£200,000 Fund Introduced to Boost UK's XR Development in Film, Television, and Gaming

A £200,000 creative development fund has been unveiled by the Belfast XR Festival to bridge a significant gap in the UK's immersive media landscape. According to Amplify:XR Labs, this project aims to support under-represented producers from diverse backgrounds and regions, offering paid development opportunities, travel and accommodation coverage, and dedicated accessibility support. Backed by the BFI Creative Challenge Fund, with National Lottery funding and partnerships with Arts Council Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Screen, Immersive Arts UK, and Digital Catapult, the programme will provide early-stage support for emerging producers of narrative-led XR and immersive projects in TV, film, and games. The programme will support 10 UK-based teams, each led by a new or emerging producer, alongside a director/writer and creative technologists. To be eligible, applicants must demonstrate their emerging status within their existing screen or creative practice, with projects intended for development in a narrative immersive format using XR technologies. Successful applicants will receive a working stipend, a three-day in-person residency in Belfast, and bespoke masterclasses and workshops led by XR industry leaders. Additional support includes one-to-one project mentoring, rapid prototyping, and an invitation to an exclusive UK finance and distribution event. All travel and accommodation costs will be covered, with an additional accessibility stipend available for childcare or additional access needs. The programme's launch marks a strategic shift for the Belfast XR Festival, focusing on strengthening the UK's immersive ecosystem through early-stage producer development. Applications are open until 5pm on February 6, 2026, with selected projects to be announced the following week.