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Screen Ireland supports skills development for the wider screen sector in Ireland through the Screen Stakeholders Funding Scheme.

The next funding round for the Screen Stakeholders Funding Scheme will open in April 2024. 

About the Funding

The Screen Stakeholders Funding Scheme awards funding under two strands.

Strand 1 – Up to a maximum of €25,000 to stakeholders to deliver a range of activities that support the screen sector in Ireland over a 6–12-month period.

Please note, for 2023, we especially welcome applications that are focused on delivering a smaller number of high quality, substantial and impactful skills development activities/programmes. Stakeholders should factor in any required programme design fees into the budget.

Strand 2 – Up to a maximum of €40,000 to stakeholders to develop and deliver one high quality, substantial skills development programme that would likely have a significant impact on the screen sector in Ireland over a 6–12-month period.

In all cases support is offered only if the applicant meets the strict criteria and conditions below.

Who Can Apply

The applicant must be a screen sector stakeholder, such as a sectoral organisation, sectoral guild, a social enterprise or training provider with a strong track record of skills initiatives for the screen sector. The Stakeholder can be based in Ireland or based internationally but all of the proposed activity must take place in Ireland or else online for Irish participants, and the activities must be of benefit to the sector in Ireland. European and international Stakeholders may apply, however a significant portion of the overall fund per annum will be ringfenced for Irish based Stakeholder applicants.

Irish based screen sector festivals may apply for activities outside of the core festival and for activities not already funded by Screen Ireland. The scheme is not open to producer companies, third level colleges, or public funded agencies/organisations.

Application Requirements

The funding awarded can be used for any or all the following skills development initiatives:

  1. Development and delivery of courses, events, masterclasses, workshops, seminars or webinars (in-person or remotely/online) for the benefit of the wider sector in Ireland.
  2. Hosting conferences, panel discussions or structured networking events (in-person or remotely/online) for the benefit of the wider sector in Ireland.
  3. Provision of mentoring opportunities, shadowing opportunities, writers room opportunities, or consultancy support for the benefit of the wider sector in Ireland that are different to already existing Screen Ireland programmes or initiaves like the Screen Mentoring scheme.
  4. Data gathering; skills needs analysis; and/or development of competency frameworks for the sector in Ireland.
  5. Provision of initiatives or activities that support access for new entrants to the screen sector, upskilling opportunities for those already in the sector, and supports for those wishing to transition or return to the sector.
  6. Screen Ireland particularly welcomes applications for events/activities that are aligned with any of the objectives of the Screen Ireland Strategy "Building for a Creative Future 2024"

The funding awarded under Strand 2 must be used to develop and deliver one high quality, substantial skills development programme that would likely have a significant impact on the screen sector in Ireland over a 6–12-month period.

Please see below for a list of stakeholders and activities previously funded through the scheme.

Generally, there should be no fee charged for those attending any activity supported through the Screen Stakeholders Funding Scheme, unless agreed in advance with Screen Ireland. The individual Stakeholder must process all applications and manage all paperwork (including feedback and evaluation for the Final Report) for the activity. When allocating places for activities, the stakeholder must demonstrate a fair and transparent process based on strict criteria which must be furnished in advance of selection to Screen Ireland.

All documentation and publicity related to activities funded through the Screen Stakeholders Funding Scheme must state that the activity is supported by Screen Ireland and must contain the Screen Ireland logo.

The activities proposed in the application should address at least one of the following priority themes:

  1. Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
  2. Sustainability/Green Production
  3. Future Technology/Virtual Production/Games
  4. Improving Workplace Culture & Wellbeing
  5. Regional Development
  6. Careers in the Screen Industry for Young People and Transition Year Programmes
  7. Development of a Competency Framework for Sectoral Roles (N.B. we are particularly interested in Competency Frameworks being developed for non-scripted live action and TV roles, for gaming, for post-production, for VFX and for Virtual Production)
  8. Company/Business Development

Retrospective applications will not be accepted.

Only one Stakeholders Funding Award will be made to any one Stakeholder per year. Any effort to influence a panel member will immediately disqualify.

Applicants must provide details of all applications to other potential funding sources and outcomes. Failure to do so may result in the withdrawal of support.

Incomplete applications will not be considered and will be returned to the applicant. Incorrect information may lead to delays in processing of applications.

Screen Ireland reserves the right to suspend or cancel the funding where, in its view, a successful Stakeholder is not meeting the required commitment for the skills/work programme.

Screen Ireland reserves the right to revise the amount awarded where it is satisfied that incorrect information has been provided.

Stakeholders must be able to contract with Screen Ireland within two months of accepting the award. Therefore, stakeholders should ideally be set up prior to applying for the fund so that they can produce the documentation listed below when requested.

Stakeholders awarded funding may be required to undertake training courses organised by Screen Ireland on topics that may include Governance; Best Practice in Programme Design; Developing a DE&I Policy etc. as a condition for funding.

All required insurance is the responsibility of the stakeholder organisation. How the funding award is allocated and dispersed is the responsibility of the stakeholder organisation. The stakeholder organisation awarded funding must abide by all social and employment legislation with regard to the proper use of the funds.

Along with the design and delivery of key industry skills development programmes, the Screen Ireland skills team also has a strong and established track record of managing and guiding stakeholders and collaborating with partners to successfully complete projects. All Stakeholders funded through this scheme will be assigned a project manager/advisor from the skills team to oversee the successful delivery of the funded projects.

How to Apply

Applicants must fill in the application form and submit via email to skills.fundingschemes@screenireland.ie (Subject Line: Stakeholders Funding) by the deadline.

The application must contain a full breakdown of the proposed skills development related activity and budgets. Applicants should factor in a fee (maximum 15%) for admin/operational costs to support delivery of the activities.

A decision will be made by the funding scheme’s panel within 35 working days of the deadline for applications. Decisions will be based on the following criteria and scoring (out of 100):

  • Overall quality of the application (25)
  • How beneficial the proposed activities are to the Irish film, television, animation, or related sectors (25)
  • How the application addresses one or more of the key priority themes (25)
  • Track record of the Stakeholder in terms of skills activities, initiatives and supports for the sector (25)

Once successful applicants to the scheme are notified, Screen Ireland will begin to process the award payments. Below are the details of the payment process.

Contracting & Payments

The award will be paid on an instalment basis and will consist of two to three instalments depending on the length of the programme of activities. The first instalment will be paid up to 30 days after completion of the contracting process (upon receipt of the signed contract and requested documentation). Payment will not be processed until all requested documentation has been received.

The final instalment (20% of the award amount) will be paid once a final report has been submitted on completion of all activity that reflects on the activity delivered (a template will be provided). Excerpts from the Final Report may be published on the Screen Ireland website and social media channels with the approval of the stakeholder.

Contracting documentation required:

  • A copy of the Organisation’s company constitutional documentation and copy of the resolution of its board of directors authorising the acceptance and execution of the Agreement
  • An up-to-date tax clearance certificate for the Organisation or tax registration & access number
  • Application form, budget, and work plan
  • Evidence of insurance policy to cover the activity in the proposal (minimum cover required, public liability indemnity for the duration of the activities set out in the budget and/or work plan with limits of no less than €6,500,000 plus employer’s liability with limits of no less than €13,000,000)
  • Confirmation of registration of the Organisation with National Vetting Bureau (if applicable) in accordance with the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016
  • Fully executed bank mandates in relation to the Organisation’s bank account
  • Evidence and confirmation of availability of balance of funding in situations where the advance is less than the budget

Application Deadline

The Screen Stakeholders Funding Scheme is currently not accepting applications. The next funding round will open in April 2024.

List of Stakeholders & Activities Funded

  1. Bow Street Academy for Screen Acting: A series of online webinars, workshops, and masterclasses, as well as a networking event, for actors.
  2. Film Network Ireland: FNI@Home, monthly online events which include workshops, masterclasses and networking events for grassroots industry professionals.
  3. Galway Film Centre: The well-established Script Mentorship Scheme will receive support, as well as two new initiatives: The Dark Art of Comedy Screenwriting and The Games Summit 2020
  4. Irish Film Institute: Screen Starts, a series of activities including webinars and screenings, aimed at 15-18 year olds interested in exploring career opportunities in the screen sector.
  5. Raising Films: A research project aimed at supporting parents and carers to return to careers in the screen sector.
  6. Screen Directors Guild of Ireland: A series of live Q&As with directors hosted on a new online platform.
  7. Screen Guilds of Ireland: The development of a competency framework for live-action film and TV departments to provide a comprehensive overview of career paths in the industry.
  8. Screen Producers Ireland: The development and publication of protocols for restarting live-action film and television production in a safe and phased manner in compliance with Irish government guidelines.
  9. Writers Guild of Ireland: A programme of online events for writers, including panel discussions, networking events, information-sharing and exchange hosted on a new online platform.
  10. X-Pollinator Incubator: Following the success of last year’s professional development and networking initiative, Incubator aims to support selected participants to develop feature film or TV drama pitches and treatments.
  11. Young Filmmakers Network Ireland: The National Youth Film and Animation School 2020, a practical pre-college course for young people thinking of a career or college placement in film or animation.
  12. Irish Film and Television Academy: A series of online webinars, panel events, and masterclasses designed to share the experience and practical techniques of top Irish industry experts.
  13. Cluster Fox Films: An initiative to work with community groups in disadvantaged areas to teach filmmaking skills through making five short films.
  14. Bodecii Films: A structured scripting programme for screen writers in Wexford.
  15. Screen Composers Guild of Ireland: A series of online workshops as well as a bursary fund to support opportunities for assistant composers.
  16. Animation Ireland: A research project into the available roles and skills needs of the animation industry, targeted at students and recent graduates with the aim of developing out a competency framework for the sector.
  17. Women in Film and Television Ireland: A series of activities including online masterclasses, panel discussions, and a networking event.
  18. Film in Limerick: A series of introductory webinars on careers in film, and a professional development programme for aspiring filmmakers and crew from underrepresented groups living in the Mid-West.
  19. IMIRT: A a series of online workshops with international industry speakers to support the development of the Irish games sector.

  1. Cork International Film Festival for the IGNITE Documentary Talent Development Programme, a cross-border training and development programme for documentary filmmakers embarking on their first or second non-fiction feature film. The scheme will champion diversity in subject matter as well as gender parity and equal representation from Ireland and Northern Ireland in the final selection for the programme.
  2. Cracked Egg Productions for Envision, a 12-week screenwriting training programme for ten writers who identify as marginalised, delivered in a writers’ room environment.
  3. Dublin International Screenwriting Festival for Megaphone: Diversity & Inclusion Script Lab, which pairs eight writers from diverse backgrounds with eight credited writers.
  4. Galway Film Centre for the FÍS Games Summit 2022; Art Direction for Games with Greg Foertsch; and a research project entitled The Impact of S481 Regional Development Uplift, on the development of the audio-visual industry in the regions.
  5. Irish Film Institute for Screen Starts: Exploring Careers in the Film, TV and Media Sectors for young people aged 15-18.
  6. Irish Film and Television Academy for Skills in Focus, a series of online masterclasses and panel events to help address skills gaps and needs of the industry, including a panel event covering Equality, Diversity and Inclusion on screen.
  7. Screen Composers Guild of Ireland for the development of a competency framework for music department roles; and a three-year strategic development plan for SCGI.
  8. Screen Directors Guild of Ireland for the development of a competency framework for directors.
  9. Screen Guilds of Ireland for research into different working hour regulations and their impact on competitiveness, productivity, and well-being of crew.
  10. Screen Producers Ireland for the development of a competency framework for producers and a skills gap analysis at the producer level.
  11. Screen Wexford for Immersive Wexford: VR & Virtual Production, an online training programme focussed on immersive technologies and virtual production.
  12. Writers Guild of Ireland for a diversity and inclusion audit and action plan; the development of a competency framework for writers; and online resources for writers.
  13. X-Pollinator for ELEVATOR, an online programme to support 20 diverse and emerging female and non-binary writers and directors.

  1. Animation Ireland for the development of a competency framework for the animation sector to provide a comprehensive overview of roles and career paths in the industry.
  2. Ardán for the FÍS Games Summit 2023; FÍS Games Development Clinic / FÍS Games Workshop; and the development of a skills needs analysis for the Games sector.
  3. IMIRT for a series of online workshops for upskillers and new entrants to the Games industry and the development of an industry survey and report for the Games sector.
  4. X-Pollinator for Creator, an immersive residential talent development lab for 10-12 diverse female and non-binary Directors.
  5. Writers Guild Ireland for the development of a Diversity Action Plan to widen membership, a DEI writers membership scheme to pair diverse/under-represented writers with mentors, a Writer as Executive Producer workshop and a Writer/Producer networking event.
  6. Cork Film Centre for a series of in-person and online masterclasses and workshops focusing on immersive technologies.
  7. Screen Producers Ireland for the development of the Mosaic Programme for new producers with a specific focus on under-represented voices.
  8. Raising Films Ireland for Let’s Get Back, a return-to-work scheme for screen sector professionals who have taken a caring break.
  9. Screen Composers Guild of Ireland for Women Composer for Screen Day and a series of weekend courses on composing for Video Games and New Media.
  10. VFXAI (VFX Association Ireland) for Convergence VFX, a research project exploring how VFX digital production dialogues with the diverse fields and sectors of the screen industry.
  11. Screen Wexford for Going Remote, a programme to raise awareness and normalise remote post-production workflows.
  12. Women in Film & Television Ireland for research into work culture in the Irish screen sector, an inclusive industry event, panel discussions and camera training workshop.
  13. Atticus Education for Screen Careers for TY Students, a mentoring programme for Transition Year students with no access to film education.
  14. Createschool for in-person workshops and online programmes for Transition Year students covering various filmmaking skills.
  15. Fresh Film for a series of activities aimed at young people interested in working in the screen sector.
  16. Irish Film Institute for IFI Screen Starts, an event for young people aged 15-18 to explore careers in the film, TV and media industry.
  17. Young Irish Filmmakers for the National Youth Film & Animation School, a series of practical pre-college courses for 16–19-year-olds.
  18. Cork International Film Festival for IGNITE, a cross-border training collaboration with Docs Ireland for documentary filmmakers.
  19. Bodecii Films for a structured on-the-job training and mentorship programme for writers.
  20. Climate Innovation for Kick Starting Change, a project to engage and empower industry stakeholders to reduce emissions on productions.
  21. Screen Guilds of Ireland for research into established working models that balance operational delivery and positive culture and wellbeing on productions.
  22. Irish Film & Television Academy for Through the Lens, a series of international talent and skills masterclasses and panel discussions.
  23. Screen Directors Guild of Ireland for the development of a competency framework for non-scripted film roles and a bespoke training programme for Documentary Directors.
  24. Fishpond for The Basics of the Business, a free online course for new entrants interested in pursuing a career in screen acting.
  25. Aspire Productions for delivery of an educational programme on the benefits of diversity and development of a neurodiversity training session for crew.
  26. Black Irish Media for a number of activities and events for Black Irish creatives.
  27. ACE Producers for the ACE Animation Special and the ACE Network, a six-day project-based workshop for Animation Producers.
  28. Torino Film Lab for the Green Film Lab workshop, a three-day residential workshop focusing on sustainable filmmaking.
  29. Stowe Story Labs for a retreat session for international and Irish writers to collaborate on feature film or TV pilot script development with mentors.
  30. MediaXchange for a series of interactive and modular workshops on creative and business vision programme focused on advancing the scripted drama genre.

  1. ACE Producers for the ACE Animation Special, a six-day project-based workshop to answer the changing needs of the industry and to offer its education to producers looking to diversify their traditional ways of working.
  2. Ardán for the FÍS Games Summit 2024; FÍS Games Workshop; and Game mentorship programme pairing emerging talent with mentors on a long-term basis.
  3. Cork Film Centre for a series of online masterclasses and in-person workshops focusing on virtual production.
  4. Cork International Film Festival for IGNITE, a cross-border talent development collaboration for documentary filmmakers.
  5. Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet for a series of in-person and online workshops designed to engage with CEOs/Company Owners/Executives across the screen industries to develop company strategies across three strands: sustainability, workplace culture and wellbeing, digital innovation and transformation.
  6. Eirmersive for Disruptions in Screen, a series of in-person events across three regional locations to build knowledge and awareness of the latest tech insights from industry experts.
  7. Fresh Film for the Hothouse and In Focus programmes, a community-led creative space for next generation filmmakers to develop their ideas and projects and a micro documentary programme.
  8. Gorm Media for the Wideshot programme, a series of workshops, education, training and events on digital storytelling, creative-media and documentary skills for young adults aged 18-30, from groups underrepresented in the screen industry, living in Ireland.
  9. Irish Film and Television Academy for Through the Lens, a series of international talent and skills masterclasses and panel discussions addressing identified skills gaps and industry needs.
  10. Le Groupe Ouest for Less is More, a boosting ideas workshop designed for filmmakers from different fields to strengthen their projects narratively and thematically.
  11. MediaXchange for the Creative and Business Vision programme comprising of 6 interactive online modules and with one place awarded to a participant on the programme for the Showrunner TV Drama Exchange group in Los Angeles.
  12. National Film and Television School for a business development and leadership programme consisting of six themed sessions on filmmaking with tutors and guest speakers delivered online and in-person for emerging production companies.
  13. Screen Directors Guild of Ireland for Exploring Reality, a programme of workshops, masterclasses, practice-based classes and seminars focusing on documentary filmmaking.
  14. Screen Producers Ireland for the second research phase of MOSAIC, a diversity, equality and inclusion programme for new and emerging producers.
  15. Sligo Northside Community Centre for four additional components/modules to the Film Project course to upgrade the QQI Level 5 course from a minor to major award.
  16. Storyhouse for a new annual symposium and lab which highlights, champions and develops the art and craft of writing and storytelling for the screen.
  17. Stowe Story Labs for the Connemara Writers Retreat, a residential five-day retreat for international and Irish writers to collaborate on feature film or TV pilot script development with mentors.
  18. Women in Film and Television Ireland for a series of workshops including a 16mm film workshop, the Cannes Changemakers series, online masterclasses, Producing Beyond the Pale and WIFT writers' showcase.
  19. Writers Guild Ireland for research into a potential writers’ trade mission to Los Angeles.
  20. X-Pollinator for a professional development course for female, female identifying and non-binary screen professionals focusing on talent development, networking, partnership and project development.
  21. Young Irish Film Makers for the National Youth Film & Animation School, a 10-day residential workshop for pre-college students, 16–19-year-olds. 16 young animators and 28 young live-action filmmakers, including bursary awards for 8 young people from traditionally underrepresented communities.

This page was last updated on 22/03/2024