Bristol, Cornwall and Swindon will receive nearly £500,000 to nurture local screen-sector training

The BFI is boosting skills funding in three regions, with the launch of its inaugural BFI Places Fund. Bristol, Cornwall and Swindon will benefit – receiving nearly £500,000 to nurture skills and training programmes.

Using National Lottery funding, the pots are aimed at locations on the government’s ‘priority places’ list, locales that are growing production hubs that will benefit from partnering up to develop long-term strategies to grow the sector in their areas.

Also, the recipients will also undertake mapping exercises to build up more comprehensive knowledge of local skills gaps and shortages, local industry needs and employment opportunities.

All Set West in Bristol

£245,425 awarded to Bristol City Council

Building on two years of research and testing of bespoke training skills activity, Bristol City Council will set up All Set West. An entry-level support package, All Set West will provide those currently underrepresented in the region’s film and television industry with training, networks and work opportunities to support them into employment in scripted roles.

Through its Film Services, Bristol City Council will build on its partnership with the West of England Combined Authority to ensure that the regional production sector workforce is highly skilled and reflective of the population.

Production Ready Pathways in Cornwall

£126,969 awarded to Screen Cornwall Ltd

Screen Cornwall, Falmouth University and Screen Devon will partner to deliver Production Ready Pathways, offering training and support for entry and early-stage crew across Cornwall.

Building on its First Break programme, Production Ready Pathways will be a more structured, long-term programme around placements, which will help more people start and develop careers. Production Ready Pathways will also provide focused development for a smaller cohort transferring in from other sectors.


Create Traction in Swindon

£164,047 awarded to Create Studios Digital Media CIC

Create Studios, that works to engage and grow the next generation of Black and Global Majority creative professionals, will launch Create Traction to contribute to Swindon’s screen production workforce.

Swindon’s screen industry generates approx £36m per annum – with major new studios nearby – but is suffering from trainees or potential trainees leaving the area. Create Traction will forge partnerships with Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnerships and Growth Hub, Wiltshire College, New College Swindon and Cirencester College, to pilot a training programme that addresses local skills shortages across specific occupations. The hope is that the scheme could be scaled up if successful.

“Here we are providing modest but very targeted funding in select areas where we can see there is real potential for growth in addition to places where we already have BFI Skills Clusters,” said Sara Whybrew, director of skills and workforce development at the BFI.

“We believe they this funding can provide a vital building block in a region becoming a viable production centre. By supporting organisations to forge partnerships which reach across local government, education, industry, local communities and beyond, we hope they can create capacity for growth, and ultimately long term benefits for these local areas, not least the realisation of a screen workforce that is representative of the local population.”

The Places Fund was originally earmarked with up to £750,000 available under the BFI’s National Lottery Funding Plan 2023-2026. The underspend will be re-allocated into the National Lottery funding strategy for skills and workforce, most likely for the 2026-29 period.

The Places Fund grant awards are for activity that can run for up to 18 months, until no later than June 30 2026.