Celeste Blewitt, as Director of Film Funding at Avant Group is an expert in navigating the grant process and partners with creative businesses to achieve optimal funding solutions.

Celeste works in a team at Avant Group with Kate Whitehead and together they represent one of the top advisor teams in the sector. Celeste seeks funding solutions for creators to take advantage of Australian Government funding opportunities. This expedites the funding process and allows creatives to apply their skills where it counts best, creating, telling stories and making film and television. Outside of Celeste’s professional life, she is undertaking post graduate studies in Media and Communications (Deakin) to challenge and enhance her strong literary skills and understanding of the industry. Celeste holds a Bachelor of Contemporary Arts from Deakin University.

Roundtables 

Celeste will be hosting a Roundtable at this year’s SCREEN FOREVER Conference.

TOPIC: UNDERSTANDING AND NAVIGATING THE EXPORT MARKET DEVELOPMENT GRANT

This session will provide an overview of the Export Market Development Grant (EMDG) scheme. The EMDG is an entitlement grant program open to Australian service and product exporters; it provides up to $150k per claim to a maximum of eight claims for a business. Company groups can receive up to $250k per claim.

The EMDG helps to cover the costs of export promotional activity including overseas representative costs, marketing consultants, marketing visits overseas, free samples (including show reels), trade fairs and film festivals, promotional literature and advertising, bringing overseas buyers into Australia and IP protection including patents and trademarks.

Hosted by leading grants advisory firm Avant Group, the session will assist businesses in identifying if they are eligible to apply, the steps to apply and the auditing requirements for the program.