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³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Arts makes programmes about the culture and creativity that give meaning and pleasure to our lives. We make shows for everyone - from committed arts lovers, to the culturally curious, to people who might not feel ‘the arts’ is for them. At the heart of everything we make is richness and delight, detail and expertise and all our commissions are united by an ambition to tell cultural stories in an innovative way.

Together with you, we want to make arts programmes that create major impact and set the global standard. We’ll offer you our expert guidance and support from the first development meeting through to TX and after, leveraging the power of the whole ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ portfolio of services to maximise the reach of your shows - whether it’s working with radio networks, News, online, press or social teams. ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Arts are experts in the power of partnerships, and we work with more than 150 of the UK’s leading creative organisations, as well as co-production partners including PBS and Fremantle and ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ commissioning teams in the Nations and English regions to ensure our commissions have real impact.

Our approach

In a crowded, on-demand landscape, ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Arts shows need to be must-watch. So we want to see something special or new in your idea from the first development meeting.

What we’re really after is strong narratives and confident editorial takes with a stylistic tone or approach that makes for essential viewing.

We don’t want surveys, anthologies or broad overviews and just having access or a ‘territory’ won’t be enough. Our stories need to connect with viewers emotionally and intellectually, whether it’s a strong narrative about one person, compelling past-tense tales or stories unfolding in real time.

Definitive and innovative

We want to champion innovative storytelling that excites audiences. For example, Mozart: Rise of a Genius told the definitive story of the life of the world’s greatest composers, blending rich drama with a glittering cast of interviewees. Our boxset Renaissance: The Blood and the Beauty centred around the compelling rivalry between Michelangelo, Leonardo and Raphael: how it spurred them on to create some of the greatest artworks ever made, during a deadly era of bloodshed and war.

Clear proposition

In a world of almost infinite choice, clarity of proposition is the only way to grab people’s attention in the schedules and on iPlayer. Really think about what that one-line sell is. Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar used unheard tapes, family access and celebrity interviews to reveal the life of one of the 20th Century’s greatest stars with real visual flair and panache. The witty and irreverent take of From Roger Moore with Love told the story of how a one-time knitwear model reinvented himself to become an acting legend. We want all our shows – whether singles or boxsets – to have a clear topline that is going to cut through to audiences.

Key talent

From on-screen to off-screen, we want to work with the best. Exciting, unusual and engaging on-screen voices with expertise can bring new audiences to our programmes, so think carefully about who is the best person to tell your story. Off-screen, we work with directors with a track record for premium factual TV who deliver fresh styles and tones and have a passion for arts and classical music. We want to work with producers who reflect the richness and diverse experience of audiences across the UK.

Our current focus

Currently, we are focusing on three key areas:

Premium reputational series

We are after ambitious premium series, with or without presenters. They can be two, three or four episodes long but must be designed to be bingeable on iPlayer, where a strong ‘north star’ central idea and a compelling narrative ensures audiences keep coming back.

They need a contemporary tone and approach, laser-like clarity and a definitive take on their subject. We need these pieces to really stand out on the iPlayer rails and have major impact on linear channels.

We are particularly interested in:

• historical subjects with contemporary resonance, linking our past with the present through artefacts, ideas or major cultural figures
• inside stories of creative minds
• unprecedented access combined with an unmissable story or revelatory take on the subject

Popular mainstream series

We are always looking for new, potentially returning series that will win large audiences. Current projects range from Hidden Treasures of the National Trust and Fake or Fortune?, to . In Extraordinary Portraits, Bill Bailey matches some of the UK’s leading contemporary artists with subjects whose lives have been defined by their own acts of heroism. All these shows have a surface layer of pleasure and fun but also deeper threads of identity, discovery and cultural excellence at their heart.

Single films

We are particularly interested in:

• singles which bring big, untold stories of the cultural figures we thought we knew for Arena, which continues to set the gold standard for director-led arts documentaries
• innovative, single documentary films on classical music that will reach a broad audience, enhancing our rich offer of year-round classical performances

Unscripted on iPlayer

Read about how we commission unscripted content in an iPlayer first-world, along with advice and further resources to maximise the impact of your programme on the platform.

Who to contact

Mark Bell: first point of contact for singles across ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ One and Two and landmark series.

Alistair Pegg: first point of contact for boxsets, formats and limited series on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Two.

Stephen James-Yeoman: first point of contact for classical music ideas and Arts Digital.

Please note, pop music ideas should be pitched to the popular music commissioning team.