A new £10.5m production fund has launched to attract major film and television projects to Greater Manchester as industry leaders look to turn critically acclaimed successes like Tip Toe into a sustainable screen economy that creates jobs, supports freelancers and keeps talent in the North.
The Greater Manchester Production Fund, which opened for applications this week, will back feature films and scripted and unscripted television projects capable of delivering economic impact, developing skills and growing the region’s production sector.
Its launch comes at a pivotal moment for the industry.
While Greater Manchester has enjoyed a run of high-profile successes – from the continued growth of MediaCity to Northern-shot dramas such as Tip Toe, produced by Quay Street Productions and hailed as an “urgent state-of-the-nation drama” – many freelancers and independent producers have warned the sector remains fragile.
The challenge for Greater Manchester is not simply attracting productions to use the region’s locations, but creating the conditions for more projects to be developed, financed and produced from the North, generating year-round work for crews, freelancers and production businesses.
The fund forms a key part of Greater Manchester’s ambition to become the UK’s leading screen industry cluster outside London by 2028.
The region’s creative industries already contribute more than £1.4bn to the local economy and support more than 48,000 jobs.
Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council and Greater Manchester Portfolio Lead for Economy, Business and Inclusive Growth, said: “Greater Manchester already has a strong track record in film and television, with the talent, locations and crews to support world-class productions. This fund is about building on that strength by attracting more investment, creating more opportunities for local people and helping our creative sector grow.
“We want to see more productions choosing Greater Manchester, more local companies scaling up, and more people able to build successful careers in the industry here.
“And we want to see more of Greater Manchester on screen! This is a city region with huge creative energy and a distinct identity, and this fund will help ensure our stories, our places and our talent are seen by audiences nationally and internationally.”
The fund is backed by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and is the first major programme to emerge from Greater Manchester’s Creative Industries Sector Development Plan.
The Greater Manchester Production Fund has been designed to address that challenge by prioritising projects that hire local crew, use local facilities and generate measurable economic impact in the city region.
Nicola Shindler, CEO and Executive Producer of Quay Street Productions, said: “The screen sector in Greater Manchester is full of incredible talent, experience, creativity and hardworking people. This fund is a real vote of confidence in the region and an important investment in its future.
“By supporting productions to come here and grow here, it will help create opportunities for local freelancers, crew and businesses, while ensuring the industry remains strong, sustainable and continues to thrive for years to come.”
Guidance and application details are available through the Production in Greater Manchester website – https://productiongreatermanchester.co.uk/
