Actor Brian Cox to star in BBC Studios series Arts in Motion, available on BBC international TV and digital platforms, in partnership with Rolex

Today BBC Studios launched Arts in Motion, an ambitious publishing program in partnership with Rolex. The series, produced by BBC Studios Specialist Factual Productions, will bring together BBC Studios’ rich heritage of arts and culture programming and Rolex’s Perpetual Arts Initiative, which celebrates excellence and achievement in the arts around the world.

Arts in Motion aligns with the Rolex Perpetual Arts Initiative through a program of editorial content across the BBC’s international platforms, including the BBC News Channel, the newly launched BBC.com website, the new BBC global app and BBC Culture social media channels.

There will be 6 x 23-minute Arts in Motion masterclasses for the BBC News Channel, featuring great cultural figures who support creativity and share their insights with the next generation. Celebrities such as actor Brian Cox, the Vienna Philharmonic and pianist Yuja Wang will work with young artists at the beginning of their careers for a unique opportunity as they learn how to master their art. The masterclasses will also be available on BBC iPlayer in the UK, with associated short content on BBC.co.uk.

The BBC News Channel will also feature a collection of the most electrifying moments from across the partnership in 32 vignettes, carefully selected and edited for television and designed to keep viewers wanting to discover the content further.

These programs will be accompanied by engaging, bespoke digital content in the form of 32 ‘digital shorts’ and ‘social films’ for BBC.com and the BBC’s social channels. These videos are part of an overall campaign to immerse viewers in the experiences of artists and mentors. These will include other famous figures from the art world, including British-Turkish writer Elif Shafak, Chinese film director Jia Zhang-Ke, singers from the Royal Ballet and Opera, musicians from the Salzburg Festival, artists Es Devlin and Alvaro Barrington and many more . They will provide an intimate, authentic and personal insight into the craftsmanship behind the scenes and the journey of the next generation of artists, while bridging the gap between artists and audiences by showing the emotional journey of their artistic process.

Arts in Motion is the work of BBC Studios Specialist Factual Productions. The commissioners of BBC News and BBC.com are Greg Sanderson and Cassian Harrison. The producing directors are Simon Lloyd and Gabriella Meade. Digital producers are Evanie Jean De-Souza and Jack Hussey. The series is produced by John Mullen and executive produced by Tanya Hudson.

Cassian Harrison, vice president of content creation and acquisition at BBC Studios, said: “Arts in Motion is a fantastic partnership that brings together BBC Studios’ unrivaled expertise in arts programming and Rolex’s passionate support of the arts. We couldn’t be happier to offer our viewers around the world, both on television and online, an unparalleled opportunity to see the best artists of every genre showcase their incredible skills.”

Alan Holland, director of specialist factual production at BBC Studios, said: “Arts in Motion will enable audiences around the world to discover the best of culture in a variety of ways. From intimate masterclasses with world-renowned performers such as Brian Cox and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and many others, to behind-the-scenes insight with leading figures in the creative arts around the world, this series will provide a unique and eclectic insight into the creative process. our viewers on TV, online and on social media platforms.”

The first episode of Arts in Motion featuring the Vienna Philharmonic will be broadcast on BBC News on Saturday 5 October at 12:30 GMT and on Sunday 6 October at 00:30, 07:30 and 19:30 GMT. The episode featuring Brian Cox will air on Saturday, November 16.

About BBC studios

BBC Studios, the main commercial arm of BBC Commercial Ltd, generated revenues of £1.8 billion last year and profits of more than £200 million for the third year in a row. The company is able to seamlessly bring an idea to the screen and beyond, and its business is based on two operational areas: the content studio, which produces, invests and distributes content around the world, and media and streaming, which includes BBC-branded channels, services including bbc.com and Britbox International and joint ventures in the UK and abroad. Last year, the company broadcast over 2,800 hours of award-winning British programming to a wide range of public and commercial broadcasters and platforms, both in the UK and around the world. Its internationally acclaimed content covers a wide range of genres and specialisms and includes world-famous brands such as Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing with the Stars, the Planet series, Bluey and Doctor Who.