BBC announces major new investment in arts programming
BBC Director-General Tony Hall will unveil ambitious plans to place arts programming back at the heart of the Corporation with new investment, a new pan-BBC arts brand and more landmark commissions and partnerships.
As part of his forthcoming speech outlining his vision for the BBC, Tony Hall will demonstrate his commitment to making the BBC the world’s best arts and music broadcaster. His speech will reveal:
- Funding for arts television programmes to be increased by 20%
- A new arts brand bringing audiences the best live music, theatre and arts events from around the country
- Re-launch of The Space, the BBC’s online partnership with Arts Council England
- More landmark arts programmes on BBC One and BBC Two
BBC Director-General Tony Hall said: “Arts programming sits right at the heart of the BBC and is a vital part of who we are. But I want us to be much more ambitious. We need to showcase more of the incredible talent that this country has to offer to the widest possible audiences. It is our privilege and our responsibility to do this.”
Renewed investment will see funding for television arts programmes increase by 20% and there will be more landmark content on BBC One and BBC Two.
A new arts brand, “BBC Arts at…”
“BBC Arts at…” will take viewers to the heart of live music, theatre and arts events around the country, showcasing the energy and excitement of Britain’s vast cultural landscape when and where it happens. This major collaboration between television and music will bring the energy and excitement of British culture into the nation’s homes.
From live performance capture to opening night exhibition guides to definitive interviews with practitioners, “BBC Arts at . . . “ will feature partnerships with festivals and institutions across the UK, supported by an online product bringing together the best existing content from across the different platforms, supplemented by original, bespoke material.
The BBC will be working in partnership with a wide range of arts organisations including Tate, the British Museum, the National Theatre and Manchester International Festival.
The return of The Space
In addition, The Space, the experimental digital arts service developed by Arts Council England (ACE) and the BBC, is to be re-launched in spring 2014 as a dynamic new space for artists and audiences to invent and explore brilliant digital art.
In a three-year agreement between ACE and the BBC, The Space will build on the success of the pilot which tested and broke new ground in delivering digital art and experiences to the public.
The Space aims to produce new talent and content which other cultural organisations and BBC platforms will want to pick up and showcase. Artists and arts organisations will have the opportunity to submit work through a rolling programme of Open Calls, starting in early 2014, which will encourage new and emerging talent, as well as established artists, to develop their big idea.
Artists will also be supported by associate partners from the cultural, broadcasting and digital world. Conversations are already underway with Arts Council partners in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, as well as the British Council and the British Film Institute.
Alongside the Open Calls, The Space will co-commission large, ambitious digital projects with cultural organisations, creative industry and arts partners, broadcasters, digital commissioners and commissioners within the BBC. A whole range of arts organisations, large and small, are ready to work with The Space to create new commissions including the British Library, Artangel and Fuel.
New commissions
Alongside these new brands and partnerships, the BBC also announced a series of major new arts series today.
The Big Picture
This prime time BBC One six-part series will showcase the hidden heroes of British art, proving that you don’t need to be world-famous to create fantastic paintings.
Ten passionate amateurs will compete to be crowned Britain’s best artist, pushing their artistic skills to the limit.
The Men Who Invented Scotland
As part of the BBC’s Commonwealth moment in 2014, Andrew Marr will present a fascinating look at the greatest writers from Scotland who carved out a Scottish identity. Across three episodes, Andrew will tell the story of three pivotal writers - James Boswell, Walter Scott and Hugh MacDiarmid - who invented Scotland as we know it.
The Face Of Britain
Simon Schama explores the history of Britain through portraiture in this five-part series. In partnership with the National Portrait Gallery, Simon will explore the power of the portrait: from manifestations of power to expressions of love, from the invention of fame to the self-image of the artist.
There will also be special arts and culture commissions across the BBC Radio 4 schedule and online, designed to challenge the traditional boundaries of art, science and literature. Some of the areas explored will include: the notion of character in literature and drama; different subject areas brought together in new ways - notably art and science; and the use of artistic concepts to examine time and the world of ideas.
Other upcoming arts highlights include Britain And The Sea presented by David Dimbleby on BBC One; a one-off, live performance to mark the National Theatre’s 50th anniversary on BBC Two; a season of 18th century arts and music programming across BBC Two, Four and BBC Radio 3 including a three-part series presented by Lucy Worsley on the Hanoverians; a BBC Two series presented by Amanda Vickery about women in art; and a BBC Four architecture moment including a partnership with RIBA.
