A new £200,000 fund has been introduced to bolster XR development across television, film, and gaming sectors in the UK

The Belfast XR Festival has introduced a £200,000 fund aimed at filling a "significant void in the UK's immersive media sector."

Amplify:XR Labs, in a released statement, emphasized that the initiative aims to back those from historically underrepresented groups and regions in immersive media. The plan includes paid development, travel, and accommodations, alongside embedded accessibility support.

Described as "unprecedented," the initiative is backed by the BFI Creative Challenge Fund in cooperation with Arts Council Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Screen, Immersive Arts UK, and Digital Catapult. It seeks to provide initial support for upcoming producers in the realms of TV, film, and gaming, specifically focusing on narrative XR and immersive projects.

This program is designed for 10 UK teams headed by emerging producers, along with directors/writers, and creative tech experts. Candidates need not be XR specialists but must show emerging talent within their current creative field. Projects should aim for development in narrative immersive formats using XR technology, with goals of advancing towards production, market readiness, and distribution.

Successful candidates will benefit from financial, creative, and professional backing, including a stipend (£1772.80 per individual, £5318 per team), a three-day residency in Belfast, and tailored workshops by XR veterans.

Additionally, there will be individual project mentorship with leading XR producers and industry experts, five-day intensive prototyping sessions for each project, and access to a select UK finance and distribution event. All travel and lodging expenses will be paid for, with an extra fund available for childcare or special access needs.

"I am thrilled to unveil Amplify:XR Labs," declared Belfast XR festival director, Deepa Mann-Kler. The program marks a significant evolution for the Belfast XR Festival, shifting from showcasing to directly fortifying the UK's immersive industry at its most crucial stage: the nurturing of budding producers."

Those interested in applying should visit belfastxrfestival.com. Applications close at 5pm on February 6, 2026, with successful applicants to be revealed the subsequent week.

This announcement follows reports that Meta has closed three VR studios due to a 10% reduction in its Reality Labs metaverse division, shuttering Twisted Pixel Games, Sanzaru Games, and Armature Studio.