Animation Featured: Deadline 16 August 2026

Manchester Animation Festival (MAF), the UK’s largest and only Academy Award® and BAFTA‑qualifying animation festival, has just launched "Animation Featured". 

Animation Featured is a "high‑impact development accelerator designed to strengthen the UK’s feature animation pipeline and support the next generation of independent filmmakers and studios".  The deadline to apply is Sunday 16 August 2026. 

Fall Animation Class Starts 7th September 2026

Our Fall Animation Class begins on Monday 7th September 2026.

It's not too late to book a place; all you need to do is visit the main Animation Apprentice site and go through a few simple steps.

If you want to learn 3D animation to a professional level, and start your new career as an animator - your journey starts here.

Animation Apprentice Visits King Bee Animation

King Bee Animation and Martyn Niman

Animation Apprentice visited King Bee Animation last week, for a one day animation workshop introducing students to the art and craft of animation.

King Bee is located in the historic Elstree Studios in North London, notable for being the location of the original 1977 Star Wars movie.   

Alison Brown Young Comics Maestro Award 2026

Alison Brown Young Comics Maestro Award 2026 Competition

The Alison Brown Young Comics Maestro Award 2026 Competition is now open - London's Cartoon Museum is looking for the next big comic artist.  

If you're under 18, send in your very best comic strip (three pages max) to enter the competition and get your work in front of judges from The Beano, The Phoenix, and (of course) The Cartoon Museum.  

How Much Do Animators Get Paid?

How much do animators earn? This 2025 salary guide from the Animation & VFX Union BECTU gives a good picture of the current market rates in the UK.

Salary transparency is something our industry doesn't always do well, so rates cards like this are very useful, especially for junior artists negotiating a salary for a new role, trying to get a realistic idea of what they can expect to earn. 

Note that much depends where you live in the UK. The difference in the cost of living between London/the South East and the rest of the UK is significant.  If you're further away from London, your expenses are usually lower, but salaries also tend to be lower. 

So whether these are good rates really depends a lot on your location.  In addition rates are, of course, lower for junior roles, for folks looking to break into the industry for the first time.