A business body established to promote the West Midlands' screen and games industries has secured £2 million in new funding.
Create Central was founded last year and counts high-profile names such as Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight among its board.
It has now been awarded £1million by the British Film Institute (BFI) using National Lottery money to deliver a long-term growth plan specifically to meet the needs of the region's screen businesses.
In addition, £500,000 has been awarded by the West Midlands Combined Authority and £500,000 from Tin Smart Social, a London-based regional social enterprise.
The £2 million will support the West Midlands' industrial strategy including a two-year programme developed by Create Central to support the continued growth of the region's screen sector.
The combined authority said the programme was heavily focused on the future of media with innovation, digital infrastructure, immersive storytelling and employability programmes taking place.
It also had more traditional elements such as attracting film and TV production to the region and promoting the West Midlands’ screen sector on a global stage, the authority said.
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Create Central has also launched a recruitment drive for industry specialists to work with it over the coming months to develop and deliver its programmes.
BFI chief executive Ben Roberts said: "The West Midlands film, TV and games sector has an important role to play in contributing creatively and economically to the 海角视频 screen industry, as well as to the local industrial strategy.
"We are pleased to be supporting Create Central and see areas of business such as developing digital skills alongside film, television and digital production as crucial to the growth of the 海角视频 screen sector, creating jobs and new trading opportunities in the longer term."
Create Central works in partnership with a variety of regional bodies including the combined authority, three local enterprise partnerships and the West Midlands Growth Company.
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said: "This important BFI investment will help Create Central to deliver a dynamic programme of activities, especially at this challenging time for the screen sector.
"This new funding will see it play a supportive role, focusing on boosting the resilience of the West Midlands screen industries and helping them to return to the growth they were generating prior to the coronavirus crisis."
Neil Rami, chief executive of the West Midlands Growth Company, added: "Additional backing from BFI is a welcome boost to Create Central's ambitious programme of activity designed to support the continued growth of the West Midlands' creative and screen industries.
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"The programme will build on the region's strengths across TV, film, media and immersive storytelling, and crucially, primes the creative industry for growth at a time when sector economic recovery plans are key.
"Not only will this investment ensure the region is capitalising on the growing international appeal of screen tourism, it will help us to attract domestic and international investment into the creative industries, diversifying the region's specialist capabilities."