Featured Opportunities

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BFI NETWORK Early Development funding supports writers based in England in the early stages of development for debut long-form projects. Open to writers who have not yet written a feature film or immersive work that has been produced and received a UK distribution deal, the fund directly supports writers who do not yet have a first draft of a script (or equivalent format for immersive work) to produce an initial treatment outlining the story, characters, themes and structure along with related materials such as mood boards or visual content. The first stage supports long-form live-action, immersive and animation fiction projects with awards of £3,000 to £5,000 to develop a treatment. Writers can apply with or without a producer. Projects supported at treatment stage and completed to schedule can then apply for second stage funding to complete a first draft of the full feature-length screenplay or equivalent format for immersive work. National Lottery funding is available, and access support is available for those who need help with applications.

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This opportunity invites an artist or collective to co-design the cast iron panels for the International Slavery Museum’s monumental new Entrance Pavilion. Artists from the Global Majority, or with lived experience of the legacies of slavery, are especially encouraged to apply. The newly designed panels will be the visible ‘skin’ of the Entrance Pavilion, symbolically transforming iron—once used in chains and manacles and deeply ingrained in the infrastructure of transatlantic slavery—into a material of remembrance and resilience. The chosen artist will work collaboratively with International Slavery Museum colleagues, architects (Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios), structural engineers, fabricators, and community partners to reflect the histories, legacies, and lived experiences represented at the museum. The successful artist will receive a £30,000 fee plus additional expenses covered. The museum is expected to reopen in 2029.

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The Secret Coast Prize for Fine Art celebrates outstanding creativity and craftsmanship across all fine art mediums including painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics, and small sculpture. Open to UK and international artists at all stages, submissions are juried by Jacqueline Marr, Lewis Mackenzie, and Ewan McClure. Three awards will be presented: The Secret Coast Prize for Fine Art (main award: £1,000 cash plus £1,000 worth of Michael Harding materials); The Argyll & Bute Prize (£250 cash for artists living/working in the region); and The Early Career Prize (£500 worth of Michael Harding materials plus £250 cash for students, recent graduates within 5 years, or late returners within 3 years). All works must be for sale with gallery commission (33% emerging/44% established, with 11% reinvested into SCCOCO). The exhibition will run from 29th November–21st December 2025 at Tighnabruaich Gallery with awards ceremony on opening day. Selected artists receive professional exposure, networking opportunities, and potential future exhibitions.

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The OKRE Fund: Thriller Lab is a pilot programme supporting 10 writer-producer duos to develop early-stage thriller ideas for film, TV, video games or digital shortform. Backed by £75,000 in funding, the lab supports daring, gripping thrillers grounded in real-world science that interrogate the human condition and are deepened by collaboration with academics and charities. Each successful duo receives £7,500 to cover time, travel expenses, and collaborator fees, plus entry into a structured three-month development programme (January-March 2026). The programme includes workshops, collaborator matchmaking, direct coaching from OKRE, and the opportunity to pitch projects to OKRE and industry partners at the end of the lab. Online Q&A sessions are available on 15th October and 3rd November 2025, with decision notifications by 15th December 2025.

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ArtWorks Open is an annual platform supporting emerging and mid-career UK artists working in 2D and 3D media. The 2025 show is selected by artists Tam Joseph and Keith Piper. The competition awards cash prizes, exhibitions, and residencies to fine artists. Selected works will be exhibited at Barbican Arts Group Trust (114A Blackhorse Lane E17 6AA) from 29th November to 7th December. Artists must submit works with maximum dimensions of 100cm in height, width, and depth. Selected artists receive confirmation by email with unique registration numbers and must deliver works in person or by courier to the specified address during delivery dates in November. 

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Sustainable Darkroom is seeking written contributions for a collection of essays and creative texts exploring the afterlives and futures of photography, titled “Bury After Reading: The Afterlife of Images.” Open to practitioners, writers, researchers, and artists worldwide, the call invites voices that go beyond technical processes into the environmental, social, and political dimensions of photographic practice. The publication aims to challenge existing structures of image-making and imagine futures where sustainability and ecological regeneration are central. Final texts should be 1,000-6,000 words and could include historical reflections on photography’s extractive materials, speculative texts imagining new systems for photographic production post-climate breakdown, critical responses to consumerist “green” solutions, or creative texts imagining alternative futures for photography outside consumerist frameworks. This is NOT seeking recipes or material experiments divorced from wider socio-ecological-political investigation. Selected contributors receive editorial and critical support, a copy of the finished book, and a writer’s fee of £150. Applications require a proposal (200-500 words), short bio (max 200 words), and website link. Generously supported by the Siobhán Coward Foundation.

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Must be a current a-n Artist member to apply. a-n is offering bursaries of £500 to £1,500 to current a-n Artist members at every stage of their career to develop new skills and networks to take their work to the next level. Applications close on Monday 3rd November 2025 at 12noon. Only current a-n Artist members can apply via the online form (applicants must be logged in to their a-n membership to access the form). Application guidance is available to download, providing a step-by-step guide outlining all required information. Applicants are encouraged to write their application offline before transferring answers to the online form. Access support costs can be covered for those who need assistance completing their application – applicants should email with details to arrange this support.