Press

Glúin Nua: New Commissioning fund to support emerging directors, writers and creative producers to create short-form content in the Irish language

10.07.20

A new Commissioning and Mentorship fund is launched by TG4 in partnership with the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund, Údarás na Gaeltachta and in association with Gréasán na Meán Skillnet.

TG4 are delighted to announce a new scheme ‘Glúin Nua’, to commission appealing short-form content for younger audiences. The fund is a partnership between TG4, Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund (ILBF) and Údarás na Gaeltachta in association with Gréasán na Meán Skillnet to support up and coming talent in the industry. Glúin Nua is being launched at the Galway Film Fleadh, which is presented online this year from 7-12 July.

The initiative will provide a commissioning fund and mentoring support to support new talent in the Irish audio-visual industry. Under the scheme, production companies can develop and give mentorship to a new generation of storytellers, supporting them to create innovative and original Irish-language content for audiences in the 16-34 age bracket.

The content will have a digital-first release on TG4’s online platforms, as well as receiving a subsequent linear broadcast where relevant. This commissioning fund to a total value of €240,000 is supported by TG4, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), Northern Ireland Screen’s ILBF and Údarás na Gaeltachta, and in association with Gréasán na Meán Skillnet.

Lís Ní Dhálaigh, Director of Marketing, Development and Partnerships in TG4 said: “TG4 is pleased to announce this scheme to support new talent in the sector. A priority for TG4 is to strengthen our appeal for younger audiences and also to support a new generation of content creators in the industry.”

CEO of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, Michael O’Keeffe said: “The BAI is delighted to support Glúin Nua, an innovative mentorship programme which will enable emerging directors and writers to develop in the audio-visual sector and create new and exciting Irish language content that is targeted to appeal to young audiences. We are particularly supportive of the partnership element of the programme, and we look forward to joining with TG4, NI Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund, Údarás na Gaeltachta and Gréasán na Meán Skillnet to nurture and encourage new Irish-language practitioners as they enter the industry. We consider this partnership proposal to be of significant strategic value to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), furthering the objectives of Promoting Diversity and Plurality and Enhancing Innovation & Sectoral Sustainability. Furthermore, the initiative directly supports the aims and objectives of the BAI Irish Language Action Plan, which was launched in 2019 in order to support Irish Language development across the Irish audio-visual sector.”

Áine Walsh, Head of Irish Language Broadcast Fund at Northern Ireland Screen said “Skills development and training are core elements of the work of the ILBF and we are delighted to be a partner in this unique initiative which will enable new and emerging Irish speaking talent to be nurtured by established production companies. We have put increasing emphasis on funding content aimed at a young audience and are excited to see the innovative programming that this new cohort of talent produces.”

Mícheál Ó hÉanaigh, CEO, Údarás na Gaeltachta stated: “Údarás na Gaeltachta is delighted to support the ‘Glúin Nua’ scheme which will provide growth opportunities for the audiovisual sector, a sector which we have supported for many years. We are very happy to be collaborating with our partner colleagues on this scheme, a scheme which will provide opportunities for young people to start out in this sector in an innovative and exciting manner. For many years, we have placed a significant emphasis on training and development of the next generation in learning their trade for the benefit of the Irish language and the Gaeltacht, this scheme will support that objective also.”

Full details of the Glúin Nua requirements are available here: https://www.tg4.ie/commissioning

GLÚIN NUA funded by: