The UK-Canada Immersive Talent Exchange and Co-Production Accelerator Is Now Underway

The application period is now closed. Read the press release to learn more about the inaugural cohort selected in this programme.

For creators who want to collaborate on immersive storytelling—an emerging field that embraces digital technologies like virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality to engage audiences—the UK-Canada Immersive Talent Exchange and Co-production Accelerator, a Canada Council partnership, offers a year-long international exchange programme dedicated to immersive storytelling.

The programme brings together a cohort of 12 creators from Canada and 12 from the UK to work with industry mentors in the development of creative, technical, and business skills and knowledge around immersive storytelling. Sessions will be held remotely—with the possibility for in-person workshops and exchanges as the situation around COVID-19 evolves.

All participants will receive a fixed Development Grant of $3,400 to contribute towards their time spent on the initial talent development stage of the programme.

Participants will also be able to pitch for co-production financing during the programme, beginning in November 2020. A total funding amount of $510,000 will be available for all participants with amounts between $42,500 and $170,000 for individual projects. The programme will conclude at the end of 2021 with the completion of funded projects.

The programme was open to applications from creators with a wealth of backgrounds and experiences, including from—but not limited to—theatre, performing and visual arts, games, TV, film, and other forms of digital and interactive media.

The programme accepted six creative leads from Canada who will be mixture of artists, filmmakers, theatre directors and other visionaries who can drive the creative direction of a project.

The programme accepted six producers from Canada who can bring the business skills and immersive production experience needed to make these projects a reality.

The deadline to apply for the programme was Thursday, September 17, 2020 at 12 pm EDT.

You can read more about the programme—including eligibility criteria, application and judging criteria and more—on the programme’s website.

Still have questions?

If you have questions after reviewing the programme’s website, you can contact info@immersive-exchange.com

Partners

This programme is a partnership between the Canada Council for the Arts, the Canada Media Fund, the Canadian Film Centre, StoryFutures Academy (UK), the National Centre for Immersive Storytelling (run by the National Film and Television School and Royal Holloway, University of London), and Arts Council England.