The British Film Institute (BFI) has unveiled its £150 million National Lottery funding plan for 2026–2029, outlining a major investment to support UK screen culture across audiences, talent, skills and innovation.
Spanning six key areas, the plan allocates around £50 million per year — a 10% increase from the previous cycle. Funding will be distributed as follows: £33.5m for audiences, £13.3m for education & heritage, £61m for filmmaking & talent development, £35.55m for skills & workforce development, £1.4m for international and £5.25m for insight & industry.
Culture secretary Lisa Nandy called the investment “a welcome boost” that will “nurture emerging talent and develop industry skills to keep our screen sector at the top of its game.”
BFI chief executive Ben Roberts said the plan “aims to ensure £150 million of good cause National Lottery funding… can have the greatest possible impact for the UK public,” and supports “conditions for the screen sector to thrive culturally and economically.”
The plan builds on outcomes from the 2023–2026 cycle, including the creation of skills clusters, the success of the Open Cinemas fund and award-winning films from BFI Network alumni. New initiatives include microshorts funding, expanded support for screen heritage and broader skills development in areas such as games and exhibition.
It also complements the UK government’s Creative Industries Sector Plan, which increases the UK Global Screen Fund from £7m to £18m and boosts support for the BFI Film Academy and London Film Festival.
Guided by its 10-year National Lottery Strategy (2023–2033), the BFI’s funding is underpinned by three core principles: equity, UK-wide access and environmental sustainability.
