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UK animation celebrates global creativity, collaboration and honours at Annecy 2026

June 17, 2026

Hosted by Animation UK and supported by the BFI with National Lottery funding through the ScreenUK Industry umbrella, the UK Pavilion will be based at MIFA Stand D.15 from 23–25 June 2026. The Pavilion will provide a professional base for UK studios, producers, funders, agencies and international partners to meet, connect and explore new opportunities for collaboration.
This year’s UK presence places practical partnership-building at its centre. More than 100 business meetings have already been booked, with UK companies connecting with producers, broadcasters, distributors, funders, agencies and creative partners from across the international animation community.
Animation UK will also host a networking event for the UK and international animation sector, creating an informal opportunity to reconnect with established partners, meet new collaborators and celebrate the strength of UK animation at Annecy.
This year’s UK presence takes place at a particularly celebratory moment for British animation. Aardman, one of the UK’s most globally recognised and best-loved animation studios, is marking its 50th anniversary, while its founders, Sir Peter Lord and Sir David Sproxton, have been recognised with knighthoods in the King’s Birthday Honours. Sir Peter and Sir David will visit the UK Pavilion during MIFA alongside Oscar-winning director Nick Park, offering international delegates a chance to celebrate one of the UK’s most influential creative success stories.
Annecy 2026 also shines a spotlight on the breadth of UK and UK-partnered work across the Festival, from immersive storytelling and short films to commissioned work, feature projects and special events. The UK programme reflects the sector’s distinctive strengths: world-class storytelling, design excellence, technical innovation, internationally recognised IP and a long tradition of creative collaboration.
The UK Pavilion will support conversations around co-production, finance, tax relief, certification, export, skills, sustainability and international growth. Across the week, visitors will be able to meet UK companies and agencies, explore partnership opportunities, connect with representatives of nations and regions, and learn more about UK support routes, including AVEC, certification and the UK Global Screen Fund.
Kate O’Connor of Animation UK, said:
“Annecy is the world’s most important meeting point for animation, and the UK arrives this year with so much to celebrate. From emerging voices and bold new work to the extraordinary international legacy of Aardman, UK animation continues to create characters, stories and worlds that travel.
“The recognition of Sir Peter Lord and Sir David Sproxton in the King’s Birthday Honours is a landmark moment, not only for Aardman but for the whole UK animation sector. Their work has inspired generations of artists, producers and audiences, and their success shows the global impact of British creativity, craft and entrepreneurship.
“The UK Pavilion is here to make those connections practical. We want to help studios, producers, commissioners, funders and partners from around the world meet the UK sector, understand the opportunities, and build the collaborations that will shape the next generation of animated work.”
Animation UK will also use Annecy to highlight the sector’s leadership and future- recently appointed Chair of the Industry Animation UK Council and joint Chair of the UK Screen Alliance, will be attending as part of the UK delegation, supporting Animation UK’s work to strengthen the business environment for UK animation and champion the sector’s creative and commercial potential.
The UK Pavilion is delivered in collaboration with partners from across the UK screen sector, including the BFI, British Film Commission, Creative Wales, Northern Ireland Screen, Film London and the Department for Business and Trade.

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