The Australian Children’s Content Summit (ACCS) returns for its third year, offering $20,000 pitch prize as part of its ‘Exclusive Content Pitch’ initiative.
The ACCS for children’s and family content industry will be held from 25 to 28 August at the Pacific Bay Resort in Coffs Harbour.
The pitch prize is supported by the Minderoo Foundation and offers the opportunity to present original intellectual property supporting early childhood development directly to Minderoo Pictures
Delegates will the exclusive opportunity to pitch directly to a powerhouse panel of three major global public broadcasters – Australia’s ABC, the United Kingdom’s BBC and Canada’s CBC.
Tina Harris (Lah-Lah Productions), Shannon Jones (Bounce Patrol) and Mark Harris (Lah-Lah Productions)
Screen professionals will have the opportunity to pitch one-on-one to commissioning, audio, distribution and acquisition executives from ABC and ABC Commercial as well as representatives from the Australian Children’s Television Foundation, Amazon Kids+, Apple TV+, ITV, Warner Bros Discovery, Odin’s Eye Entertainment, Merchantwise, Nine Network Australia and more.
Applications for this year’s ‘Exclusive Content Pitch’ initiative is available to all registered delegates, and will close ahead of the summit on July 25 2025 with all registered delegates invited to apply.
Shortlisted projects will be revealed during the Communicating Climate Change in Early Childhood session during the summit, with the winner announced at a later date.
The event will feature relevant activities from speaker panels, exclusive content pitches, business discussions to outdoor adventures and fun social engagements, delegates will also have the opportunity to explore the Coffs Coast.
This year’s will also bring in international guests including Christina Reynolds, Creative Executive, Apple TV+ as well as many other distinguished representatives from the world and across Australia.
Suzanne Ryan, SLR Productions CEO and Australian Children’s Content Summit Founder, said: “We’re thrilled to be offering, for the first time, a $20,000 pitch prize through our Exclusive Content Pitch initiative, which year after year continues to create exciting opportunities for creators to be seen, supported, and celebrated on a global stage.
“With the presence of leading content decision makers from across the globe, this year’s summit is committed to championing bold and original storytelling from today’s content makers.”
CBC Kids’ Senior Director, Children’s Content Marie McCann said: “I am really excited to return to Coffs Harbour for the Australian Children’s Content Summit. At the 2023 summit, I had the chance to better understand the Australian production scene, found a couple of great projects and strengthened connections with our broadcast partners. Looking forward to seeing what 2025 has in store.”
Alan Schauder, Group CEO, Merchantwise said: “At Merchantwise, we’re passionate about championing the talent and creativity within Australia’s children’s content industry. As a leading brand licensing and merchandising agency, we see firsthand the global potential of locally created characters and stories. It takes a very special property to make it in the highly competitive world of consumer products.
“We are always on the lookout for high potential brands and properties to help nurture and take to the world and look forward to participating in this year’s Exclusive Content Pitch initiative.”
Barbara Stephen (Flying Bark Productions) and Kyas Hepworth (Screen NSW)
Odin’s Eye Entertainment Founder & CEO Michael Favelle said: “At Odin’s Eye Animation, we’re always looking for high-concept stories featuring compelling characters.
“The Exclusive Content Pitch initiative is a fantastic platform for uncovering standout projects and engaging directly with passionate creators. We’re excited to return this year and continue our support of this vibrant creative community.”
Emma Watkins, known for her ARIA award-winning musical children’s show ‘Emma Memma’, returns to as host of this year’s summit set to feature speakers, engaging sessions, incredible pitching opportunities, key workshops, curated matchmaking, ice-breaker events, unparalleled networking connections and outdoor experiences – all set in Australia’s stunning NSW coastal backdrop.
This year’s summit offers delegates exceptional access to leading content professionals, including producers, creators, writers, directors, buyers, distributors, investors, screen agencies, policymakers and industry influencers.
The 2025 Australian Children’s Content Summit is proudly supported by a wide network of partners across Government, industry and commercial sectors.
Presented by: SLR Productions
Principal Partner: Australian Children’s Television Foundation
Major Government Partners: Screen Australia, Screen NSW
Major Partner: Minderoo Foundation
Platinum Partner: Flying Bark Productions
Gold Partners: ABC, Simpsons, Screenwest, Merchantwise
Silver Partners: Netflix, Screen Territory, Silver Trak Digital, Cute Music
Bronze Partners: Screenrights, Fremantle, Input Advisory, Studio Goose, Fulcrum Media Finance, Bus Stop Films
Industry Partner: Screen Producers Australia
Destination Partner: City of Coffs Harbour
Travel Partner: Qantas