Screenrights Cultural Fund Opens For Applications With $300,000 Funding Pool

Screenrights has opened applications today for its 2025 Cultural Fund grant round, announcing the annual focus as Creative Intelligence. The Fund offers up to $50,000 per project with a total pool of $300,000 for initiatives that foster the creation and appreciation of screen content in Australia and New Zealand. 

“Creative intelligence styles – imaginative, intuitive, inspirational, and innovative – are all traits seen consistently in the screen and education communities Screenrights serves,” says Rachel Antony, Chair of the Cultural Fund Working Group. “As technology mediates our educational experiences and creative processes, we are inviting applications that look to explore and apply innovation and that honour our fundamental human capacity for original thought and expression. From, for example, designing screen-based initiatives that enhance creative expression or empower those with less access to resources, to developing novel technological approaches to screen media education, we expect successful proposals will demonstrate a thoughtful approach to nurturing creative intelligence in our digital age.” 

Screenrights will continue its application support for those less experienced in funding submissions through free expert advice, with the aim of reducing barriers to entry and increasing the diversity of funded initiatives. Through the support process, applicants can draw on external assistance provided by Screenrights to help shape their submissions and optimise their chances of receiving funding. 

The Fund’s total annual pool of $300,000 increased in 2024 from $250K in previous years, and since its creation in 2018 the Cultural Fund has awarded over $1.5M in grants. 2025 applications will close on Wednesday 9 April at 5pm AEST. The guidelines and application form, as well as requests for application support, are now available at www.screenrights.org/cultural-fund. 

SCREENRIGHTS CULTURAL FUND
Previous recipients: www.screenrights.org/cultural-fund/funded-projects
Further information: www.screenrights.org/cultural-fund
Enquiries: culturalfund@screenrights.org 

ABOUT SCREENRIGHTS
Screenrights is a non-profit organisation that provides rights and royalty management services to the screen industry, and facilitates access to screen content for licensees. We license Australian and NZ educators, and Australian government and pay TV retransmitters, to copy and communicate broadcast content. From the licence fees we collect, Screenrights distributes royalty payments to rightsholder members for the programs being used. Screenrights also provides services to the screen industry such as worldwide royalty collection, film and television disbursements and CAMs, performer residuals management, free Sydney meeting room hire, and an annual Cultural Fund.

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