Screen Culture

Screen Culture Fund

1
FUNDING FOR SCREEN FESTIVALS, CONFERENCES AND EVENTS

Screen Queensland’s Screen Culture fund invests in events that help grow a successful screen industry in Queensland. There are two funding rounds each year, open to local film and games festivals, industry conferences and other events. The Screen Culture fund enables vital screening and networking platforms across the state for local practitioners while providing audiences and industry access to diverse and inspirational screen content.

Applications are currently closed.

The Screen Culture fund is focused on:

  • increasing access to screen content and experiences in Queensland, from traditional cinematic screens to new platforms
  • supporting regional and remote screen festivals across Queensland
  • encouraging more diverse content, that sits outside the mainstream
  • fostering more culturally-diverse content for Queensland audiences
  • increasing demand for Queensland-created content.

Successful applicants are provided with a funding grant to assist with the costs of running their event.

 

GUIDELINES
Available Funding
1 – Up to $150,000 per annum is available for significant cultural festivals and events. Events seeking funding under this category must apply under Round 1.
2 – Up to $25,000 is available for touring festivals visiting more than 6 regional centres. Events seeking funding under this category must apply under Round 1.
3 – Up to $8,000 is available per application for festivals/screenings. Applications should not be for less than $2,000 for a single project.  
4 – Multi-year funding is available for festivals with Queensland attendance above 10,000: Festivals that can provide evidence and track record of Queensland audience attendance above 10,000 may be eligible for funding for two (2) concurrent years.

Funding is competitive to ensure Screen Queensland can support a broad range of events. Funding allocations may be less than requested amounts. Screen Queensland determines levels of funding on a case-by-case basis and reserves the right to vary the amounts applied for by applicants.

The assessment process and the demand on available funds will determine the total level of Screen Queensland’s funding commitment within each round.

Eligibility

Any individual, business; and/or organisation providing benefits to Queensland screen culture.

To be eligible, applicants must at least:

  1. Meet the general eligible requirements set out in Screen Queensland’s Terms of Trade including, but limited to the following:
    A. Being an Australian incorporated entity;
    B. Having a valid ABN
  2. Demonstrate that they have the appropriate capacity, experience, and track record to develop and implement their event proposal.
  3. Demonstrate that the event proposal fulfils a need and interest in the community and how it will provide new opportunities for Queensland industry and/or public and evidence of community support.
  4. The business plan should demonstrate the viability of the applicant’s ability to implement and achieve the financial and event milestones, viability, and ability to implement the marketing plan and contingency plans for the proposal.
  5. Demonstrate the viability and ability to implement a marketing plan and indicate if there is any media support if relevant.
  6. The finance plan and business plan should demonstrate any third-party finance, for example any sponsors and plans to develop relationships in the private sector to support the development and delivery of the event.
  7. Applicants who have any outstanding acquittal reports or who have not fulfilled their obligations from a prior screen culture program with Screen Queensland are not eligible to apply.

What cultural events are eligible?

  • Screen festivals that aim to showcase diverse and engaging content, and/or promote Queensland-created content
  • Public events that seek to engage and inform Queensland audiences about screen culture activities and promote film as a cultural experience and facilitate an understanding of the Queensland and Australian screen industry
  • Workshops and conferences may be eligible for funding where it engages the screen industry
  • Tours and/or visitations by leading filmmakers about projects of significance to screen practitioners that foster debate, discussion, and peer contact
  • Virtual film festivals and events seeking to engage Queensland audiences and industry
  • Games festivals that showcase screen elements and connect with the general public to promote awareness of the games sector as a creative industry.

What cultural events are ineligible?

  • Publications or magazines about screen
  • Development and production screen content and/or workshops
  • Games development workshops
  • Marketing, i.e. P & A and promotional film screenings
  • Professional mentorships/attachments (unless otherwise specified)
  • Travel to attend international film festivals for film screenings
  • Internationally-held screen culture events
  • Private events and non-related screen culture events (i.e fundraising)
How to apply

Applications must be made online through Screen Queensland’s SmartyGrants system via the Apply now button above.

As part of the application process, you will be able to choose which peer panel you would prefer to assess your application.

The peer panels will include external experts who will provide recommendations to Screen Queensland. Your selection should be based on your own cultural identity and the type of festival or event that is the subject of your application. The panels are:

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Screen Culture and Community Development
  • Screen Culture and Community Development

Please allow for system downtime or internet service provider problems when completing your application and save the application regularly.

Please note late applications cannot be accepted. Screen Queensland reserves the right to not accept incomplete applications. Application material will not be returned by Screen Queensland.

An automated email will be sent to you within 30 minutes of submitting your application to confirm that Screen Queensland has received your application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to contact Screen Queensland if you do not receive an application receipt email.

Preparing your application

You will be required to supply the following when filling out the application form:

  • event outline
  • CVs and bios of all key personnel
  • business plan
  • audience development plan (this will also include marketing)
  • budget.

Applicants are welcome to provide additional material they believe will be beneficial to the application. Screen Queensland will inform you in writing of any missing materials and you will have ten (10) business days to supply the missing documents. If you do not supply requested materials within that period, the application will be deemed to have been withdrawn.

Assessment criteria

Screen Queensland will assess each application, taking into consideration:

The Business Plan

  • Clearly demonstrate how the requested funding will be used to achieve the business plan’s objectives.
  • Financing plans for the development and production of the event.

The event proposal

  • Regional component
  • Demonstrate a showcasing of diverse screen content that the community would not otherwise have access to
  • Quality and viability of the proposal i.e, does it fulfil a need and/or interest in the community
  • Background information on the event
  • Explanation of how the event will present new opportunities for Queensland filmmakers and the public
  • Demonstrate how it aims to maximise Queensland and/or Australian screen content in the program
  • Evidence of community support
  • Clearly demonstrate the expected levels of audience attendance.

The audience development plan

  • Plan is appropriate to the scale of the event and provides a clear strategy for attracting attendees and post-market surveys
  • Financing plans for the marketing
  • Viability and ability to implement marketing plan
  • Level of media support, if any.

The track record

  • Previous performance and delivery of similar events
  • Previous career and professional development success and any awards, professional and industry recognition
  • The network of business relationships to allow the business and event plans to be achieved
  • Expertise and skills of the applicant and their ability to successfully realise the business plan.

Resources

  • Viability of submitted budget
  • Demonstrated relationships with, or plans to develop relationships in the private sector to support the production and sustainability of the event
  • Evidence of third-party cash and in-kind contributions including private equity
  • Business and marketing skills
  • The equipment and facilities available to deliver applicants' business plan.
IMPORTANT: Documents to read before you apply

You must read our Terms of Trade, QPE definition and our corporate and strategic plans before preparing your application.

Contact us

Creative Industry Partnerships team
Phone: 07 3248 0500
Email: screenculture@screenqld.com.au

PREVIOUS SCREEN CULTURE FUND RECIPIENTS

To find a list of film and games festivals, industry conferences and other screen events in Queensland, visit our Screen Culture Calendar.