This update covers our latest organisational demographic data, new Trustees joining the board, updates to the ICO style guide, accessibility criteria for Screening Days, new outreach methods to promote funding opportunities, dedicated training opportunities for people who have been marginalised by the film industry, and preparations to develop a Disability Action Plan for the organisation.
Updating demographic data for our current staff and Board of Trustees
In April 2025 we surveyed our staff and Board of Trustees for their demographic data again. Download the information.
New board members reflecting the diversity of London
Six new board members have joined the ICO this year, increasing representation on our Board and bringing valuable experience and skills to the organisation as a whole. See demographic above for the current diversity statistics of our staff and Board and read about all trustees here.
Updated ICO writing guides
We updated our internal ICO Accessibility and Style Guide to improve consistency, clarity and accessibility in our written communications. The guide also explains our organisational approach to inclusive language.
Developed accessibility criteria for Screening Days
In 2025/26, we will undertake a comprehensive review of demographics at Screening Days to help us thoroughly understand who comes to the events, so we have a baseline picture to discover where our audience deviates from census and industry demographics. We will work with audience consultancy Indigo to deliver this project, and then create a strategic audience development plan based on the information we gather.
Proactively organised meetings with diverse-led organisations to discuss FHSE funding opportunities
We identified three diverse-led organisations that haven’t engaged with Film Hub South East previously and organised preliminary meetings with them. Two meetings have already taken place, with one more to follow. The door also remains open for discussions with other diverse-led organisations to discuss FHSE funding opportunities and our wider member support offer.
Hosted a FHSE Film Exhibition webinar with detailed sessions on application guidelines and process
We hosted a webinar on the Film Exhibition Fund, a recording of which was also uploaded to the FEF website for prospective applicants who couldn’t attend to access later on. We felt it important to communicate the Fund’s objectives and detail how members can apply in multiple ways to support broader understanding, as everyone receives information differently, and widen access to funding.
Delivered a Film Academy+ event for neurodivergent and learning disabled writers in collaboration with Oska Bright Film Festival
We delivered an event for neurodivergent and learning-disabled writers in collaboration with Oska Bright Film Festival and Fabrica in Brighton. This event focused on a specific template within scriptwriting software Final Draft. The template was developed by arts inclusion charity TAPE Community Music and Film with the backing of BFI NETWORK, and some films screened at the event were made using the software. Of 27 participants, 50% identified as autistic or neurodivergent and 38% as dyslexic or dyspraxic.
Producers programme and Outline
Outline is our programme to develop writing talent in the South East, with a focus on those who are underrepresented in the film industry. This year, we supported writers or writer-directors, 100% of whom identified as of Black and Asian descent, to develop a short film script. They also received tailored mentoring support and a space to connect as a cohort and build industry relationships. In November 2024, we delivered a two-day event for ten Producers with a goal to have at least 50% of producers to identify as from a working-class background to address underrepresentation within the industry. 75% of selected participants identified as from a working-class background.
NETWORK webinars on funding and programme opportunities
We hosted six webinars to widely disseminate information on funding and programme opportunities, with a total of 279 participants. The Short Film Fund webinar exists online for prospective applicants to revisit as a way to support learning and understanding of the Fund – receiving 68 views in March 2025 when the fund was launched.
Access file availability on all titles in the release calendar
We now have an access materials tracker which we use to inform all ICO-programmed sites on the availability of audio description and descriptive subtitles on new release films so that they can plan and programme accessible screenings much further in advance, supporting a more strategic approach to inclusive and accessible audience development.
Disability Action Plan and FEDS
The board approved the creation of designated funds to support the development of an organisation-wide Disability Action Plan and a qualitative evaluation of a decade of our pioneering Film Exhibition, Distribution & Sales (FEDS) trainee scheme. When complete, the evaluation report will be launched at a 2025-26 event in celebration of FEDS alumni, their achievements and the broader industry impacts of the scheme to date.