Northern Ireland Screen: Irish Language Broadcast Fund (IBLF)

Overview

The ILBF was established to serve audiences eager to engage with locally produced Irish language content, working with broadcasters such as BBC NI, TG4, and RTÉ, as well as digital platforms.

How much do they fund?

DEVELOPMENT
The ILBF funds a small number of development projects. They will fund a maximum of 50% of the overall development budget with a broadcaster generally providing the remaining 50% of funding.

PRODUCTION
The ILBF will usually invest a maximum of £400,000 in a project, up to a ceiling of 75% of the overall agreed project costs and will require that no less than 70% of those project costs are spent in Northern Ireland.

OTHER FUNDING SOURCES
The ILBF encourages applicants to research other funding sources, which can be used in conjunction with the ILBF such as:

• Broadcast Authority of Ireland’s Sound & Vision Scheme
• Screen Ireland
• UK and Ireland tax relief incentives

Who can apply?

The fund is open to any Northern Ireland based independent production company. They also consider co-productions where at least one of the production companies is based in Northern Ireland. Emphasis should be placed on maximum use of Irish speaking Northern Ireland cast and crew.

Digital Content

Applications are welcomed for a range of new and additional digital content to sit on existing platforms, that can demonstrate a wide reach to the target audience, or be marketed to the target audience, including but not limited to broadcaster platforms.

They welcome applications for the development or the production of any genre of content, but it should not duplicate existing Irish-language digital content.

In particular, they welcome:

• content that complements existing Irish-language television or radio programming.
• content that is targeted at adult learners of Irish.
• content that supports the delivery of Irish-medium curricula at preschool, primary and post-primary level.
• content that supports the Irish-language curricula in schools outside of the Irish-medium sector.
• content that supports parents/guardians/carers of pupils attending Irish-medium education or studying Irish in schools outside of the Irish-medium sector, who may have limited understanding of the language themselves.

Potential content could include, but is not limited to:

• The development of interactive numeracy/mathematics resources, including games and apps.
• Interactive/Digital resources focussing on the World Around Us.
• The extension of the CCEA Snas & Blas digital series approach to other academic subjects such as History and Geography.
• Interactive resources that can be used in class or independently at home similar to models available for other modern languages, eg métro électro for French.
• Interactive/online resources for A Level literature.
• Animating existing books or making them interactive, with easy to follow, age-appropriate, recorded text.

It is recommended that proposals for primary and secondary school content are discussed with relevant stakeholders including CCEA and an tÁisaonad to ensure compliance with curricular requirements and good practice, and to avoid duplication. Similarly, proposals for preschool content should be discussed with Altram to ensure compliance with the needs of the preschool sector curriculum. Proposals for parental resources should ideally complement and support preschool and school curricula.  Proposals should also include details of a proposed educational advisor/practitioner who would provide the necessary advice and support during the production.

Audio Content

Applications are welcomed for Irish language audio content that could be broadcast on radio stations that are freely available to an NI audience and also, for independently-hosted podcasts that can demonstrate a wide reach of the target audience.

Any genres of content will be considered; however, they would particularly welcome:

• radio drama
• specialist factual/documentary
• comedy
• content that would complement existing or planned Irish-language television programming, this could include repackaging of television content.
• audio books

For independently-hosted podcasts, applicants should provide details of the podcast platform and how the content would be marketed to the target audience.

As with all ILBF-funded content, they welcome content that ensures prominence of the Ulster dialect, geography, history, society and culture.  A minimum of 75% of the spoken word must be in the Irish language.