RTE Television's mission for arts programmes is to grow audiences for and participation in the arts and to document and build a national archive of today's creative leaders for tomorrow.
Most television arts output plays on RTÉ One, in peak-time slots: 7.30pm on Sunday, 8.30pm on Monday, 9.35pm on Monday and 10.15 on Thursday.
RTE is inviting independent production companies to submit ideas for high-impact peak-time arts series, events and formats that enable ordinary people to make, do and/or participate; landmark post-watershed arts series; ambitious anchor projects for themed seasons/weeks; and ideas for arts events or series to mark key moments and anniversaries. Specifically:
Pre-watershed arts formats. From amateur drama to singing, from painting to craft and design, they want to get the nation's creative juices flowing. We'd like ideas for participative, access-based formats or campaigns that RTÉ can support across TV, digital and radio - and which work for mass audiences in peak-time slots. The broadcaster particularly welcomes projects that involve partnerships with national organisations, arts institutions and networks.
Ideas for themed weeks, seasons and events. RTE would love to do for the arts what Big Week On The Farm did for science. Can you think of a way to create a high-impact national cultural event that is big enough and impactful enough for RTÉ One to clear its schedule every night for a week? A national RTÉ-led cultural project, live event, experiment, challenge or celebration that will get the nation talking, sharing and taking part?
Post-watershed landmark arts series: big subjects, big ambitions, which bring (or have potential to bring) major co-funding to the table.
Authored arts documentaries and series where passionate, knowledgeable presenters open up the arts or Irish culture for a mainstream audience. The presenter has to have a deep knowledge of and passion for the subject. The credibility of the presenter, richness of content and freshness of perspective are key. A good recent example is A Fanatic Heart: Bob Geldof on WB Yeats, genuine passion-project for a presenter with a deep knowledge of his subject and a strong reason for wanting to make the programmes. RTE seeks more innovative or landmark arts projects fronted by strong personalities with something fresh, provocative and insightful to say about Irish culture, music and heritage.
Anniversaries: is there an anniversary, celebration, national event or key national moment coming up that an arts series or event can mark or amplify in some way? RTE welcomes arts-based ideas that help ordinary people to engage with major anniversaries and events.
Please note that, while standout single documentaries will always be commissioned, RTE’s in-house team is making up to 20 biographical arts documentaries a year, so the schedule is already well-served in terms of documenting the arts leaders of today, and tomorrow.
RTE welcomes projects that involve partnerships between RTÉ and national cultural institutions or organisations. And, given that budgets are always a challenge, they also welcome projects that have the potential or scale to bring other sources of funding to the table. However, submissions will always be judged first and foremost on the quality of the idea and the content, and the potential of the project to engage audiences and/or create impact.
RTE asks, in the first instance, that producers submit ideas into the eCommissioning system:
https://e-commissioning.rte.ie/SWIFT.Web/skins/rte/login.aspx
under the programme category "Arts - General"
