Liverpool Film Office, North East Screen, Screen Manchester and Screen Yorkshire, the four screen agencies who make up Screen Alliance North (BFI Skills Cluster North of England), are delighted that funding, which secures training and development support for the screen sector in the North of England for the next 3 years, has been awarded.
The BFI announced today that £11.85 million of BFI National Lottery funding will be invested across the UK to continue to support the screen production workforce through the BFI Skills Clusters which were launched in 2023.
In its latest year of activity, Screen Alliance North programmes have supported 4,056 participants and 6,112 students across the North of England, with more than 30,000 people reached over the last three years.
The BFI Skills Cluster North of England, formed in April 2023 by the four northern screen agencies, has continued its work to address skills gaps in the screen industry and broaden access to opportunities across the region. Over the past 3 years this has included the delivery of placements, mentoring, training and apprenticeships across all four agencies.
Working in close partnership with its Advisory Group, industry collaborators and sponsors, the alliance has progressed from ambition to meaningful action, focusing on key priority areas to drive tangible change across the industry. During this time, it has also initiated vital crew mapping and data collection, ensuring that its future activity remains closely aligned with the evolving needs of the sector.
Caroline Cooper Charles, Chief Executive of Screen Yorkshire and lead partner said;
“Coming together as an Alliance three years ago has really shaped the screen industry across the North. Not only has it allowed us to share knowledge, data and networks, it has strengthened our power to lobby, affect change and improve working practices.
Our Connected Campus programme now works with over 30 educational institutions across the North helping to bridge the gap between education and industry. Our Connected Skills programmes are opening doors to careers across the production workforce. Shadowing and trainee placements are leading to jobs and continuing professional development for our established crews is ensuring a more inclusive and responsible workplace culture.
We are proud of the work that has been achieved so far and the impact it is making on the Northern workforce. We are pleased to have been awarded a further 3 years of funding to continue the momentum of the partnership and collaboration with wider industry.”
Year 3 highlights include the launch of ‘Into the Lead’, a new development programme for senior leaders within independent production companies; a series of job-sharing online sessions; and industry partnerships with CBBC’s The Dumping Ground and BBC’s Smoggie Queens, Waterloo Road and This City is Ours, creating valuable shadowing and trainee placement opportunities. Trainees have also been placed on high end television and feature film productions including House of Guinness, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, A Gentleman in Moscow and Finding Emily. Further achievements include the delivery of Screen Crafts and Digital Skills bootcamps, the Action! training scheme and a successful roll out in Manchester, Liverpool and the North East of the Clusters Connected Campus initiative
Penny Hall, Partnership Lead at Screen Alliance North said;
“In Year 3 we have deepened our work on skills development, workforce inclusion and mental health support, responding directly to industry needs and regional opportunities. By aligning training provision, sharing best practice and championing equitable access to careers, we have strengthened pathways into the industry and improved support for the existing workforce.
The progress made over the past three years shows what can be achieved when northern screen agencies work together strategically. Through building trusted relationships across the sector and establishing effective ways to coordinate our efforts, we have laid strong foundations for long-term regional collaboration.”
Looking ahead to the next three years, Screen Alliance North will focus on building a more sustainable and resilient workforce, with a strong commitment to supporting talent from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. It will expand provision for mid-level step-up placements, embed future-facing skills across all areas of activity, invest significantly in data and insight, and extend its geographical reach across the North.
For full details of Screen Alliance North’s impact in Year 3, read the full review here
