Cultural Fund | Screenrights

Focus 2026: Learning Through Story

Applications for the 2026 Screenrights Cultural Fund are now closed, and successful initiatives will be announced in late August.

“In 2026, the Screenrights Cultural Fund is placing a strong emphasis on supporting innovators who are expanding, improving, and accelerating learning outcomes through the creative use of screen stories,” says Tom Alegounarias, Chair of the Cultural Fund Working Group.

“This year’s focus highlights our commitment to empowering those who are pushing boundaries in knowledge sharing and learner engagement through screen stories – both within the screen industry and across broader educational sectors. We welcome applications from a wide range of initiatives, whether you’re developing interactive learning tools and innovative curriculum content, or building mentorship platforms and screen-based projects that foster professional growth and community learning.”

Focus 2026: Learning Through Story

Applications for the 2026 Screenrights Cultural Fund are now closed, and successful initiatives will be announced in late August.

“In 2026, the Screenrights Cultural Fund is placing a strong emphasis on supporting innovators who are expanding, improving, and accelerating learning outcomes through the creative use of screen stories,” says Tom Alegounarias, Chair of the Cultural Fund Working Group.

“This year’s focus highlights our commitment to empowering those who are pushing boundaries in knowledge sharing and learner engagement through screen stories – both within the screen industry and across broader educational sectors. We welcome applications from a wide range of initiatives, whether you’re developing interactive learning tools and innovative curriculum content, or building mentorship platforms and screen-based projects that foster professional growth and community learning.”

Application Support

Screenrights offers free application support for those less experienced with funding submissions via consultation sessions, with the aim of reducing barriers to entry and increasing the diversity of funded initiatives. Support is accessed by submitting a request form with some information about your idea, and conducted via video call at a time that suits you. Application support requests for the 2026 grant round closed on Monday 30 March.

The Screenrights Cultural Fund is not a development or production fund. For development or production funding opportunities, we suggest checking out your regional screen or arts funding bodies.

The Screenrights Cultural Fund supports projects that foster the creation and appreciation of screen content in Australia and New Zealand. Now in its ninth year, the Fund has awarded almost $2 million to screen industry initiatives since it was established in 2018.

Find out more about all of the initiatives supported by the Fund over its lifetime here.

Past Projects

Read about the previously funded initiatives here. Hear from some of the recipients of of past Cultural Fund grants below.

Application Support

Screenrights offers free application support for those less experienced with funding submissions via consultation sessions, with the aim of reducing barriers to entry and increasing the diversity of funded initiatives. Support is accessed by submitting a request form with some information about your idea, and conducted via video call at a time that suits you. Application support requests for the 2026 grant round closed on Monday 30 March.

The Screenrights Cultural Fund is not a development or production fund. For development or production funding opportunities, we suggest checking out your regional screen or arts funding bodies.

The Screenrights Cultural Fund supports projects that foster the creation and appreciation of screen content in Australia and New Zealand. Now in its ninth year, the Fund has awarded almost $2 million to screen industry initiatives since it was established in 2018.

Find out more about all of the initiatives supported by the Fund over its lifetime here.

Past Projects

Read about the previously funded initiatives here. Hear from some of the recipients of of past Cultural Fund grants below.

Establishment of the Cultural Fund

The Cultural Fund was established to support the creation and appreciation of screen content in Australia and New Zealand. Screenrights champions the continuing excellence and sustainability of the Australasian screen industry.

The priority of the Cultural Fund is to support innovation and diversity in the Australian and New Zealand creative industries and to develop local and foreign markets for Australian and New Zealand screen content.

Establishment of the Cultural Fund

The Cultural Fund was established to support the creation and appreciation of screen content in Australia and New Zealand. Screenrights champions the continuing excellence and sustainability of the Australasian screen industry.

The priority of the Cultural Fund is to support innovation and diversity in the Australian and New Zealand creative industries and to develop local and foreign markets for Australian and New Zealand screen content.

Funding Arrangement

Screenrights’ Constitution provides for a distribution “for such special purposes (including cultural and charitable purposes) that the Board considers are in the interest of the Society, provided that the funds expended for special purposes do not exceed 1%” of the Statutory Collection [Article 18.1(a)(ii)] and Voluntary Collection [Article 18.2(a)(ii)]. You can access our Constitution here.

Funding Arrangement

Screenrights’ Constitution provides for a distribution “for such special purposes (including cultural and charitable purposes) that the Board considers are in the interest of the Society, provided that the funds expended for special purposes do not exceed 1%” of the Statutory Collection [Article 18.1(a)(ii)] and Voluntary Collection [Article 18.2(a)(ii)]. You can access our Constitution here.