In the wake of the UK’s new animation tax credit, animators and broadcasters representing British Columbia, Canada and the UK will meet from February 25 to 27 in London and Manchester in the hopes of finding new business and co-pro opportunities.

The gathering marks the first major trade mission of animators to head to the UK since the new tax incentive, which allows a 25% credit of UK spend on up to 80% of a production’s core budget, was introduced in 2013.

Attendees will be afforded valuable networking time, a full day panel discussion with commissioners such as Disney, Channel Five, ITV, Nickelodeon (UK) and Turner Broadcasting, a co-production case study with UK-based studio Collingwood and Co., meetings with CBBC and studio tours.

Funding body Creative BC and trade association CMPA-BC are backing the BC delegation which includes Atomic Cartoons, DHX Media, Big Bad Boo, Nerd Corps Entertainment, Rainmaker Entertainment, Eaglecliff Entertainment, Eh-Okay Entertainment (Kickstart) and Surprise Bag among its studio participants.

Canuck broadcasters Knowledge Network/BBC Kids and Corus Entertainment, as well as reps from CMPA-BC, Creative BC, the Canada Media Fund and the Vancouver Economic Commission will also head to the forum.

While the UK looks to boost its animation business, the industry in British Columbia currently employs more than 80,000 workers and is part of a $4 billion creative sector supported by a favorable government tax policy and a digital animation or visual effects tax credit (DAVE) that launched in 2003.

Additional information on the upcoming forum can be found at cmpabc.wordpress.com.