This year, the National Screen Institute and TELUS STORYHIVE mark a decade of collaboration, a journey that began in 2014 with a shared mission to nurture and elevate emerging content creators and filmmakers. Over these years, STORYHIVE has allocated more than $59 million in production funding to storytellers across British Columbia and Alberta, while the National Screen Institute has dedicated thousands of hours to personalized mentorship and training.
Jennifer Park, manager of STORYHIVE and community content says, “The goal of STORYHIVE is to create a safe space to allow content creators to build their skills, share their stories and bring them to life.”
Through this alliance, STORYHIVE and the National Screen Institute have helped empower storytellers, offering them a platform to hone their craft, connect with peers, gain practical experience and share their unique narratives. The National Screen Institute’s tailored training and mentorship, led by industry professionals, support content creators to change the world through the power of story.
Joy Loewen, CEO of the National Screen Institute, highlights our shared objective with STORYHIVE: to support artists in overcoming barriers to representation. “Our enduring partnership thrives on this common vision, amplifying the role of storytellers in fostering cultural equity. We ensure that creators know they are not alone on their journeys. Reaching this 10-year milestone underscores our belief in the power of collaboration,” she states.
This partnership is dedicated to enhancing diversity in Canada’s media landscape. Our focus is on supporting underrepresented communities including Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour, while recognizing intersectionality and striving to be even more inclusive of all equity deserving voices. By breaking down traditional barriers in content creation and access to opportunities, this vital collaboration paves the way for a media industry that is more interconnected with its audience.
Celebrating this significant milestone, we proudly present a special video featuring emerging filmmaker Diana Hellson. Diana is an alumni of STORYHIVE’s first Indigenous Storyteller Edition and director of the short film, The Foundation: Indigenous Hip Hop in Canada. You can watch her short film now on TELUS Optik TV channel 9 and STORYHIVE’s YouTube channel.
