Media Release: +Screen Stories Symposium returns to champion creative courage and queer storytelling

Tickets are now on sale for +SCREEN STORIES SYMPOSIUM, a one-day conference returning to Canberra on Tuesday 8 December 2026 at ARC Cinema, National Film and Sound Archive of Australia. The event brings screen creatives and industry decision-makers together to discuss the impact of censorship, risk aversion, and funding pressures on queer and broader screen storytelling.

The 2026 lineup features screen creatives Keiynan Lonsdale, Adrian Chiarella, Hannah Ngo and Adrian Russell Wills alongside industry leaders, financiers and supporters Deanne Weir, Malinda Wink, Nick Verso and Lisa Rose.

As global political shifts push back against LGBTQIA+ and intersectional communities, and screen financiers become increasingly risk-averse, +SCREEN STORIES will explore the political, financial, and creative landscapes screen professionals face today. The symposium will serve as a welcoming, respectful environment to share experiences, build practical knowledge, strengthen community ties and allyship, and galvanise support for bold storytelling.

+SCREEN STORIES is designed for storytellers from all screen disciplines: television, film, documentary, digital games and online content creation. While the event centres on the experiences of queer creators navigating the current landscape, the insights shared will be invaluable to all storytellers, who will gain crucial perspectives on maintaining creative courage, securing funding, and activating audiences in a challenging market.

Event producer Rosie Lourde (she/they) said: “When we built +SCREEN STORIES in 2024, we set out to curate a safe space where LGBTQIA+ screen storytellers and their allies could unpack how lived experiences intersect with craft, celebrate the wins, and feel less isolated by the hurdles. Given the mounting pressures our industry is facing today, our solidarity and collective courage are needed now more than ever. I’m proud to once again work alongside Holly, Nat and our incredible partner network to host another day filled with courageous, heartfelt and practical conversations open to all who care about bold storytelling.”

Screen Canberra CEO Holly Trueman (she/her) said: “Creative courage in queer storytelling is something we can all learn from. Screen Canberra is proud to provide a platform to support voices from across Australia to be heard. +SCREEN STORIES has been created as a safe space to have these conversations and celebrate screen storytelling at its best.”

Dr Natalie Krikowa (she/they), Senior Lecturer in Digital and Social Media at the University of Technology Sydney, said: “As an academic and educator, I see +SCREEN STORIES as an important opportunity to bring together research, education and industry to celebrate the courage, creativity, joy and hope that LGBTQIA+ storytellers bring to our screens, while imagining the possibilities of queer futures yet to come. These conversations challenge us to consider how the screen industry can match that courage by championing queer voices, nurturing emerging talent and creating meaningful opportunities for the next generation. Together, we can cultivate the creative courage needed to not only imagine a more inclusive and vibrant screen industry, but to actively shape a future in which queer stories and storytellers thrive.”

The day will conclude with a networking evening, sponsored by the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS), giving attendees the opportunity to connect, discuss the day’s insights and forge future collaborations.

View the program and book tickets here.

Hosted by Screen Canberra and produced by Rosie Lourde through In Cahoots Creations with support from Event Partner the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Funding Partner ACT Government, Venue Partner the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), and Networking Event Partner the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS).

(Image from +SCREEN STORIES SYMPOSIUM, 2024)