BFI To Launch Refreshed Film Academy Programme With 12 New Skills Hubs Across The UK
The BFI is relaunching its Film Academy scheme, its flagship skills programme for 16-25-year-olds, by creating 12 regional hubs across the UK. The new structure, running from 2026 to 2029, is designed to devolve funding and provision to local organisations, giving underrepresented young people across the nations and regions better access to training and connections in the film and screen industries.
Each hub, led by a named regional organisation, will work with schools, youth clubs, colleges and community groups to deliver year-round activity, including introductory courses on below-the-line production roles, screen heritage, exhibition and distribution, alongside networking events, masterclasses and a dedicated alumni manager. The programme is funded through increased UK Government investment and BFI National Lottery Good Cause funding, supplemented by contributions from Northern Ireland Screen, Screen Scotland and the Welsh Government, with BFI and DCMS figures framing it as a way to widen access to careers in film regardless of background or location.
- BFI to launch 12 regional Film Academy Hubs across the UK from 2026-29.
- Hubs offer training, masterclasses and alumni support for ages 16-25.
- Funded by UK Government, National Lottery and devolved nations' screen bodies.
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The BFI Film Academy is an existing scheme run by the British Film Institute to help young people aged 16 to 25 get a start in the film and screen industries, offering training, taster courses and connections with professionals. This latest move relaunches the scheme with a new structure of 12 regional hubs across the UK, each run by a local organisation working with schools, colleges and community groups, rather than being delivered centrally.
The BFI is the UK body responsible for supporting film culture and the screen industries, and it distributes National Lottery funding for this kind of work. The new hub model is also backed by extra UK Government money, along with contributions from the devolved screen bodies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, reflecting a UK-wide effort rather than one focused only on London.
The stated aim is to make it easier for young people outside the traditional industry centres, and those from underrepresented backgrounds, to access training and industry contacts. This matters because access to entry-level opportunities has long been seen as a barrier to a more diverse film and screen workforce, and the funding and structure set out here will run over several years, from 2026 to 2029.