The Edinburgh TV Festival is not just another event. It is wholly independent, not for profit and is part of our charity The TV Foundation. Since 1990, every single penny the Festival makes from sponsorship and delegate passes goes directly to funding The Network and Ones to Watch and continuous support for alumni. We launched the Real Living Wage in TV campaign in 2019, already tripling the number of companies making that commitment. Our initiatives are free to access and put people at the centre, supporting and contributing to their careers for as long as they need us.
The TV Foundation’s partnership with the Arts & Humanities Research Council has led to TV PhD, a scheme now in its third year showing early-career researchers how they can work in and with TV and AHTV, a one-day event bringing together over 400 academics and TV professionals. The TV Foundation also works closely with our university partner network, and we are grateful to LSBU, UCA, University of Glasgow, University of Hertfordshire and University of Salford for their continued support.
The New Voice Awards every February celebrate those for whom the doors of TV have yet to open, recognising early career credits and self-initiated projects.
In 2021, The TV Foundation has made the Festival free for freelancers excluded from government support and subsidised passes for all freelancers by 50% and we will continue to ensure that Edinburgh becomes more accessible and that more and more groups feel at home at the TV Festival and get a seat at the table. If you would like to work with us, or need support, please get in touch. If you’ve bought a pass or made a donation, thank you on behalf of the 120+ people we’re supporting on our schemes this year and the 4,000 people we have made a difference for since 1990.