The BBC has announced the launch of its £1 million BBC Small Indie Fund 2024 to support a range of UK Indies, from start-up companies to more established Indies with ambitious growth plans.
The 2023 Small Indie Fund cohort included six North East production companies: Candle & Bell (Gateshead), MCC Media Limited (Sunderland), Middlechild Productions (Newcastle), Schnoobert Productions (Newcastle), Sea & Sky Pictures (Hartlepool) and Twenty Six 03 Entertainment (Gateshead). Hopefully the 2024 cohort will see more upcoming North East production companies named.
On the success of the North East companies in the 2023 cohort, North East Screen’s Head of Talent and Development, Lisa Laws said: “The region is full of talented creative businesses with an abundance of ideas, skills and incredible determination. The tide is beginning to turn with support for the screen industry in the North East, and funds such as this from the BBC will help to supercharge creative business development, making us a region to look out for nationally and globally.”
The fund, which has been running since 2020, backs talented small independent production companies with turnovers of less than £10million across factual, daytime, drama, comedy, entertainment and children’s TV genres, prioritising diverse-led companies and those based in the Nations and English regions. It is granted to companies based on the strength of their creative potential and aims to support growth and deliver sustainability within the company. Successful companies receive tailored support packages to help their development along with commissioning mentors from the BBC.
Any North East-based company looking to apply for the Small Indie Fund is invited to contact the talent and business development team at North East Screen for an informal chat about applying and continued company development by emailing talent@northeastscreen.org
More information on the BBC Small Indie Fund can be found on the BBC website.
