Sky Arts Will Become Free For Everyone to Watch in September

Sky Arts, Britain's television channel dedicated to the arts and culture, will become free for everyone, The Guardian reports.

The channel is currently only available to Sky customers, but that will change come September, when it will become available to all viewers at no cost.

"There's never been a stronger need or demand for the arts, nor a more important time to champion and celebrate creativity," said Sky Arts director, Philip Edgar-Jones.

The channel's upcoming programming will include a biography of the band the Style Council, an exploration of the life and works of Harold Pinter by his friend Danny Dyer, and a broadcast of one of English National Opera's September drive-in performances of La Bohème.

Portrait Artist of the Year, a popular show on the channel, will also return, with sitters including Sir Trevor McDonald, singer Ray BLK and Normal People star Paul Mescal.

The channel also announced a series of £30,000 bursaries, involving cultural figures supporting and mentoring emerging new artists.

"A lot of what we do is not just about making TV, it is about creating new work which lives and breathes in communities and society in general," said Edgar-Jones. "We are in active discussions with artists across genres and we're saying that TV could be your canvas, it could be your toolbox and you don't have to make a programme. Do something weird and wonderful."

Read more on The Guardian.

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