The Canada Media Fund has partnered with the National Screen Institute on a new initiative focusing on building stable and strong production companies owned by Indigenous, Black and people of colour creators, along with the development of IP for national and international financing and distribution.

Qualified Canadian producers will be given access to intensive training through the European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs On-Demand Access Program.

The initiative will help entrepreneurs develop IP for national and international financing and distribution. The program, valued at about $30,000 per participant, also helps BIPOC producers develop their skills by providing tools and resources with regards to enhanced revenue streams, distribution, export and co-production with a mandate to facilitate professional cross-border relationships.

The program is open to 33 producers who are currently in development on a project with a writer and those producers without a project who are developing their companies and/or careers.

For more than three decades, EAVE has delivered training, development and networking around the world promoting both cross-border and cross-disciplinary collaboration. Recent graduates of EAVE have seen a 182% increase in co-production projects after participation.

“This is a unique opportunity for outstanding Indigenous, Black and People of Colour producers to take their companies and content to the next level,” said Valerie Creighton, CMF’s president and CEO, in a statement. “The CMF’s Equity and Inclusion Strategy is designed to remove barriers in the industry and support talented creators to bring their stories to screens around the world. This initiative will help do exactly that.”

National Screen Institute CEO Joy Loewen added that her organization was grateful for the CMF’s leadership support of the program.

“Powerful partnerships can create change and the EAVE on Demand Access Program is a perfect example of national and international industry partners joining together to meet and fulfil a need for BIPOC producers in every region of Canada,” Loewen said.

Interested producers have until Nov. 22 at 5 p.m. to apply for the EAVE On-Demand Access program on the NSI’s website.