Funding of $9.2 million announced for Screenwest 

The Western Australian Government has announced funding of $9.2 million in Lotterywest grants for the state’s screen industry for 2023/24 - an additional $1.5 million compared to the previous year.

The funding is separated into two grants with $7.7 million matching the 2022-23 contribution to support the screen industry and a second grant of $1.5 million supporting the capacity of local productions and the development of the WA First Nations filmmaking sector.

WA productions supported in 2023/24 include feature films Birthright, Runt, Red Rock Run and We Bury The Dead;TV series Population 11, Invisible Boys, Kangaroo Beach and Tales from Outer Suburbia; and documentary series Maggie Beer's Big Mission, Our Law season 2 and Australia's Sleep Revolution with Dr Michael Mosley.

The Lotterywest grants will allow Screenwest to support the development, production and promotion of film and television projects in WA, as well as skills and business support opportunities for local screen practitioners, First Nations programs, and help promote diversity and inclusion.

The $9.2 million in funding will help ensure a steady pipeline of employment opportunities for WA cast, crew and extras in the State.

The State Government's commitment to the Western Australian film and screen production industry spans almost 30 years through around $150 million in Lotterywest grants.

Western Australian Culture and the Arts Minister, David Templeman enthused "it's an exciting time for WA's screen industry with a blockbuster funding year for Screenwest through $9.2 million in Lotterywest grants, off the back of our recent screen production facility announcement.

"The extra $1.5 million in funding for Screenwest will support WA's First Nations filmmaking sector and a massive year of scripted production for our State - the biggest to date. Recent productions include Population 11, Runt, We Bury The Dead and Invisible Boys, to name a few.

"Western Australia represents a fantastic backdrop for TV shows and the big screen and I can't wait to see more major productions and special projects being filmed here in WA.

"I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate Screenwest on its ongoing excellent work to promote screen projects and attract industry participants to our great State."

Image (from left): Western Australian Minister for Culture and the Arts, David Templeman; Western Australian Premier Roger Cook and Screenwest Chief Executive, Rikki Lea Bestall make the new funding announcement.