BFI Chair Tim Richards and Chief Executive Ben Roberts have published Screen Culture 2033, the BFI’s new 10-year strategy signalling a fresh approach to benefitting the public and industry through to its landmark centenary in 2033.
This new vision sets out how the UK’s lead organisation for film and the moving image will transform access to its unique and valuable collections, cultural and education programmes, and use policy and research work, alongside a new BFI National Lottery Strategy and Funding Plan to build a diverse and accessible screen culture that benefits all of society and contributes to a prosperous UK economy.
Screen Culture 2033 comprises six major ambitions which will see the BFI:
- transform its relationship with audiences across the UK and become known as an open house to all for the discovery of screen storytelling;
- advocate for the value of the full breadth of screen culture including video games and interactive work;
- create a screen archive of the future that is the most open in the world;
- be digital-first in delivering cultural programmes through BFI+, the next generation streaming service, expanding reach and access for all;
- championing screen culture in school curricula; and build a skilled and sustainable workforce that reflects the UK population; and
- address where the sector needs support in delivering public benefit most through its National Lottery funding, policy work and evidence.
To achieve all of this the BFI will work to become more financially resilient in its approach, building on its charitable and commercial income.
Working in unison with Screen Culture 2033, the new BFI National Lottery Strategy 2023-2033 will guide how it will invest approximately £45 million a year of National Lottery ‘good cause’ funding over the first three years of the 10-year strategy period by prioritising:
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- £54 million for filmmakers
- £34.2 million across education and skills
- £27.6 million for audience development
- £10 million for screen heritage work1
- £7.3 million across innovation and industry services
- £3.2 million for international activity
At the heart of Screen Culture 2033 and the BFI National Lottery Strategy are three core principles which both guide the BFI’s own activities and cut across every area to be supported by National Lottery funding. These are: equity, diversity and inclusion, so everyone can develop a meaningful relationship with screen culture, regardless of their background or circumstances; UK-wide, so that everyone across the four nations of the UK should be able to experience and create the widest range of moving image storytelling; and environmental sustainability, from reducing the BFI’s own carbon emissions to supporting wider industry efforts to get to net zero.
BFI Chief Executive Ben Roberts, said: “And we have designed our new National Lottery strategy and funding plan in response to what we have heard during open consultation in developing UK-wide benefits and the value of partnerships. At a time when economic pressures are affecting people’s lives and industry resilience, our commitment to deliver against the National Lottery’s good causes mandate has never been more important. “Screen culture isn’t standing still and neither are we.”
Read the full press release here. You can read Screen Culture 2033, the BFI National Lottery Strategy 2023-2033 and the BFI National Lottery Funding Plan 2023-2026 at bfi.org.uk/screenculture
