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The best of arts and classical music from the BBC

Bring the Drama Festival: Careers Behind the Scenes

Go behind the scenes of film, TV and theatre and find hundreds of career events

BBC Arts

Things We Love

Discover the craft behind Aardman's BBC animal shorts

BBC ARTS

Shakespeare and the original Traitors

Learn the secrets of surviving The Traitors via Shakespeare's plays on BBC iPlayer

BBC ARTS

Peaky Blinders: Rambert’s The Redemption of Thomas Shelby

Thrilling stage adaptation performed by the Rambert dancers to an iconic soundtrack

BBC iPlayer

French & Saunders: Pointed, Bitchy, Bitter

imagine... profiles the UK’s most successful double act of the last 40 years

BBC iPlayer

The Hills Are Alive with The Kanneh-Masons

The gifted young stars visit Salzburg on the trail of the von Trapps and The Sound of Music

BBC IPLAYER

Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty

Set in a world of fairies and vampires, the timeless tale of good v evil is turned upside down

BBC iPlayer

The Hound of the Baskervilles

A live soundtrack from the BBC Symphony Orchestra, with Mark Gatiss and Sanjeev Bhaskar starring as Holmes and Watson

BBC iPlayer

Killing Sherlock: Lucy Worsley on the Case of Conan Doyle

The ultimate power struggle between the greatest detective who never lived and the writer who came to resent him

BBC iPlayer

imagine... Russell T Davies: The Doctor and Me

Follow Davies as he prepares to return as the showrunner of Doctor Who - with two Doctors and bigger ambitions

BBC iPlayer

Lot No 249: A Ghost Story for Christmas

Arthur Conan Doyle’s story is set in 1881. At Old College, Oxford, researchers investigate the secrets of Ancient Egypt

BBC iPlayer

Arena: The gold standard in Arts documentaries

Caroline Aherne: Queen of Comedy

Exploring a unique talent and body of work; with Sue Johnston, Ricky Tomlinson, Steve Coogan, Ralf Little & Lemn Sissay

BBC iPlayer

Mad About the Boy: The Noel Coward Story

The story of Noel Coward, the most prolific writer, director and entertainer of the 20th century, told in his own words

BBC iPlayer

Being Kae Tempest

How the poet, rapper, playwright and recording artist has gone through profound personal and artistic change

BBC IPLAYER

Coco Chanel Unbuttoned

The story of original influencer Coco Chanel, whose designs represent the zenith of female sexuality, style and power

BBC IPLAYER

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

The epic story of artist Nan Goldin and her fight to hold the Sackler family accountable for the opioid crisis

BBC iPlayer

The Stones and Brian Jones

Nick Broomfield's documentary uncovers the story of Brian Jones, the lost creative genius of The Rolling Stones

BBC IPLAYER

The Mysterious Mr Lagerfeld

Look inside the extraordinary world and inner circle of the fashion icon known as Kaiser Karl

BBC IPLAYER

Bette Davis: The Benevolent Volcano

Documentary from 1983 looking at her life and career from the 1920s to the present day

BBC IPLAYER

Billy, How Did You Do It? - Part 1

Director Billy Wilder looks back at his early years in Hollywood and his emotional return to post-war Berlin

BBC IPLAYER

Hank Williams: Honky Tonk Blues

The legendary country music singer-songwriter Hank Williams, who lived fast, died young and left an enduring legacy

BBC IPLAYER

Cindy Sherman #untitled

A rare insight into the work of Cindy Sherman, one of the world's leading, and most elusive, contemporary artists

BBC IPLAYER

Between the Covers

Geri Halliwell-Horner, Bill Paterson, Ellie Taylor and Miles Jupp

An American classic by John Steinbeck alongside stories set in Nazi Germany and an apocalyptic New Zealand

BBC Arts

Books to make you think

Ahir Shah, Andi Osho, Ed Byrne and Suzi Ruffell with a quartet of terrific book recommendations

BBC Arts

The Tudor court, a New York hospital and a Tokyo mini-market

Settings for great reads chosen by Alex Jones, Adam Kay, Omari Douglas and Sandi Toksvig on Between the Covers

BBC Arts

Critically acclaimed

Douglas Stuart: Love, Hope and Grit

Alan Yentob meets Douglas Stuart, author of the Booker Prize-winning novel Shuggie Bain

BBC iPlayer

The Mysterious Mr Lagerfeld

With unique access to the fashion designer's circle, this film reveals the true face of the man behind the sunglasses

BBC iPlayer

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, The Horse and Me

Discover the story behind the Oscar-winning animated film as author Charlie Mackesy's artistic journey is revealed

BBC iPlayer

Winter Journey: Schubert's Winterreise

Baritone Benjamin Appl and pianist James Baillieu reimagine Schubert's song cycle Winterreise in an Alpine landscape

BBC iPlayer

Shakespeare on the BBC

Shakespeare: Rise of a Genius

Acting legends reflect on Shakespeare and the dangerous, exciting world that ignited his creativity: Watch the series

BBC iPlayer

Henry V from Shakespeare’s Globe

Shakespeare’s masterpiece tells the violent story of the ambitious king’s campaign to recapture the French throne

BBC IPLAYER

Othello

Othello is the greatest general of his age. But he is also an outsider whose victories have created enemies of his own

BBC IPLAYER

The Hollow Crown: Henry IV - Part 2

Northumberland learns of the death of his son. The Lord Chief Justice attempts to separate Falstaff from Prince Hal

BBC IPLAYER

Richard III

Having helped his brother Edward IV take the throne, the jealous Richard, Duke of York, plots to seize power for himself

BBC IPLAYER

Hamlet

David Tennant and Patrick Stewart star in a film of the Royal Shakespeare Company's acclaimed modern-dress production

BBC IPLAYER

Much Ado About Nothing

The RSC’s spectacular 2022 production of Shakespeare's romantic comedy, set in a futuristic African world

BBC IPLAYER

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Classic Shakespeare play adapted for television by Russell T Davies with an all-star cast

BBC IPLAYER

Shakespeare Live! From the RSC

From the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, David Tennant, Catherine Tate and guests celebrate the playwright's life and work

BBC IPLAYER

The Wars of the Roses

Peter Hall's landmark 1960s productions of Henry VI, Edward IV and Richard III for the Royal Shakespeare Company

BBC IPLAYER

The Hollow Crown

Some of the UK’s finest acting talent star in hugely acclaimed 2012 adaptations of Shakespeare's history plays

BBC IPLAYER

The Merchant of Venice

A Play of the Month presentation from 1972 starring Maggie Smith and Frank Finlay

BBC IPLAYER

Talking Shakespeare

Shakespeare in their own words

Some of drama’s biggest names share stories and insights from their starring stage and screen roles

BBC Arts

Dame Janet Suzman Remembers... The Wars of the Roses

The actor looks back on her role as Joan of Arc in the groundbreaking BBC adaptations

BBC IPLAYER

David Tennant Remembers… Hamlet

David Tennant looks back on his role as Hamlet in Greg Doran’s 2008 production for the Royal Shakespeare Company

BBC IPLAYER

Gregory Doran Remembers... Shakespeare Live! From the RSC

The former artistic director of the RSC looks back on the challenges of his 2016 live BBC extravaganza

BBC IPLAYER

Russell T Davies Remembers... A Midsummer Night's Dream

The Doctor Who showrunner explains how his lifelong dream of bringing the play to television became a reality

BBC IPLAYER

Sir Simon Russell Beale Remembers… The Hollow Crown

The actor looks back at the BBC’s 2012 adaptations of Richard II, Henry IV Part 1, Henry IV Part 2 and Henry V

BBC IPLAYER

All the World's a Screen - Shakespeare on Film

Arena explores the rich, global history of Shakespeare in the cinema

BBC IPLAYER

Cunk on Shakespeare

Philomena knows nothing about Shakespeare but that won't stop her presenting a groundbreaking documentary about him

BBC IPLAYER

Art and Artists

Becoming Frida Kahlo

Watch the BBC iPlayer boxset on the life of an artist driven by politics, power, sex and identity

BBC IPLAYER

Close to Vermeer

Experts in the Dutch master's work search for what makes a Vermeer truly a Vermeer

BBC IPLAYER

Andy Warhol's America

Artistic pioneer and and cultural icon - viewing Warhol's work as a history of 20th-century America

BBC iPlayer

Bridget Riley - Painting the Line

Kirsty Wark tells the story of a true visionary of British art

BBC iPlayer

Picasso: The Beauty and the Beast

Picasso: The Beauty and the Beast

An unflinching look at Picasso's legacy, and the horror and brilliance of what he left behind

BBC IPLAYER

Picasso's ex factor

Who are the six women who shaped his life and work?

BBC ARTS

Quiz: Picasso or pixel?

Can you separate the AI fakes from genuine paintings by Pablo Picasso?

BBC ARTS

Proms 2023

Last Night of the Proms 2023

Magical music old and new with Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Lise Davidsen, Marin Alsop and the BBC Symphony Orchestra

BBC iPlayer

Proms 2023: The Best Bits

From Yuja Wang to Northern Soul, handpicked stand-out moments from this year's Proms

BBC Proms

Fantasy Film Music at the Proms

A spellbinding evening of magical soundtracks from film, TV and gaming’s greatest fantasy, myths and legends

BBC IPLAYER

Chineke! at the Proms

Concert spanning four centuries and two continents, culminating in Beethoven’s sunny and genial Fourth Symphony

BBC IPLAYER

This Cultural Life

This Cultural Life - Jeremy Deller

Award-winning artist Jeremy Deller discusses his career and creative influences with John Wilson

BBC IPLAYER

This Cultural Life - Sally Wainwright

TV writer and director Sally Wainwright talks about her formative cultural influences, from Rock Follies to Juliet Bravo

BBC IPLAYER

This Cultural Life - Whoopi Goldberg

Actor Whoopi Goldberg reveals the most important influences and experiences that shaped her own creativity

BBC IPLAYER

This Cultural Life - Margaret Atwood

Author Margaret Atwood reveals the influences and experiences that have shaped her life

BBC IPLAYER

The Film Fan's Guide to...

Glasgow

BBC Radio 1 film critic Ali Plumb looks at how the city has starred in everything from The Batman to Indiana Jones

BBC IPLAYER

Liverpool

From Creed to Captain America, Ali Plumb explores the unlikely movies filmed on Merseyside

BBC IPLAYER

Sussex

Ali Plumb takes a seaside trip to scout locations for films such as Atonement, Quadrophenia and Brighton Rock

BBC IPLAYER

Norfolk

Ali visits the locations that feature in films such as Ant-Man, Full Metal Jacket and Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa

BBC IPLAYER

Surrey

From epics such as Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator to rom-coms, Ali tracks down more surprising locations

BBC IPLAYER

Durham

Ali travels to places transformed into film sets for Harry Potter, Get Carter, Downton Abbey and many more

BBC IPLAYER

Inside Cinema

Studio Ghibli Magic

The legendary Japanese filmmakers behind Spirited Away and My Neighbour Totoro

BBC IPLAYER

David Bowie

How the Starman himself looked to the silver screen to inspire his greatest creations

BBC iPlayer

Marilyn Monroe

Inside Cinema celebrates the multi-talented and multi-faceted Hollywood icon who captivated the world

BBC iPlayer

Arts documentaries and interviews on iPlayer

The Stones and Brian Jones

Nick Broomfield's documentary uncovers the story of Brian Jones, the lost creative genius of The Rolling Stones

BBC IPLAYER

Get On Up: The Triumph of Black America

Actor David Harewood explores how African American artists shaped popular culture

BBC IPLAYER

Stephen Frears: Director for Hire

imagine… profiles the acclaimed film director of Dangerous Liaisons and The Queen

BBC IPLAYER

Sonia Boyce: Finding Her Voice

Following Sonia Boyce as she prepares to be the first black woman to represent Great Britain at the Venice Biennale

BBC IPLAYER

Virgil Abloh: How to Be Both

Exploring the life of the designer, from Kanye West’s right-hand man to artistic director of menswear at Louis Vuitton

BBC iPlayer

Bridget Riley - Painting the Line

Kirsty Wark tells the story of a true visionary of British art

BBC iPlayer

Malorie Blackman: What If?

Former Children's Laureate Malorie Blackman discusses the key life moments that made her a writer

BBC IPLAYER

Douglas Stuart: Love, Hope and Grit

Alan Yentob meets Douglas Stuart, the author of the Booker Prize-winning novel Shuggie Bain

BBC IPLAYER

Performance on iPlayer

Mozart's Requiem

An epic contemporary dance staging of Mozart’s great choral lament

BBC iPlayer

New Generation Artists Presents

A showcase of BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists Elisabeth Brauss, Kunal Lahiry, Sean Shibe, Aris Quartet & Ruby Hughes

BBC IPLAYER

The Lark Ascending

Stunning performance of Vaughan Williams’ pastoral masterpiece by the BBC Philharmonic and soloist Zoë Beyers

BBC IPLAYER

Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Yeomen of the Guard

English National Opera’s sparkling new production of the Gilbert and Sullivan classic, set in the Tower of London

BBC IPLAYER

Discover the Arts on Sounds

This Cultural Life

John Wilson's in-depth conversations with artists including Florence Pugh, Glenda Jackson, Goldie and Nicola Benedetti

BBC Proms concerts

Listen to a huge selection of stunning performances and unique collaborations

BBC Sounds

Techno: A Social History

DJ and producer Ash Lauryn explores why this genre is the perfect accompaniment to radical ideas

BBC Sounds

Discover amazing artefacts and artworks

Saxons to Stormzy: Radical moments in art that defined their era

Eight inspiring episodes of Art That Made Us reveal the diverse story of the British Isles

BBC iPlayer

Raiders of the Lost Past: Tutankhamun's Secrets

Dr Janina Ramirez turns detective to uncover the real story of how Tutankhamun’s treasure-packed tomb was found

BBC iPlayer

Mysteries of the Bayeux Tapestry

Experts including archaeologists to astrophysicists offer new insights on an artefact which remains shrouded in mystery

BBC iPlayer

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