Future Leaders Delegation
– GDC 2025

Game Developers Conference (GDC) is a high priority event in the global games industry calendar, bringing the international games sector together around an industry conference, awards ceremony, tradeshow, and networking events.

The Future Leaders Delegation will support six early-to-mid career gamemakers to travel to San Francisco to attend GDC 2025 (17–21 March 2025). This initiative will enable the selected delegates to connect with their peers, learn from industry experts, seek out partnerships and funding opportunities, and understand their practice within the broader international sector. This initiative also aims to support gamemakers from under-represented backgrounds.

Available support

Successful applicants will be funded up to $10,000 towards flights, accommodation, meals, and event tickets. Screen Australia will provide pre-departure and on-the-ground support through a mix of workshops, presentations, mentoring, and networking opportunities.

Costs to travel to the pre-departure workshop in Melbourne will be covered separately by Screen Australia.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

For Australian screen content to effectively deliver cultural and economic benefits it must speak to, and be for, all Australians. Ultimately a diversity of ideas and a diverse workforce will grow the Australian screen industry, make it more relevant to Australian audiences and more competitive internationally.

Screen Australia is committed to building diversity, equity and inclusion into its programs and into our engagement with the community. Authentic storytelling, from and about under-represented groups is a priority for Screen Australia.

Screen Australia therefore encourages applications from applicants from all backgrounds, cultures and experiences. In particular, the agency welcomes applications from applicants who are First Nations, d/Deaf and disabled, culturally and linguistically diverse, LGBTIQ+, regionally based, or those from other under-represented groups.

Eligibility

Applicant eligiblility

• This initiative is open to applicants who are individuals or companies and meet Screen Australia’s Terms of Trade

• Applicants must have an active Australian Business Number (ABN)
• Applicant companies must elect an individual to attend GDC on behalf of the company

Delegate eligibility 

To be eligible for this initiative, individual applicants and company delegates (delegates) must:

• have released and/or published at least one game on a public platform (e.g. on Steam, itch.io, etc.)
• be actively working on at least one game (for company delegates, this must be a company game)
• have not travelled to GDC before
• be available to attend GDC 2025 (17–21 March 2025 and travel dates around these) and to participate in a pre-departure workshop in late February 2025 in Melbourne (domestic travel costs will be covered for successful delegates)

Application process

How to apply 

Applicants need to create an account and submit an application via Screen Australia’s online Application Portal.

Applications close 5pm AEDT on Thursday 17 October 2024.

Application form 

Through the application form, applicants must: 

• provide all the information requested and answer the application questions
• address all eligibility criteria and assessment criteria
• include all required supporting materials

required materials 

Applicants must upload the following materials with their application form:

• Delegate’s CV including details of any work history, commercial or non-commercial game releases, festival awards, speaking opportunities, and/or volunteer work (maximum 2 pages)
• Delegate’s Career Development Proposal (maximum 1,000 words) that includes:

• How this opportunity would benefit the delegate, their practice, and career
• Overview of the delegate’s current and past projects, including for each title:

• stage of development
• your role on the project
• if released, a link to the game’s store page

• The delegate’s current career objectives and how attending GDC will help the delegate achieve their objectives

aSSESSMENT 

aSSESSMENT PROCESS 

The Program Operations team will review each application to check eligibility and ensure the required application materials have been provided.  Once confirmed, the applicant will receive an email advising that their application has moved to assessment and an estimated timeframe of the outcome.

Complete and eligible applications will be considered and reviewed by Screen Australia against the assessment criteria.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 

Applications will be assessed against the following equally weighted criteria:

• Strength & Relevance

• the strength and quality of the application and proposal
• the timeliness, relevance, and suitability of the program to the delegate’s career stage and trajectory
• the extent to which the delegate is informed about the themes and issues they are facing in their games career and/or practice
• the level of connection of the delegate to the wider gamemaking community and/or communities relevant to their practice

• Impact 

• the extent to which participation in the initiative will lead to tangible career and/or practice benefits for the delegate
• the level of conviction and intent the delegate displays in sharing the benefits of the opportunity with their gamemaking community

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

• the alignment of the application with the diversity, equity, and inclusion aims of the initiative

Shortlisted delegates may be interviewed; any interview requests will be made ahead of time.

Decision & Notification

Applicants will be advised of the outcome of their application by Friday 15 November, 2024.

Screen Australia acknowledges and appreciates the time and effort that goes into preparing and submitting applications, but given the anticipated volume of applications, we will not be able to provide individual feedback on each application. 

Successful applicants

Contracting

If successful, direct funding for this opportunity will be provided in the form of a grant. Successful applicants will enter into an activity grant agreement (AGA) with Screen Australia.

Terms of Support

Successful applicants will be required to book international flights, accommodation, and event tickets for the delegate. Domestic travel and accommodation for the delegate’s participation in the pre-departure workshop will be arranged and covered by Screen Australia.

Accommodation for GDC will be required for the core dates of Saturday 15 March until Saturday 22 March 2025. Those delegates wishing to extend their travel outside these dates will be wholly responsible for all expenses, including accommodation and travel insurance.

Screen Australia staff will travel to GDC 2025 alongside successful delegates to provide on-the-ground support. Pre-departure training and workshops will be provided by a mix of Screen Australia staff and games industry professionals.

Contact

For any enquiries, please contact the Screen Australia Program Operations team on 1800 507 901 or Games. Please note that we are not able to provide creative advice or suggestions to strengthen your application.

Privacy

Screen Australia collects personal information from individuals in different ways, including via funding applications, acquittal reports, or supporting material supplied with forms. Screen Australia will handle any personal information provided in connection with a funding application in accordance with its Privacy Notice relating to funding applications and its Privacy Policy.