BAFTA awards over £270,000 to 112 recipients in UK and US to support career growth in games, film, and TV

BAFTA awards over £270,000 to 112 recipients in UK and US to support career growth in games, film, and TV Grants provided via the 2026 Prince William BAFTA Bursary and scholarship programmes BAFTA has awarded over £270,000 in grants to 112 recipients in the UK and North America under its 2026 Prince William BAFTA Bursary and scholarship programmes. Both programmes support emerging creatives in games, film, and television by offering financial and practical assistance to help them build their careers. The Prince William Bursary supported 100 recipients, representing a 40% increase from last year. The bursary offers grants of up to £2,000 to individuals in Wales, Scotland, England, and Northern Ireland to cover essential costs such as training, equipment, software, relocation, and driving lessons. BAFTA found that 98% of recipients from the 2024 and 2025 cohorts said the grants "enabled them to access career opportunities they otherwise could not have taken up," while 88.2% found that "receiving a BAFTA bursary significantly boosted their confidence in navigating the industry." 2026 UK Bursary games recipients include: - Bellayna Lopez – 2D game artist & animator - Erin Curtis – freelance 2D game artist - Jessica Murray – game designer and writer - Leviathan Vi Amare – technical artist - Sean Simmons – freelance illustrator and concept artist - Serina Lopez – 2D artist x game producer - Symoné – game designer In the UK, scholarship recipients will receive up to £12,000 for tuition and living costs, in addition to mentoring and free access to BAFTA's year-round events. In the US, recipients will receive up to $60,000 to support study at institutions such as Columbia University, Loyola Marymount University, New York University, School for Visual Arts, and Stanford University. The UK scholarship program is supported by The Reuben Foundation and BAFTA patrons. The US program is supported by the Fulbright Program, Sir Mark Pigott KBE, and Tina Micklethwait. 2026 UK Scholars (games) include: - Hamzah Ali, Staffordshire University, Reuben Scholar, MA Games Art - Ava Rogerson, Norwich University of the Arts (NUA), BAFTA Scholarship, BA Games Art and Design "BAFTA is passionate about the need to invest in fresh talent that the future of our industries relies on," said BAFTA deputy chair Hilary Rosen. "The Prince William BAFTA Bursary and Scholarships programmes do exactly this – giving life-changing grants to emerging creatives who otherwise might well have been locked out of a career in the screen arts. We are delighted to announce the 2026 cohort and can't wait to see what they go on to achieve."