Call for applications: CCP offers up to P2 million in grants for video game, comics, and animation creators
Calling all Filipino content creators with an interest in Philippine mythology and folklore!
The Cultural Center of the Philippines’ CCP Grants program is holding a call for applications for grants up to P1.5 million for games, P2 million for animation, and up to P330,000 for comics that feature the country’s rich culture and folklore.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday (April 6), CCP said that their Board of Trustees has earmarked around P20 million development funding for the launching of the CCP Grants which “aims to generate original Intellectual Property (IP) content that reflects the country’s rich cultural heritage with its folktales, myths, and legends.”
According to CCP, the program aims to stimulate the local creative economy by providing financial and technical and educational support to local creative businesses, content developers, artists, and students and by supporting and encouraging Filipinos to create original content.
“The CCP's aim is to produce a collection of original IP and a deep understanding of their IP rights, to build a national identity in terms of original Filipino content development and to showcase the talent and ingenuity of the Filipino people that is at par with global standards,” it said.
According to CCP Board member Benedict Carandang: "The Global Animation Industry revenue is around $270 Billion and the Philippines contribute to around $20 million to $30 million per year. We have an estimated 10,000 full-time artists supporting this industry. On the other hand, the Global Gaming market is around $174.9 Billion, and $1.38 million is the local contribution or .008 percent of the market worldwide."
"In the comics industry meanwhile, we have around 1,000-plus self-published titles, 266 published titles from 12 Publishers, and an estimated 5,000 original IP creators supporting this industry,” added Carandang.
CCP hopes that the seed investment will help encourage future government legislators to support and fund programs like this that can help stimulate the local creative economy.
Filipino individuals and organizations at all stages of their careers are invited to join.
Interested content creators can pitch their ideas for a chance to win up to a P1.5 million grant for Game Development (four potential winners), P 2 million grant for Animation (four potential winners) and P 330,000 grant for Comics (six potential winners).
The Game Development grant is open for digital video game projects on desktop browsers, desktop applications or mobile application games.
According to CCP, despite the lack of original Filipino IP, the Philippines is considered as the world’s 25th-biggest market by game revenues, as well as a key driver of Southeast Asia’s overall games market.
"There are 43 million gamers in the Philippines and about $572 million was spent on games in 2020. The game industry’s revenue is higher than any other industries in the entertainment sector," according to the project briefer.
For the animation and comics categories, CCP is looking for "projects that display effective storytelling, originality, cultural relevance and potential to connect with its intended audience." The projects must be developed around the theme, Philippine Folktales, Myths and Legends that are under public domain.
"In this digital era, visual and literary arts in the form of animation, comics, and even gaming have made an impact in the lives of the public. Animation allows us to tell stories that both children and adults can relate to while it stimulates imagination and creativity bringing it to real life. Comics are a creative way of communicating history and sharing cultures that can be intriguing and entertaining," said CCP Board member Nikki Junia.
"An equally thriving industry is the gaming industry, as it helps build communities and connect people from all over the world. All these art forms are important to be given attention to as they can support the preservation, development, and awareness of the culture and arts that will be engaging for today's generation," Junia added.
Interested parties can apply and check out the scope and other complete guidelines for the Game Development Grant here and for the Animation and Comics Grant here.
The CCP Grants program is supported by the following associations namely the Creative Content Creators Association of the Philippines (SIKAP), Game Developers Association of the Philippines (GDAP), Animation Council of the Philippines (ACPI), and KOMIKET.
For inquiries, contact [email protected].