Funding Success for Our Community Programme

Picture of Funny Women

Funny Women

Proudly announcing The Glitter Project – Part 2: ‘A Safe Place’, supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

‘A Safe Place’ is a continuation of The Glitter Project, our upcoming mentoring initiative at the Edinburgh Fringe, which will build on our existing virtual and community event programme.  We will provide opportunities for participants to gain self-confidence and increase their creativity via writing, performing and producing their own work, based on tried and tested comedy techniques honed from running the Funny Women Awards, workshops and courses.

Getting the ACE funding comes at the perfect time and we will follow up our Glitter Project mentoring programme at the Fringe with monthly workshops and ‘open mic’ showcases in Manchester, Birmingham, Brighton, Bath, Medway and London by providing a physical ‘Safe Place’ as a regular point of contact.

Under the direction of six regional producers, we will offer a range of creative strategies to women and non-binary participants to increase their confidence and embrace new skills for performance, professional and personal development, and community leadership.  The funding ensures that this will be accessible to those on low incomes and attract non-arts-based audiences to support wellbeing and provide an introduction to creative careers.

Speaking about the impetus for The Glitter Project and A Safe Place, Funny Women founder Lynne Parker says: “Funny Women has provided a safe and inclusive environment for women to perform, write and create comedy for 22 years and we are currently experiencing our biggest ever demand for places where we can work together safely in person regardless of gender, age, ethnicity and ability.

“Despite our campaigning, women are still underrepresented in the historically male dominated creative industries and there has been an increase in women voicing their experiences of sexism and sexual misconduct across the arts, as the #MeToo movement has demonstrated. There is still a need for safe places for all of us at different life stages.  Comedy is a fantastic way of bringing us together.”

Much of the ongoing Glitter Project beyond Edinburgh will be modelled on existing output. We have piloted activity regionally in Medway, Brighton and London (see above picture of Funny Women Live at the Groucho Club in London) and the programme responds to a demand for more in-person creative engagement via a programme of workshops, open mics, mentoring schemes and networking.

We will be announcing more details about the new regional hubs and events programme over the next few weeks and expect to be active from October 2024 onwards.  In the meantime, details of all our Glitter Project events at the Edinburgh Fringe can be found here.

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Comedy Shorts Award Entry Requirements

The deadline for registration for the Comedy Shorts Award has passed.

Funny Women NextUp…Comedy Shorts Award

Are you a budding Director? Producer? Screenwriter? Are you collaborating with friends to make a funny video? Then we are looking for YOU!

If you have a short film or sketch that you think is hilarious, then enter your work for our Comedy Shorts Award to be in with a chance of winning some life-changing support and mentoring from comedy professionals.

WHAT KIND OF FILM ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

A 1- 6 minute film that can take the form of anything comical. It’s a great opportunity to show us your creative flair and have fun!

WHO CAN ENTER?

This award is open to all women filmmakers and content developers. The film must be an original narrative created, produced and devised by a woman, or women, although male cast and crew members are allowed.

ARE THERE ANY ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR MY FILM?

Yes – we require all films to be 6 minutes or under, to be entirely original dialogue, to not feature brand logos and most importantly, to only use music with the written consent of the performer and/or publisher either personally or via the PRS system https://www.prsformusic.com/ .

WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH MY FILM?

We will broadcast selected entries on our Funny Women YouTube channel and social media (so keep an eye out) and the top 10 finalists’ films will also hosted on a dedicated Funny Women Comedy Shorts Awards page on our website. We will also broadcast the final 3 entries as part of the grand final night.

HOW IS IT JUDGED?

Films are judged for production, concept, delivery/performance, creativity, writing and overall funniness. The top 10 films are then viewed by an independent judging panel of top television and film industry professionals who will choose one overall winner and two runners up. The final three will be invited to attend the grand final in London on the 23rd September.

WHAT CAN I WIN?

2021 Funny Women Awards Prizes

The deadline for registration for the Comedy Shorts Award has passed.

If you need further information please contact us here