Kenneth Gibson MSP for Cunninghame North, writes here about a new fund to support creative partnerships between Scotland and Canada.
TV and film producers across Scotland are being encouraged to apply for a new fund.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has teamed up with the Canada Media Fund (CMF) to offer £200,000 of funding in a new initiative called the ‘Canada – Scotland Co-development Incentive’.
Business and individuals could be awarded up to £25,000 in order to create new digital media and television ideas, while working in partnership with Canadian production companies.
To be eligible, projects must work with a Scottish or Canadian producer on a live-action or animated drama or documentary. Projects created for digital platforms such as a web series, or transmedia projects including virtual or augmented reality will also be eligible.
Applications from companies and individuals based in the Highlands and Islands are particularly welcome. Applications that have equalities, diversity and inclusion as a key consideration of the project are also encouraged.
This project is supported financially by £100,000 from HIE and Screen Scotland, as well as £100,000 from CMF. The fund aims to encourage producers to explore international markets.
Scotland’s creative industries contribute more than £5 billion to the Scottish economy every year, and comprises over 15,000 businesses, employing more 70,000 people. The sector is extremely important to island communities such as Arran, as well as to Scotland as a whole and is one that the SNP Government is keen to encourage and grow.
This new fund can directly help with the cost of developing new ideas and engage with new networks and broadcasters. The new scheme will also spark new creative partnerships between producers in Canada and Scotland, creating meaningful opportunities for our creative communities to collaborate more closely. Given the linguistic, historical and cultural ties that bind our two countries, it is certain that exciting projects will be developed through the programme.
To apply for the fund and for more information visit the funding website.
The closing date for applications is 10 December 2019.