Open Horizons – North East Screen

Open Horizons will be reopening for applications on Monday 23rd March 2026.

Key dates

Funding opens: Monday 23rd March 2026
Funding round closes: Friday 17th April 2026

Applications will be assessed on a rolling basis throughout this period.

If you miss this round, Open Horizons will reopen at points throughout the year, subject to available funding.

WHAT IS OPEN HORIZONS?

Open Horizons is a flexible bursary fund created by North East Screen to support Writers, Directors, and Producers in the North East to take the next big step in their careers. The fund is designed to enable individuals to access bespoke opportunities that will significantly impact their professional development.

This could be through training, coaching, consultancy, or attending key industry events, as long as you can demonstrate how this support will be a game changer for your career or business.

This year, we have a limited number of grants to award, each between £300 and £1000 in total, depending on the activity. For requests at the higher end of the funding range, we would normally expect to see multiple activities or opportunities that together demonstrate clear impact on career progression. Funding is paid retrospectively on proof of expenditure and cannot be used for living costs or wages. The fund is not match-funded.

As the fund is competitive and limited, we are looking to support the most impactful activity that can demonstrate clear, long-term benefit to your career. Where appropriate, applicants are encouraged to include multiple connected opportunities within a single application if together they represent a meaningful step forward.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

We want to hear from ambitious creatives who are ready to:

🔸 STEP UP – Are you looking to progress within your career or move to a new career stage?
🔸 STEP ACROSS – Are you transferring skills between departments, genres, or areas of the industry?
🔸 STEP OUT – Are you expanding your skills, breaking into new markets, or building new networks?

We are looking for applicants who can clearly show how this funding will unlock long-term career development. We will need to know how this activity will develop your career and/or business.

Please read the full guidelines carefully to check eligibility criteria and examples of the types of activities we can fund.

Please note: Funding can only be used for future spend. Any activity or costs incurred before receiving an offer letter will not be eligible.

Attendance at festivals or conferences alone will not normally be supported unless applicants can demonstrate specific meetings, networking activity, or professional opportunities arranged in advance that are likely to improve career prospects.

Individuals applying must not make assumptions that North East Screen has prior knowledge of them, or their career history and will only be assessed on the information provided in their application.

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

Before you apply, make sure you have:

▪️ Read the guidelines.

▪️A completed Application Form with a detailed proposal explaining how the funding will be game changing for your career.

▪️ A clear breakdown of costs showing how you will use the funding (on the application form).

▪️ Proof of North East residency (e.g. utility bill or official letter).

▪️ A completed SME Eligibility Form.

▪️ Any relevant supporting documents such as a business plan, consultant details, training programme information, or quotes.

▪️ An up-to-date CV and/or showreel demonstrating your experience in the screen industry.

Please send all information to development@northeastscreen.org

BEFORE YOU APPLY

Open Horizons is a competitive fund with a limited number of grants available. We recommend applying only if the proposed activity represents a clear and meaningful step forward in your career or business.

Before applying, ask yourself:

1. Is this the right moment in my career for this opportunity?
The activity should represent a clear next step, not general market or network exploration.

2. Will this activity create tangible opportunities for me in the industry?
For example: new contracts, representation by an agent, commissioning conversations.

3. If I am applying for support to attend a festival or conference, do I already have meetings, or professional activity arranged, and can I justify how these will impact my career or business?

4. If I am requesting funding at the higher end of the range, does my proposal include multiple activities or opportunities that together create meaningful impact?

If you cannot confidently answer yes to these questions, your application may not be competitive.

Will this activity develop your business, or a specific project, more than your individual career progression? If so, please consider applying to the IP Accelerator Fund instead.