- The Miles Government is backing the Gold Coast screen sector through a new $5 million Capital Grants Program opened today.
- The Gold Coast is a globally renowned screen production hub, attracting 33 local, interstate and international films and series since 2020–21, injecting more than $1 billion into the state's economy and creating approximately 12,000 job opportunities.
- Screen Queensland's Capital Grants Program will support local small-to-medium screen businesses to keep pace with increased industry demand.
The Miles Government has today launched a new $5 million Capital Grants Program to support Gold Coast screen businesses to expand their operations, boost their competitiveness, grow screen jobs and back the region's role in driving the state's reputation as global screen production hub.
Small-to-medium businesses working in production, post-production and digital games development can apply to Screen Queensland for matched funding between $250,000 and $750,000 to undertake infrastructure works, purchase or upgrade capital equipment, or establish new premises on the Gold Coast.
The new funding opportunity responds to sector demand and acknowledges businesses need to innovate in the face of increasing operating costs and technical sophistication. The new Capital Grants Program will work to ensure the continued growth of the state's screen industry, which is supported through Queensland Government investment by Screen Queensland. This investment has attracted 33 local, interstate and international films and series to the state since 2020–21, creating approximately 12,000 employment opportunities and injecting more than $1 billion into the local economy.
Supported by Miles Government initiatives such as the Production Attraction Strategy, Post, Digital and Visual Effects (PDV) Incentive and Digital Games Incentive, the state has an international reputation as a leading production hub.
The state's digital games sector is also experiencing a period of unprecedented growth following Queensland Government investment.
Screen Queensland supported games projects have contributed almost $37 million to the economy since the introduction of the Digital Games Incentive and Games Grants in 2021–22, driving an increase in local expenditure by Queensland-based studios of 123 per cent through to May 2024, with sector employment growing by 155 per cent over the same period.
The Miles Government has also lured major industry events to the Gold Coast including the AACTA Awards and Festival, Screen Forever conference and Australian International Movie Convention. Epic Games' Unreal Fest for developers from Australasia and South East Asia is also held annually on the Gold Coast.
Applications for the Capital Grants Program are now open on the Screen Queensland website and close on Friday 12 July 2024.
As stated by the Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch:
"The Miles Government has played an instrumental role in ensuring the state's screen sector has become a major player on a global stage," Minister Enoch said.
"This commitment has enabled our screen practitioners to build long-term, locally based careers where they can work on high-profile films and series of scale and also turn their remarkable talents to telling Queensland's own screen stories.
"The new $5 million Capital Grants Program is a vital step in ensuring that as demand for local screen production and games development grows at a rapid pace, Gold Coast screen businesses are enabled to expand their operations and embrace these new opportunities."
As stated by Screen Queensland CEO Jacqui Feeney:
"Queensland, and in particular, the Gold Coast is a destination of choice for the world's leading filmmakers as well as our local screen producers. Screen Queensland and the Queensland Government are proud to invest in our local screen businesses and digital games studios," she said.
"The $5 million matched Capital Grants Program recognises the diversity of businesses that comprise the screen ecosystem. The program is designed to play a transformative role in ensuring local small-to-medium businesses are equipped to enhance their offerings and innovate their services in a sector that captivates, educates and entertains audiences around the world."
