There are major changes afoot for the arts on BBC TV ? new programmes, new series, new presenters and new perspectives. BBC One?s major new arts strand, Imagine, which launched this month, and The Big Read are just a taster of what?s in store. But why the change and what else is coming up? Franny Moyle explains.
The BBC has had some pretty vigorous criticism levelled at its arts coverage in recent years. Admittedly, some of this was owing to a reduction in programming on BBC One which we are now addressing. But with well over 200 hours of programming on BBC Two alone ? more than any other broadcaster ? and a commitment by BBC One and Two to a minimum of 245 hours per year of arts, the BBC is now well and truly redressing the balance.
Striking a balance
Research conducted for the BBC shows that many millions of people in the UK are in one way or another passionate about arts and culture. At its narrowest definition this group comprises those who love classical music, theatre, literature and galleries and who will also actively seek out arts programmes on television. But at its broadest, this group, though passionate about popular music, books and cinema, and often taking in West End theatre and visiting galleries, were not necessarily finding what interested them in terms of arts output on television.
For sure we?ve developed a loyal base of art- and performance-loving viewers, particularly on BBC Two, a million or more of whom frequently turn on for any one of our programmes. Strands such as Arena and Newsnight Review are still going strong and remain at the heart of our arts programming. But while we need to continue to serve these loyal viewers, we want to speak to those who participate in cultural life in the UK but haven?t currently found what they?re looking for on television. So, our biggest challenge is to strike the right balance between the two.
Finding a way in
Encouragingly, we know it can be done. When a couple of years ago the hugely respected Rolf Harris began talking about some of the iconic painters in Western culture in Rolf On Art, for the first time ever in the history of visual arts programming over 6 million people were prepared to watch. We now know that of those, half had never watched an arts programme before and of those, forty percent agreed they would watch this or something similar again. So Rolf will continue to have a home within BBC One?s arts output ? as an important entry point for many new viewers. Yet we will of course continue to use other formats to explore visual arts to cater for other audiences. For example, art critic Waldemar Januszczak will re-examine the work of 19th Century artist Paul Gauguin for BBC Two, and The Divine Michelangelo for BBC One will look at the genius of this Italian master.
New audiences
But this is not even the tip of the iceberg for BBC Television arts programming. Over the next year we are launching a raft of new programmes and series that are at the heart of our ambition to reinvigorate our cultural output, connect in new and different ways with our audience and importantly, bring new viewers to the arts. With two strong and established terrestrial channels and the new opportunities that our digital channels BBC Three and BBC Four offer, we have unequalled opportunity to offer a unique range of programmes and events that can appeal to a wide range of tastes and expectations.
The Big Read, launched in the spring on BBC Two, and Imagine, a new strand on BBC One launching this summer, are just two examples of arts programming that aims to involve more viewers in cultural debate and attract new audiences. Both projects aim to get to what lies at the heart of British culture today. Imagine, presented by Alan Yentob, intends to bring new flair and vitality to arts on the BBC?s flagship channel by taking a look at the topics making waves in the arts world today. While the series looks at established subjects such as ballet, abstract sculpture or the portraiture of Sir Joshua Reynolds, unashamedly it will also consider subjects that can have a huge cultural and social impact such as hip hop and fashion. The Big Read sees the biggest effort television has ever made to open up national debate about reading and literature. Whilst in the past our coverage of literature, in the form of strands such as Bookmark, has set its own agenda, The Big Read engages the nation in discussion. So far it has had a fantastic response, with over 140,000 people recently voting for their favourite book and a new kind of literary top 100 created as a result. In the Autumn ? after a summer of discussion of the top 100 on BBC Four and initiatives to encourage discussion in schools, libraries, reading groups and communities ? a top 20 will be examined in depth. This is a chance to review the literature we as a nation have chosen, and to get under the skin of what these choices say about us.
Depth and variety
Imagine, The Big Read and Rolf on Art are important signals of change, but not of course the full story. Over the next year you?ll see peak time placing of what we believe is genuinely inventive and impactful programming that is attempting to expand the range and tone of our output. A range of voices will be reaching out to our BBC Two audiences, from Michael Wood who goes In Search of Shakespeare to Charles Hazelwood who will explore the Genius of Mozart in a major three-part series. Looking further ahead, historian Simon Schama will chart the stories of great masterpieces produced at moments of high historical drama.
Not all arts programmes have to be presenter-led to make them accessible. Sometimes it?s finding creative techniques and narrative to draw viewers to a subject. This summer Love Again is a dramatic film that examines Philip Larkin?s relationship with three key women in his life, and George Orwell: A Life in Pictures sees the televisual recreation of Orwell?s journalistic career told in his own words in an innovative new style. Later in the year we will explore the moment that Beethoven?s Eroica was first performed, in a fresh drama that both reconstructs that performance and explores the power of the piece. These are all good examples of how different styles are being used to offer viewers more depth and variety.
We are also increasingly using the strength of our four channels to give viewers the chance to explore subjects more deeply. Recently, for example, alongside a two-part Arena on Harold Pinter on BBC Two, a whole season of Pinter?s works was shown on BBC Four. In addition to the BBC Proms output on BBC One and Two, BBC Four dedicates an entire two weeks to a range of Proms concerts and with interactivity on all platforms.
All of this doesn?t mean that we will forget the needs of viewers who may have a more traditional expectation of the BBC. Over the next few years BBC One will appeal to this audience?s broad cultural enthusiasms by celebrating key cultural figures and themes. So following the recent success of programmes on the life and works of Turner, Jane Austen, George Eliot and most recently Leonardo da Vinci, later in the year you?ll be able to catch documentaries on the Brontës, the story of Mary Shelley?s creation of Frankenstein, and next year a celebration of the works of Michelangelo and Christopher Wren.
The bigger picture
And our arts work is not just about what?s happening directly on TV; it?s part of the bigger picture of BBC arts ? from radio to the internet to events and outreach work from BBCi to BBC Learning. We are continuing to connect with our audiences with outreach projects. Take Blast for example, which takes music, dance, art, film, writing and digital creativity out to 13-19 year olds through local projects exploring new ways to encourage creativity. Then there are online projects that often work together with broadcast offerings, such as Painting the Weather, which drew together the most striking weather-inspired works housed in collections around the UK and offered an online exploration of these works in addition to programming. Or Shooting Live Artists which is currently in its second year of commissioning new digital media alongside live art and showcasing it on the internet, with elements of online interactivity.
To sum up, the future is both exciting and challenging for BBC arts and I?m really proud to be involved with commissioning programmes that aim to deliver a new choice and verve to our output. I?m confident that we will engage new and existing audiences in what we have to offer, further strengthened by the range and depth that four very different, bright and bold channels can now provide.
Franny Moyle is Commissioner Arts & Culture ? BBC TV