The Space is a new freely available digital arts service developed in partnership between the Arts Council England and the BBC. The website features exclusive content from John Peel's archive record collection, Scissor Sisters, Globe to Globe theatre, Hitchcock restored, New Radiophonic Workshop and The Beatles.
The Space provides live, free and on-demand access to the work of artists and arts organizations. The service went live at the time of the extraordinary summer of arts 2012, allowing visitors to experience and enjoy the events of the London 2012 Festival and the wider Cultural Olympiad. It was designed to change the way people connect with and experience the arts, and to build digital skills in the arts sector through a new commissioning programme and expert mentoring scheme.
"The Space is a game-changer - it has changed the way audiences perceive and access the arts through the use of digital technology; it has enabled artists and arts organisations to capture and distribute their work in an exciting and innovative way; and it has created a new model for arts commissioning," commented Alan Davey, Chief Executive, Arts Council England.
"Our long-term ambition for The Space is to provide a dynamic, imaginative open arena for artists, producers, creatives and technologists to work together to produce exciting new work in new formats specifically for the main digital platforms; and to increase access to the nation's great art".