Cartoon Forum’s Animated UK Meets Europe initiative, which spotlights projects from Britain, is taking place this afternoon. And for UK producers and broadcasters, the value of this initiative can’t be overstated. 

Since the UK withdrew from the Creative Europe MEDIA funding program in 2020, British companies haven’t been eligible to be lead producers on Cartoon Forum project submissions. The region’s industry has been lobbying for the government to rejoin so that its struggling producers can once again access this unique opportunity to get projects to market. But so far, no dice. 

To bridge the gap, the Animated UK Meets Europe initiative makes an exception and allows a handful of UK-born projects the chance to pique interest at the event. When it was established in 2023, the UK “grabbed it like a lifeline,” said Animation UK chair Kate O’Connor in a speech during today’s Cartoon Forum lunch. 

BBC Children’s and S4C are backing the three projects that were presented today during the special session at 4:30 p.m. (local time) in the Blue Room: 

• Amelia Fang – CAKE Entertainment (UK), DCM (Germany) 
• Let’s Play in Tiger Bay – Hoho Entertainment and Bumpybox (UK)
• The Adventures of Robin Robin – Aardman Animations (UK) 

This second iteration of the event is a great opportunity for these projects, which can all travel globally, says O’Connor. “Let’s not make this a two-night stand,” she said, advocating directly to Cartoon Forum’s organizers. “Let’s make this a permanent relationship.” 

Kate O’Connor, executive chair of Animation UK, who advocated for Animated UK Meets Europe to be a permanent part of Cartoon Forum today. Image by Ryan Tuchow.

The opportunity could not have come at a better time for some UK talent. Last month, industry union Bectu estimated that half of the UK’s TV workforce was unemployed. And trade organization Pact noted that the number of UK kids commissions (live-action and animated) remained flat in 2024 compared with the year before. 

“The UK Meets EU initiative adds another layer of value by spotlighting UK talent and fostering stronger relationships between UK and European studios,” says the BBC’s director of children and education Patricia Hidalgo. “This is particularly important in today’s challenging market, where investment in children’s content has decreased significantly across Europe.” 

International producers from Europe and beyond also win by having the UK at Cartoon Forum, she points out, since that means there’s more resource-sharing, more learning about business models, and a greater push overall to make sure high-quality animation gets made. 

“For the independent UK producers we work with, Cartoon Forum offers a unique chance to meet potential partners, pitch their ideas on a global stage, and gain access to markets and funding opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach,” adds Hidalgo. 

UK producers can still co-produce with partners in other territories to qualify for Cartoon Forum and benefit from mutual tax credits, notes Helen Howell, joint managing director of London-based Hoho Entertainment. But losing Cartoon Forum is still a big hole to fill when it comes to reaching the industry. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to pitch our show in front of the all-important decision-makers within the children’s broadcast community,” she says. 

Hoho’s 2D/CG-animated series Let’s Play in Tiger Bay (pictured at top) has the opportunity to connect with the wider industry now, and that’s a chance not a lot of UK producers are getting this year. S4C in Wales is the anchor broadcaster for the series in the UK, and Hoho is looking to bring in additional broadcasters, co-producers and investors. Budgeted at roughly US$3.5 million, the series is based on a collection of Toddler Time books by Katie Saunders that have sold roughly 750,000 copies around the world in 16 languages.

Hoho’s 52 x seven-minute preschool series is all about encouraging children to get together and play. And in a way, that’s also what the Animated UK initiative is doing: Encouraging talent from the UK and the rest of the world to play together. 

But according to a Kidscreen poll conducted in May, the industry wants the UK back at Cartoon Forum in a more fulsome way. 

The truth is that UK producers would benefit from regaining their former position at Cartoon Forum, says Hidalgo. The BBC is the biggest commissioner of children’s content in the UK, and its presence at the event this year is a good start to improving market conditions. She hopes that it sparks more UK pitches, partnerships and co-productions. “Ultimately, we’d like Cartoon Forum to remain a space where bold, innovative ideas can flourish—where risk-taking is celebrated, and where UK animation continues to be a vital part of the European and global industry.”