Sky is encouraging arts organisations and production companies to pitch collaboratively for up to £1million annually on new TV ideas, as part of a broader investment in the UK and Ireland’s creative industries. 

The initiative, Sky Arts Amplify, is designed to foster integrated partnerships between creative institutions and TV production companies, bringing the vibrancy and breadth of the arts in the UK and Ireland to life on screen in innovative, new ways.  £1million is available annually for the next three years.

Amplify furthers Sky’s position as an established supporter of the arts in the UK and reiterates Sky’s ongoing commitment to investing in original, UK content. Amplify seeks to offer ways for arts organisations to reach new, wider audiences, and to create high quality arts programming for Sky customers.

Sky Arts Amplify is the evolution of Sky Arts Ignition; a scheme launched in 2011 which saw partnerships with the V & A Museum and Tate Liverpool to stage groundbreaking new work . It underlines Sky’s position as the home of the UK’s only dedicated arts channels, as well as one of the biggest corporate supporters of the arts, following the success of long-standing partnerships with the Hay Festival and the English National Ballet.

Jeremy Darroch, Chief Executive, Sky: “Amplify continues our long-standing commitment to support the arts on and off screen. We hope that this initiative will generate exciting results for both the arts industry and our customers."

Phil Edgar-Jones, Director, Sky Arts: “The arts landscape of the UK is more exciting than it’s ever been, and we want to reflect that on Sky Arts. But we don’t just want to make TV about the arts – we want to make artistic TV. Sky Arts Amplify is about bringing the best people in their fields together to do this in bold, fearless ways.”

For further information, please contact:

Sky
Manisha Ferdinand
Head of PR, Sky Arts
manisha.ferdinand@bskyb.com   
020 7032 2842
Sky Arts

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Notes to Editors

How to Apply
Sky Arts will invite a number of organisations to a ‘speed-dating’ session on 26th November in London where they can meet with production companies to brainstorm initial ideas.

Arts organisations will be encouraged to team up with one of a shortlist of production companies, and submit one page treatments from 1st January. All submissions should be sent to skyartsamplify@bskyb.com. 

There will be an invite to pitch for the first round in early 2015 to Phil Edgar-Jones, Director of Sky Arts, and Celia Taylor, head of non-scripted programming at Sky. The project will be led by Manisha Ferdinand at Sky.

The application process will open every quarter. 

About Sky
Sky is the UK and Ireland’s leading home entertainment and communications company.  Around 40% of all homes have a direct relationship with Sky through its range of TV, broadband and home telephony services.
Sky is the UK’s biggest investor in television content, investing more than £2.5 billion a year in channels such as Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Living, Sky Arts, Sky Sports, Sky Movies and Sky News.   Around two-thirds of Sky’s content spend is invested in the UK and Sky is the fastest-growing source of investment in original British programmes.  More than 30 million people watch Sky content each week.

Alongside its commitment to offering customers a greater choice of high-quality content, Sky is a leading innovator.  Customers enjoy total control and flexibility over their favourite TV through Sky+, watch TV on the move through Sky Go, and enjoy the best quality TV experience at home through High Definition and 3D.

Sky distributes its content broadly over several platforms, including satellite, cable, IPTV, mobile and WiFi.  NOW TV, Sky’s second consumer brand, builds on the company’s leadership in internet TV.  Sky is also the UK's fastest-growing home communications company and favourite ‘triple-play’ provider of TV, broadband and home phone.

Sky believes in making a wider contribution to the communities in which it operates by taking positive action on the environment, supporting grassroots sports and increasing access to, and participation in, the arts.  Sky employs 24,000 people, has annual revenues of £7.2 billion and is estimated to support a £5.9 billion contribution to UK GDP.  Sky is listed on the London Stock Exchange (BSY).