK economy and reaching new audiences around the world.”

“For an independent company like mine, which focuses on diversity in front of and behind the camera, it has not always been easy to secure finance,” ​​said Shantelle Rochester, CEO, Ida Rose. “The UK Global Screen Fund grants helped to give us the capital we needed to scale up and meet the demand for our services internationally. Since being awarded we have secured a three film/series distribution deal with Big Media just weeks after receiving the awards. For us, this support is simply unmatched.”

Source：UN Animation Alliance