Alice Thomson TV, film and video games industries in Yorkshire are to receive a share of £15m worth of funding from Screen Yorkshire and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
The £7.5 million share will be allocated by the Yorkshire Content Fund to the creative and digital industries. No public money will be used, funds will be provided with the requirement that they’re matched by financial support from private companies investing in the development and production of projects. Cameron McCracken, Managing Director of Pathe UK, has stated that the generous investment to the region will “act as a catalyst for substantial production activity throughout the region”.
Although creativity in the region is as exciting as ever with the announcement that Universal Pictures-backed filmThe Knife That Killed Me is to be produced in Yorkshire, amongst other endeavours, Screen Yorkshire are aware that certain projects won’t be able to get off the ground if they don’t receive the funding they need. The Chief Executive of Screen Yorkshire, Sally Joynson, says that “these are difficult times and access to capital is still limited so to secure such a major pot of investment for the creative industries in Yorkshire and Humber is an incredible win for the region”.
The ERDF invests money to help support successful enterprises and develop sustainable communities. There are around 113 thousand people employed within the creative and digital industries in Yorkshire and the Humber. The Yorkshire Content Fund will be available for creative projects that take place and employ people from the region, fulfilling the fund’s goal to create jobs.
Projects which have previously received funding from Screen Yorkshire have included Paddy Considine’s critically-acclaimed Tyrannosaur and the Red Riding trilogy. The funding looks set to support the growth of the area’s innovative projects to form a lasting legacy.
Screen Yorkshire are now accepting applications for the fund via their website (here).
