Screenwest lifts First Nations funding and adds special initiatives fund after industry review

Screenwest has announced changes to its First Nations funding programs, including increased development and travel contributions, following industry consultation.

The First Nations Practitioners Development Fund, designed to support professional skills development and contribute to travel costs for Western Australian First Nations practitioners who are otherwise ineligible for other Screenwest programs, has been renamed the First Nations Practitioner Equity Fund.

As part of the changes, national travel contributions have risen from $1,500 to $2,000, and regionally based applicants can receive up to $500 towards non-direct flight costs. Applications for highly attended markets and conferences will only be accepted during the advertised period.

There has also been an increase to support available through the First Nations Project Development Fund, which now offers up to $25,000 per documentary project and up to $35,000 per scripted project, having previously provided up to $15,000 per project.

Further, Screenwest has repurposed the funds from the First Nations Low-Budget Television Fund, which consultation indicated no longer met industry needs and had seen minimal uptake in recent years, to establish a First Nations Special Initiatives Fund.