British Academy of Film and Television Arts

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts, known universally as BAFTA, is a UK-based charity and membership organization that champions excellence in film, television, and games. Founded in 1947 by a group of the country's most celebrated filmmakers, including David Lean, Alexander Korda, and Carol Reed, it started as the British Film Academy with a single annual awards ceremony. Today, BAFTA runs three major award shows, a vast educational program, and a global network of branches from Los Angeles to Shanghai.

BAFTA's flagship event, the British Academy Film Awards, has been held every year since 1949 and is now watched by millions worldwide. The Television Awards launched in 1955, and the Games Awards followed in 2004. Beyond the trophies, BAFTA invests heavily in nurturing new talent through initiatives like the BAFTA Breakthrough Brits program, the Rocliffe writing workshops, and the Young Game Designers competition. Its scholarship program supports students from underrepresented backgrounds at partner universities across the UK.

The organization is headquartered at 195 Piccadilly in London, a Grade II listed building that opened as BAFTA's home in 2010. Regional offices in Cardiff, Glasgow, and Belfast run the BAFTA Cymru, BAFTA Scotland, and BAFTA Northern Ireland branches. Internationally, BAFTA has had a presence in Los Angeles since 1987 and in New York since 1997, with additional events in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Mumbai. Prince William has served as President since 2010, and the current Chief Executive is Jane Millichip, appointed in 2022.[edit]