The Stage

BBC and ACE to offer digital media training to arts organisations

Published Thursday 9 September 2010 at 16:01 by Alistair Smith

Arts Council England has announced plans for a joint initiative with the BBC to help cultural organisations develop digital media production skills.

Under the scheme, which was announced today by ACE chair Liz Forgan at the Media Festival Arts event at the Roundhouse in London, the BBC Academy will run a series of masterclasses and workshops for arts organisations to learn about commissioning and producing film and web content, archiving and rights issues, digital marketing and communications and internet TV.

Forgan said that she hoped the masterclasses would be free to attend for arts bodies. She added: “Our partnership with the BBC is about working together to maximise the public value of the arts. It’s about pooling our expertise to help create the arts leaders of the future and to help arts organisations broaden their skills.

“This joint initiative will enable arts organisations to produce high quality digital arts content that will reach new audiences in new ways, to prolong the life and extend the reach of their exciting, excellent art.”

BBC director general Mark Thompson added: “Arts organisations are increasingly using digital media to create and distribute content to the public that otherwise wouldn’t be seen. The partnership with ACE will mean the BBC shares its knowledge, skills and expertise in content production bringing to life our digital public space.”

The announcement forms the first concrete plans to come out of a three-year partnership agreement that was signed between the two organisations in April 2009. By the end of the year, the next steps in the new joint initiative will include a forum where artists, arts organisations and broadcasters can discuss the opportunities that digital presents, share best practice skills and identify the skills needed across the sector.