Farewell to Foxtel Arts….
While channel closes after 5 years, it ends a run of dedicated Arts channels which hark back to Ovation in 2006.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under Subscription
Today marks the last day of broadcast for Foxtel Arts -tomorrow FOX Docos launches in its place.
The channel launched in 2016 replacing SBS-owned STUDIO, which itself replaced Ovation in 2010.
Designed to attract affluent, discerning subscribers it screened a range of opera, ballet, music, theatre, dance, cabaret, classical and contemporary performance, documentary specials and series from cinema, literature, music, visual art and artists.
Amongst its local productions were Screen, with reviews by Margaret Pomeranz and Graeme Blundell (last seen in March 2020), The Archibald, partnerships with the Australian Ballet, Sydney and Queensland Symphony Orchestras, National Portrait Gallery, Helpmann Awards and the AACTA Awards.
International titles included The Sound of Music Live, Peter Pan Live, Bach’s St. John Passion Les Miserables Live from the O2 Arena, Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake and Le Corsaire, Andre Rieu concerts, the Tony Awards and more.
In 2017 it was downgraded to sharing channels with Smooth -which itself disappeared in June 2020.
“From September 1, 2021 Foxtel Arts will merge into a new destination, FOX Docos, where its hugely popular series and specials will sit alongside an award-winning a line-up of unscripted content from around the world. Foxtel routinely evaluates its channel line up to ensure our content strategy and programming best reflects our customers viewing preferences and habits,” a spokesperson recently told TV Tonight.
One Response
Very disappointing, will really miss the classical music concerts.
In desperation I found a free classical music channel on the Plex app, so that’s where I’m going. The best part of that is no Andre Rieu.