Screen Alliance North is a BFI Skills Cluster, created by Liverpool Film Office, North East Screen, Screen Manchester and Screen Yorkshire with support of the BFI, awarding National Lottery funding.
The four screen agencies work together as a lead skills body for the North of England to tackle skills shortages and improve access to quality training provision for diverse talent and communities. We have completed the initial three-year programme which enabled the four partners to work strategically across the broader North to build a stronger, happier and more inclusive skilled workforce, helping to secure its future as a leading global centre for screen production.
We were awarded our next round of funding in April 2026 and the next three years are about deepening the impact and supporting people not only to find their way into the industry but to build lasting, fulfilling careers in the North of England.
Our vision
To build a thriving Northern screen workforce that reflects our diverse communities, dynamic culture and drive to be a beacon of screen production.
Our mission
To use our combined industry positioning and expertise to raise the skills bar across the North of England with consistently high standards, visibility and accessibility.
A thriving, inclusive Northern screen workforce
Progression and retention matter as much as entry
Our commitment to Good Work, Accessibility and Sustainability
BFI FUNDING
The BFI Skills Cluster investment aims to strike a balance between building on existing production infrastructure to provide new entrance and development opportunities in the most established areas of activity, while also helping to grow local crew bases in more emergent areas.
The funding focusses on establishing localised support for skills development and training with a clear aim to create new opportunities for people from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue careers in the sector.
YEAR THREE REVIEW
Welcome to our Year Three Review. We’re proud to reflect on our collective progress towards a stronger, more inclusive and better-connected screen workforce across the north of England.
OUR CONNECTED PROGRAMMES
Working together we engage the screen industry in a number of connected programmes.
Connected Access
We reach beyond screen courses to connect local Northern communities with industry, prioritising participants from underrepresented groups and
facilitating industry, educator and community relationships.
We raise awareness of careers in screen among those not studying screen courses and prepare potential entrants realistically for industry opportunities. We promote and signpost local routes into screen opportunities.
Connected Campus
Through our relationships with education establishments we support HE and FE curriculum development and connect providers with regional employers.
We improve understanding of careers in the screen industry among screen students, preparing potential entrants realistically for industry opportunities at the same time as promoting and signposting local routes into the industry.
Connected Pathways
We promote and enable access to industry-led high quality entry level production, craft and technical training in key Northern hubs. We provide participants from low socio-economic backgrounds with greater security as they start their careers in scree.
By building a pan-regional support network for entrants from all backgrounds, we support participants into screen careers.
Connected Development
We support crew from under-represented groups to step up, return to industry or make a move to a different role and provide leadership skills to regional HODs and managers.
By influencing positive cultural change among Northern employers, we aim to create accessible, supportive, environmentally sustainable workplaces. This will in turn encourage retention and progression within the Northern screen industry.
Connected North
We align and optimise data capture in our four key hubs for better quality data on local crew, including skills shortages and gaps, career progression and EDI. Our aim is to attract more local private and public investment into regional workforce and workplace development.
We continue to champion the successes and strengths of the Northern screen industry, raising the profile of those working and living in the North of England.
What we need from you
Engagement is key and we want to partner with all those invested in growing a sustainable and happy workforce.
We want our screen industry workforce in the North of England to be world-renowned. We want to set the standard for best practice for working conditions, health and wellbeing, sustainability and environmental impact. We want to make a difference to our industry and we want to work with you to do that. Please get in touch if you would like to support our programmes, get involved in our activity, inform further planning and development or just want to find out more.
Penny Hall
Skills Cluster Partnership Lead
Penny’s role is to build key partnerships with screen industry employers and manage an industry advisory group to champion the Alliance’s vision of making the industry more sustainable and improving good working practice.
Please contact Penny for enquiries about working in partnership with Screen Alliance North.
Victoria Glass
Marketing and Communications
Victoria manages Screen Alliance North’s marketing and communications activity and coordinates the communications leads in our partner agencies with regard to cluster programme activity.
Please contact Victoria for any communication and marketing enquiries.
Our Partners
Find out more about our four leading screen agencies, Liverpool Film Office, North East Screen, Screen Manchester, and Screen Yorkshire and the work we are doing with leading industry partners, and our advisory group.
