Domestic Market Travel Support Program - Screen Forever 2026

Screen NSW general eligibility requirements can be found in the Screen NSW Terms of Trade, which should be read in conjunction with these guidelines.    

All applicants need to fulfil the following criteria: 

• Be an early to mid-career practitioner with relevant experience in producing screen content   
• Have a slate of market-ready projects to pitch 
• Be a key creative on the project(s): producer, director, writer 
• Be a NSW- based individual, project team, or company: 
  • If an individual, the applicant must be over 18 and be a NSW resident (i.e., lived and operated in NSW for at least six months immediately before the date of application)
  • If a project team, both applicants must be over 18 years of age, NSW residents and key creatives on the proposed project/s  
  • If a company, the company must be incorporated and registered in Australia and have its principal place of business in NSW for at least six months immediately before the date of application. Company applicants can nominate up to two people, and each nominee must be over 18 years of age, a NSW resident and a key creative on the project/s.
• Be an Australia citizen or full-time resident 
• Have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
• Be available to attend the entire event in person. 

 Applicants who have been invited to participate in a competitive program at the conference/market (such as a pitching forum) are encouraged to disclose this and provide evidence of the invitation. This may make your application more competitive.  

Applicants must not be full-time secondary or tertiary students. Other government departments and agencies are not eligible to apply. The applicant must not be in breach of any obligation under any funding agreement it has with the NSW Government. 

Screen NSW supports travel funding to attend the following industry events: 

• The Australian International Documentary Conference, Melbourne 
• Screen Forever, Gold Coast 
• The Australian Children’s Content Conference, Coffs Harbour 
• Regional to Global Forum, Lennox Head 
• MIFF 37 South, Melbourne (specific programs). 

 Travel support funding for the above events will be advertised on the Screen NSW website ahead of each event, to give successful applicants time to make their travel arrangements. 

Screen NSW is dedicated to promoting fairness and equality in its programs and interactions with the community. Our main priorities include supporting increased participation in the industry of people from underrepresented groups, including: 

• First Nations people  
• Regional NSW
• Western Sydney  
• People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds 
• People living with disability
• LGBTQIA+ people. 

 Practitioners from these areas are encouraged to apply.  

For each event, up to two places will be reserved for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander practitioners. 

For the purpose of this program, Screen NSW defines an emerging or mid-career practitioner as someone who has: 

•  Emerging: 1+ years of professional experience 
• Mid-Career: in the mid stages of their careers with a reasonable history of practice and credits, a body of work and a degree of recognition. 

 Note: This program is not open to entry-level practitioners. 

Available funding 

Up to $2,000 of grant funding is available.  

Successful applicants will need to organise their own travel and accommodation and cover all travel costs up front. After contracting, they will invoice Screen NSW for the agreed sum to cover a portion of these expenses on the provision of an acquittal report at the conclusion of travel. 

Screen NSW will provide one grant per individual, project team or company applicant: 

• For individuals, grants of up to $1,500 ex GST will be available 
• For project teams or companies, where two key creatives (producer, writer, director) are part of the application, grants of up to $2,000 will be available. All applicants must be NSW residents and attending the same event. This is non-transferable to another company representative without prior approval from Screen NSW. Co-contributions from third parties are allowable for non-Screen NSW covered expenses. 

What you can get funding for  

A set amount to assist with flights, ground transportation, accommodation, conference/market accreditation and reasonable costs associated with attending the event (such as meals). 

Eligible applicants may receive domestic market travel support from Screen NSW only once in a single financial year.  However, a company may be eligible to attend more than one market, if they are supporting different key creatives and projects at different events. 

Your application will be competitively assessed against the following weighted criteria: 

Applicant Track Record (30%) 

The track record of the applicant including relevant experience in the screen industry. The Assessor will review details provided in the application including: 

• CV of applicant, or attendee if applicant is an organisation 
• Evidence of relevant screen industry experience and previous credits (if applicable). 

Merit of the Opportunity (30%) 

The strength of your application, taking into account the opportunities provided by attendance. The Assessor will review details including: 

• Indicative schedule of workshops or events that the applicant will attend 
• Any additional activities e.g. meetings that will be undertaken during the event 
• The status of any projects in development.  

NSW Cultural & Economic Benefit (20%) 

The potential of the market travel opportunity to contribute to the NSW screen industry including: 

• A description of how attendance will benefit the work being undertaken by the applicant. 

Participation & Diversity (20%) 

Diversity of the applicants, and whether it increases participation from Screen NSW priority areas. 

You must submit all core materials listed on the application form. 

• Profile of the applicant demonstrating their relevant track record  
• CV/resume of the person proposed to attend 
• Statement of intended objectives for attending the event 
• Details of any project/s in development and a short statement of how attending the event will benefit the project/s 
• Intended plan for the conference including planned activities, networking opportunities and proposed meeting list 
• If invited to a competitive program withing the conference/market, provide this invitation. 

Once your application has been submitted, you will receive an email confirmation from our secure online grants system, SmartyGrants. 

Eligibility 

Applications will be initially reviewed by Screen NSW staff to ensure they meet eligibility requirements, and all application materials are acceptable. If you application is assessed as ineligible, you will be advised in writing within 14 days. 

Assessment 

If your application is considered eligible, it will progress to an external industry assessor for consideration against the Assessment Criteria.  The assessor will assess and score applications individually, before discussing with Screen NSW. 

Based on the outcome recommendations will be made in writing to the decision-maker. 

Please note that funding allocation follows a competitive process. Evaluations will consider the Assessment Criteria outlined above, the strength of other applications and the availability of Screen NSW funds. 

Recommendation and Decision 

Based on the outcome of the assessment process, recommendations for successful applicants will be provided to a Senior Manager, Screen NSW, for consideration and approval. 

Additional Considerations 

Additional considerations Screen NSW may, at its sole discretion, and at any stage of the application process, do all or any of the following:  

• Require additional information from an applicant;  
• Change the scope or the requirements of these guidelines  
• Vary, amend (including by replacement) or terminate the application process, and  
• Re-open an application after the closing date, provided it doesn’t give the applicant an advantage over other applicants. 

Screen NSW aims to turnaround applications within 4 weeks from the application close date. Applicants will be advised of the application outcome by email. 

Successful funding recipients will enter into a standard non-negotiable agreement with Screen NSW, setting out the terms and conditions of the funding including deliverables, acquittal requirements and treatment of unspent funds.  

Recipients are required to provide a written report detailing the outcomes of attending the event as part of the acquittal process.  Receipts proving travel and accommodation expenses and attendance will also be required at the time of acquittal. 

An agreement will not be issued, and payments will not be made, until any outstanding Screen NSW acquittals have been submitted. 

The Grants Administration Guide (Guide) requires that certain information is published in relation to grants awarded no later than 45 calendar days after the funding agreement takes effect (see section 6.5 of the Guide and Appendix A to the Guide).    

This information is also open access information under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW) (GIPA Act), which must be made publicly available unless there is an overriding public interest against disclosure of the information.  

In accordance with these requirements, relevant information about the funding awarded will be made available on the NSW Government Grants and Funding Finder as soon as possible after the funding agreement is executed.  

All records in relation to this decision will be managed in accordance with the requirements of the State Records Act 1998 (NSW).  

Any conflicts of interest will be managed in accordance with NSW Government Grants Administration Guide.  

A conflict of interest, or perceived conflict of interest, may be identified if staff, any member of a committee or advisor and/or you or any of your personnel: 

• has a professional, commercial, or personal relationship with a party who can influence the application selection process, or  
• has a relationship with or interest in, an organisation, which is likely to interfere with or restrict the applicants from carrying out the proposed activities fairly and independently, or   
• has a relationship with, or interest in, an organisation from which they will receive personal gain because the organisation received funding under the program.  

If you identify an actual, apparent, or perceived conflict of interest at any time, you must inform Screen NSW immediately. Screen staff can be contacted by email: [email protected]  

NSW Government staff, committee members and other officials including the decision maker must declare any conflicts of interest and ensure they are managed as per the Department’s Code of Ethics and Conduct and the Grants Administration Guide.