Coimisiún na Meán, Ireland’s government-backed media agency, has unveiled a €14m Shared Island Media Fund to encourage cross-border collaboration across film, TV, radio and journalism.
Feature film producers will be able to access three rounds of the pre-existing Sound & Vision funding scheme, which backs programming Coimisiún na Meán says “supports a shared future, promotes cultural exchange and celebrates the diverse heritage of the island.
”Productions will be encouraged to have a cross-border or cross-community element, encouraging collaboration between producers, creatives and broadcasters across the island.”
The funding is available to producers living across the entire island of Ireland.
Producers will be required to have a broadcaster attached to the project, and the funding is also open to TV and radio projects. The rounds will run for three consecutive years, starting in 2026.
Previous films backed by the Sound & Vision fund, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025, include Rich Peppiatt’s Kneecap, Colm Bairéad’s The Quiet Girl, John Crowley’s Brooklyn and Steve McQueen’s Hunger.
Also opening in 2026 is the Shared Island Stories & Experiences initiative, which aims to be similar to the Irish-language development scheme Cine4, a collaboration between broadcaster TG4, Screen Ireland and Coimisiún na Meán, through whichThe Quiet Girl was funded. It last ran in 2024.
The Shared Island Stories & Experiences looks to develop original feature films in the Irish language on an all-island basis and is open to projects without a broadcaster attached.
The Department of the Taoiseach funded the Shared Island Fund under the Irish government’s Shared Island initiative, which was started to harness the potential of the Good Friday peace agreement in 2021.
More details about the specific funds will be unveiled next year.
No comments yet