Responding to the huge demand for talent across all areas of the industry, as a result of record-breaking screen production activity, Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, the development agency for the Irish film, television and animation industry, has announced details of three new Film & TV Crew Hubs. Based in Galway, Limerick, and Wicklow these new hubs will develop skills and build capacity in production crew roles at all levels across the country.
The Crew Hubs will join the National Talent Academy network, which includes the Animation and Film & TV Drama Academies already announced. The Crew Hubs will be managed by the Atlantic Academy (Danú Media) in Galway, Film in Limerick in Limerick and Clermont Enterprise Hub in Wicklow.
The National Talent Academy Network has been established to develop a highly-skilled talent and crew base throughout the country and to further build talent and skills regionally. The academies will be focused on attracting next generation talent with a strong diversity agenda. €1 million in funding has been invested across the three Crew hubs to support crew development. This funding for the Crew hubs complements a further €1.2 million that has been invested in the National Talent Academies for Film and TV Drama and Animation.
I welcome the establishment of the National Talent Academies and these three new crew hubs in Galway, Limerick and Wicklow as an important step in the further development of skills and capacity building across the creative screen industry in Ireland.
The potential of this industry for our country is huge. Not only are we seeing a thriving domestic screen industry, but Ireland is becoming a major international location for film, television and animation production. This is founded on the talent that exists within the country and we must develop this further to maximise this potential. I would encourage all those interested in developing a career in the screen industry to avail of the opportunities that these new hubs and the talent academies will offer.
Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport, and Media, Catherine Martin TD
Ireland’s creative screen industry is experiencing record levels of production activity and there is huge demand for talent across all departments within film, television, documentary and animation. We are building and investing in a national network of talent academies across the country to develop the next generation of screen industry professionals from all backgrounds. Our aim is to support creative collaboration, developing the skills and opportunities to create powerful films and television series.
It is vital that we ensure Ireland has the necessary skills base to respond to the current demand and continue to grow our creative screen sector. We look forward to the great work the National Talent Academies and Crew Hubs will achieve into the future.”
Desiree Finnegan, Chief Executive – Fís Éireann/ Screen Ireland
The first of the Academies, focused on film and Television Drama which was announced earlier this year, is now open and will be managed by Jade Murphy at the Galway Film Centre. The Animation Academy is due to open in January 2022 and will be managed by Deirdre Barry in Animation Ireland.
The National Talent Academies are a key part of creating a national approach to talent development as set out in Screen Ireland’s recently published Building for a Creative Future 2024 strategy that seeks to build on the growth and momentum in the Irish screen industry, with a particular focus on regional activity. The industry is experiencing record levels of production activity. In Ireland, the industry contributed an estimated €289 million to the economy in the first six months of 2021 and directly supported over 12,000 jobs.
Screen Ireland is encouraging people interested in a career in film production and existing industry members who wish to develop their skills or talent pathway further to regularly visit www.nationaltalentacademies.ie and view the current and future opportunities provided across a range of innovative courses and initiatives.
The establishment of the National Talent Academy Network is part of the wider development of the screen industry that continues to bring significant economic and cultural value, while also enhancing skills and capacity in the workforce. The importance and potential of the screen industry was recognised by the Government in October’s Budget 2022 announcement of a 22% increase in funding to Screen Ireland.