The UK government announced its decision not to continue with the Young Audiences Content Fund (YACF) beyond its three-year pilot stage, with no further funding to be made available after February 25, 2022. Launched in 2019 by the British Film Institute (BFI), the fund made millions of pounds available to local firms, contributing up to 50% of the production costs on projects to support the creation of new programming for children and young audiences aged up to 18.
According to BFI, YACF has supported the UK’s production community, enabling greater opportunity and creativity with 144 development projects, many of which have converted to broadcast commissions already, and 55 productions ranging from “Teen First Dates” (E4) to sustainable craft show “Makeaway Takeaway” (CITV) and “The World According The Grandpa” (Milkshake!), among other projects. Moreover, YACF backed projects have already drawn critical acclaim, won a string of awards and secured sales to countries around the word, and there are 24 projects in production still to air over the next two years.
“We are incredibly proud of what the BFI Young Audiences Content Fund has achieved in three years. It has given young people all over the UK the opportunity to watch and engage with original UK programming on free-to-access, regulated platforms, reflecting their lives, hopes and fears, and educating, entertaining and inspiring them,” the British Film Institute said in a statement.
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