Working collaboratively with Into Film as part of the BFI National Lottery Young Creatives programme, the funding over three years will enable the National Saturday Club to establish 40 Film&Screen Clubs in universities, colleges and cultural institutions across the UK. This will provide 13–16-year-olds nationwide with invaluable opportunities to discover and develop practical filmmaking skills.

Young Creatives is a key element of the BFI’s new education strategy. Capitalising on National Saturday Club and Into Film’s existing networks, the programme will galvanise local organisations to deliver entry level practical filmmaking training outside of the curriculum, with a focus on those living in educationally, culturally and socially disadvantaged areas.

National Saturday Club’s partnership with the BFI builds on the successful 2 year pilot of the Film&Media programme, which was also supported by the BFI.

The Film&Screen National Saturday Club programme will give many more 13–16-year-olds the opportunity to build their filmmaking skills, and discover pathways to future careers across the dynamic film and screen sector.

Lucy Kennedy, Chief Executive of the National Saturday Club, said “We are delighted to be working with the BFI on the Film&Screen Saturday Club programme – through this funding we will reach and engage even more young people nationwide. The cultural and economic impact of the film and screen sector is vibrant and ever-increasing. It is so important that we work collaboratively to ensure young people from all backgrounds and communities have the opportunity to access the sector and the myriad opportunities it can offer.”

Leigh Adams, Director of Education and Learning at BFI, said: “Screen culture has a unique power to support learning and expand horizons, so we’re focused on extending our reach to more children and young people. Through these partnerships we are seeking to engage wider communities, establish direct links between schools and further and higher education courses and open doors to a range of careers opportunities. Together we want to help ignite a passion for screen culture in future film fans and cinema-goers, as well as potential festival programmers, costume and set designers, VFX supervisors and the many other roles offered within our dynamic sector.”

The Film&Screen National Saturday Club programme is being supported by BFI as part of their new 10-year education strategy, investing £14m in the UK’s future film lovers, the industry’s future workforce and filmmakers of tomorrow. The Strategy and development of its education programmes has been informed by the industry and public consultation undertaken by the BFI when devising its National Lottery Strategy 2023-2033, and will see activity starting in April 2023. Read more