The TV Foundation

Making the TV Industry Accessible for All

For more than 30 years, Edinburgh TV Festival has been providing free-to-access career development opportunities and other groundbreaking initiatives. We aim to improve inclusivity by leveraging the Festival’s position at the heart of the industry to make TV more accessible to more people. In 2019, our charity was relaunched as The TV Foundation to encompass and build on the work we do year-round to support new and emerging talent.

Core Programmes

Our Career Development Programmes leverage the Festival’s position at the heart of the TV industry to offer inspiration, mentoring, support and community to successful applicants.

The Network

The Network is our free entry-level access programme open to anyone aged 18+. This scheme offers money-can’t-buy opportunities in Edinburgh and ongoing support to help kick-start a career in TV.

Ones To Watch

Ones to Watch gives TV’s rising stars access to inspiring sessions and debates, unrivalled networking opportunities, and mentoring throughout the year.

TV PhD

TV PhD gives Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded PhD students the opportunity to learn more about the TV industry. Delegates also attend the TV Festival for free.

Ones to Watch helped me grow my confidence, my network and my industry knowledge – all of which I carried through to my work as a producer.

Mary Johnston, Ones to Watch delegate

Events & Opportunities

The TV Foundation runs multiple schemes, events, and programmes that are designed to amplify new voices and nurture existing talent.

To date, The Network and Ones to Watch have helped more than 4,000 alumni progress in the TV industry. And, our exciting new initiatives – TV PhD and New Voice Awards – are providing even more opportunities to rising stars and undiscovered talent.

We also run a full programme of events year-round that cover important topics including bullying and mental health.

Support The TV Foundation

All donations we receive directly support the TV Foundation and help us support new and emerging talent year-round.

Our work is making TV a fairer place, and you can be a part of that by making a donation.

I got my first job in TV thanks to the Network, and also two internships. I can hands down say that I wouldn’t have got those jobs without The Network! The CV advice, the general advice on how the industry works, the contacts and the friendships are why I recommend The Network to anyone starting out in TV.

Sarah Daly, The Network delegate

I got my first job in TV thanks to the Network, and also two internships. I can hands down say that I wouldn’t have got those jobs without The Network! The CV advice, the general advice on how the industry works, the contacts and the friendships are why I recommend The Network to anyone starting out in TV.

– Sarah Daly, The Network delegate

Amplifying Voices and Nurturing Talent

The TV Foundation’s ongoing success and continued growth are very much dependent on the commitment of our supporters. By sponsoring us, you are positioning your brand alongside some of the TV industry’s most prestigious talent programmes, promoting diversity and access to all in the media.