Screenrights Cultural Fund

Supports people with exciting and innovative new initiatives that foster the creation and appreciation of screen content in Australia and New Zealand.

The 2026 Screenrights Cultural Fund total grant pool is $300,000 and the annual focus is "Learning Through Story".

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. This year’s focus highlights a 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. The fund welcomes 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.

The Cultural Fund is not a production or development fund, but rather supports projects that up-skill, increase diversity, innovate to reach new audiences, and more.

Cultural Fund initiatives will demonstrably contribute to a healthy local screen sector. Screenrights encourages submissions that increase diversity. The Cultural Fund supports a wide range of activities, from small individual projects through to large-scale initiatives.

For example:
- Projects that break down barriers to access, and engage with remote and isolated communities
- Workshops that foster inclusive collaboration
- Services that deliver content to users in innovative ways
- Start-ups that upend existing business models to support the creation, delivery, and use of content
- Projects that create viable pathways for under-represented voices.

While applications may commit a number of parties to the project, one person must be identified as the Applicant and primary contact for the purpose of administering the project.

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.

Supports people with exciting and innovative new initiatives that foster the creation and appreciation of screen content in Australia and New Zealand.

The Applicant:
- Must be an individual who is a resident of Australia or New Zealand for taxation purposes, or a company domiciled in Australia or New Zealand for taxation purposes
- Cannot be a director or employee of Screenrights, or a member of a director or employee’s immediate family
- Should have some experience relevant to the proposed project
- May only be involved in one application per funding round.