Niki Harman and Lauren Parker join FVU in Nottingham

We are delighted to welcome Niki Harman and Lauren Parker to the FVU Team, who bring a wealth of experience from across the Visual Arts and Film industries. Niki and Lauren will be working on all of FVU’s commissions and productions, collaborating with artists and partners throughout the UK and internationally.

Niki is a creative producer, film curator, and artist who integrates XR, cinema, and live art. A graduate of Goldsmiths University with a specialisation in screen theory, she has produced several short films and served as the film curator at Nottingham Contemporary for over a decade. She is also the founder of the Light After Dark Film Festival, an immersive and experimental festival where she creates original immersive film work. Most recently her work has shown at SXSW Film & Music Festival.

Lauren is a Nottingham based producer with her company Kato Pictures, and joins us from her role as BFI Network Talent Executive with Film Hub Midlands. Her shorts include the Creative England / BFI NETWORK supported Wash Club, which premiered online with Short of the Week and received a Vimeo Staff Pick. Her short Majority was selected for Palm Springs Shortfest, BFI London Film Festival and Krakow Film Festival, and screened on BBC Two.

What we do

Film and Video Umbrella (FVU) commissions, produces and presents ambitious moving image works by artists. We support artists at every stage of their development. We connect artists and venues with the expertise, partnerships and platforms needed to fully realise their ideas. Through this work, FVU expands audiences for artists’ moving image across the UK and internationally, championing innovation, experimentation and collaboration.

For over 35 years, FVU has played a central role in the development of artists’ moving image, having supported some of the most significant voices in contemporary art today. We have commissioned and produced more than 200 projects, from large-scale immersive installations to works designed for digital platforms. 

Each year we support around seven artists, ten writers and over 250 freelance creatives, reaching audiences of 200,000 to 1.2 million across more than 100 presentations, including exhibitions, screenings and online platforms. We work with partners across the UK and internationally, ranging from smaller-scale non-profit organisations to established galleries and museums, bringing ambitious moving-image work to audiences spanning rural areas and major cities. 

Our approach

Film and Video Umbrella is the only organisation in the UK working across the full lifecycle of moving image production; from commissioning, through production, to the exhibition presentation and touring stages. We provide a collaborative environment where artists can experiment, work with new technologies, and develop ambitious interdisciplinary projects with the knowledge and practical support of industry professionals. We connect artists and venues with the expertise, partnerships and platforms needed to fully realise their ideas. 

Our work extends beyond the artists we commission. We support a wide network of freelancers, specialists and partner organisations, contributing to the wider creative economy and strengthening the UK’s moving image sector. We identify and support artists at pivotal moments in their careers, including future Turner Prize winners and nominees such as Duncan Campbell, Luke Fowler, Isaac Julien, Janice Kerbel, Mark Leckey and Rene Matić. Our commissions enable artists to take creative risks, reach new audiences and gain critical recognition.

Our Principles and Values

Artists First: Artists are at the heart of everything we do. We support, encourage and extend their creative vision, aiming to inspire new ways of working and to have a lasting impact on their careers.

Driving Excellence: We are dedicated to producing high quality moving image work, creating the conditions for artists to achieve their best.

Public Engagement: We create work that connects with audiences, is responsive to feedback and reflects a wide range of perspectives and experiences. 

Diversity and Inclusion: We actively work to remove barriers to participation, and to support underrepresented voices, changing and challenging working practices on an ongoing basis 

Prioritising the Emerging and Under-Supported: Emerging artists will always take up at least 50% of our programme. We back talents who are struggling to find support elsewhere.

Encouraging Innovation: We champion experimentation and innovation in the work that we do, and ensure that artists feel supported in taking creative risks.

Collaboration: We work in partnership with artists, organisations and specialists to realise ambitious projects, helping to foster new connections and long-lasting working relationships.

Environmental Responsibility: We are committed to reducing our environmental impact in ways that are sustainable for people and the planet.

Funding

FVU's core funding comes from Arts Council England, as one of their National Portfolio Organisations. The vast majority of additional funding is raised on a project-by-project basis, from trusts, foundations and exhibition venues. FVU is also a registered charity and accepts donations. A small proportion of our project funding comes from donations, as well as other sources such as educational bodies and occasional corporate sponsorship. We supplement our overheads via some commercial activities including moving image production consultancy, audio visual rentals and exhibition presentation consultancy and sales of our publications.

If you are interested in supporting FVU, please visit the support page or contact Susanna Chisholm: susanna@fvu.co.uk to find out more about the different ways you can get involved.

Contact us

Find out more about the individuals behind the organisation on our staff & trustees page.

For general enquiries, you can contact us at:

Film and Video Umbrella
Broadway Cinema
14-18 Broad Street 
Nottingham
NG1 3AL

Film and Video Umbrella
Rich Mix
35-47 Bethnal Green Road
London
E1 6LA
 

T: 0115 686 0699
E: admin@fvu.co.uk

Film and Video Umbrella. Charity number: 1165046
VAT registration number: GB 235 8231 13