ScreenSkills bursaries, supported by the BFI awarding National Lottery funds, are there to help remove financial obstacles from career progression within the screen industries. They perform a vital role in opening up the screen industry and help provide a path into or progression within a career in screen.
Anyone can apply for the cash grants and they can be used to cover a wide range of purchases and fees. From April 2023, there have been 888 bursary applications approved for those across the UK looking to further their careers in the screen industry.
Of those 888 approved bursaries, 63% have gone to people from outside of London.
Glasgow based Christina Sinclair was one of the successful applicants from Scotland. She applied for a bursary to purchase a drone and enable her to further her career in unscripted TV. She said: “The application process was super smooth. The guidance on the ScreenSkills website lays out really clearly what you can apply for, what evidence you need to submit and what criteria they check when making a decision on your application. Bursaries enable people to upskill, so productions get more skilled workers on their team. It also increases the diversity of the workforce. They allow people of all backgrounds to work within the industry and bring their knowledge, ideas and creativity forward. A more diverse workforce with more ideas and creativity equals better productions.”
For Sekayi Mauluka, the bursary was the ideal way to cover the costs of driving lessons, instantly impacting her ability to perform her role as a production researcher: “Being able to drive can be a very helpful asset especially when working on location which I enjoy! I am hoping the impact it'll have is being able to work more on location and open up job opportunities. It will allow me to seize more opportunities and enable me to apply for more jobs that require driving, contributing significantly to my professional growth and accessibility to diverse opportunities.”
Applications for driving lessons accounted for around 16% of the bursaries awarded in this past financial year, with technical equipment purchases making up around 42% of allocated bursaries.
In addition to these purchases ScreenSkills bursaries can be used to cover the costs of childcare, training, travel, disability access support and accommodation-related fees.
The last year has seen £213,000 awarded for training costs, £243,000 cover equipment purchases and £125,000 be awarded for driving lessons.
Read more about ScreenSkills bursaries, find out what they can be used for and read the guidelines on how to apply.
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Find out more about ScreenSkills bursaries