Bell GlobeMedia distributes $5M in funding
Three prominent arts groups are hoping to forge a common approach to new media funding in time for the Banff TV festival this June. L’Institut national de l’image et du son (INIS), the Canadian Film Centre and the Banff New Media Institute are receiving $5 million from Bell Globemedia to work collaboratively on projects that benefit Canada’s interactive content industry.
The funding, dispersed equally over five years, was included in Bell’s $230-million public benefits package attached to its parent’s acquisition of CTV Inc last year (CNM, July 26/00).
Caryl Brandt, acting artistic director of media and visual arts at the Banff Centre, says there are some significant details to hammer out before the trio can put out a request for proposals this summer. But she expects there will likely be three components to the funding.
One could include money to help students from each institution travel and take part in the other partners’ events and workshops. Some could be earmarked for matchmaking efforts, creating networking opportunities for national producers to meet one another. As well, a significant portion of the funding will be used to fund individual projects. Current goals call for at least six prototype projects per year, likely developed in stages from proposal to commercial prototype.
How projects will be adjudicated still has to be decided. Some of those agreement areas will be discussed by the partners at the Hot Docs festival later this month, and at a proposed two-day retreat in the intervening time between now and the TV fest.

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