Paramount+ Canada, BIPOC TV & Film and the National Screen Institute (NSI) have announced a joint partnership on a new program.
Elevate aims to provide business development mentorship, as well as strategies for growth and stability to Black, Indigenous and person of colour (BIPOC)-owned production companies.
Through the program, participants will be provided with tailored mentorship and coaching, financial and business guidance, access to industry networks and decision-makers as well as the resources to help accelerate their growth trajectory, according to a news release. The program seeks to foster long-term sustainability, economic empowerment and representation within the industry and encourage greater export of Canadian creative content.
The release said Elevate has been “designed through a trauma-informed lens to consider the socioeconomic impacts of systemic oppression and barriers these communities have experienced.” It will inject flexible funding into BIPOC-owned prodcos and facilitate connections with funding opportunities, financial institutions and potential investors to enable BIPOC producers to access the capital needed to grow their businesses.
The 13-month program runs from January 2024 to March 2025. Applications are open until Nov. 30.
“The Elevate program is an important initiative that will dovetail with specific project-based funding already available for BIPOC-owned production companies, offering the tools and resources to elevate their businesses beyond individual projects,” said Doug Smith, SVP streaming and content licensing for Paramount Global, Canada, in a statement.
“Elevate is our response to requests from BIPOC producers who seek business development support,” added NSI CEO Joy Loewen. “We believe Elevate will accelerate the growth of BIPOC production companies in both the domestic and international markets.”
BIPOC TV & Film executive director Kadon Douglas said the program is a “vital branch” of the organization’s three-year strategic plan. “Sustainable and thriving production companies are critical to building power and autonomy for BIPOC creators, and transforming the stories we tell and legacies we build for the future of Canadian content,” she continued.
The new initiative is the second equity-seeking partnership Paramount+ Canada has announced recently, following a collaboration with the Black Screen Office for the Black Creators Festival Initiative revealed in September.
Image: Unsplash