National Theatre Live and Sky Arts unite with sponsorship deal

Sky Arts has become the headline sponsor for National Theatre Live in the UK, an innovative project to broadcast world-class performances to cinemas in the UK and internationally.

“National Theatre Live is the perfect partner for Sky Arts – we share a similar set of values and aims. We believe that art should be for everyone, everywhere and we want to expand boundaries and break down barriers, bringing the best of the arts to the widest possible audience. We are delighted to be partnering with National Theatre Live and look forward to expanding our collaboration over the coming months.” – Phil Edgar-Jones, director, Sky Arts

Sky Arts’ support will help National Theatre Live to continue to broadcast in cinemas across the UK reaching the widest possible audience. Through the partnership Sky Arts content will be screened before NT Live broadcasts and the company logos will feature on the NT Live website and other promotional materials. It will also create opportunities for collaborative content and deliver benefits for Sky customers, with further details to follow later in 2017.

Sky Arts is the UK’s only dedicated arts channel, and the partnership with National Theatre Live is part of a commitment to investing in, and facilitating wider access to, the arts by the broadcaster. Sky Arts’ headline sponsorship launched yesterday (March 9th) with the screening of Hedda Gabler at the National Theatre.

Since its pioneering launch in 2009, National Theatre Live now broadcasts to 700 UK cinemas reaching an audience of 3.5 million. 2017 sees a record number of broadcasts with 11 productions being filmed and screened including The Old Vic’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead starring Daniel Radcliffe, Josh McGuire and David Haig on Thursday 20th April, Obsession with Jude Law directed by Ivo van Hove live from the Barbican Theatre on Thursday 11th May and Angels in America direct from the National Theatre with an all-star cast including Andrew Garfield and Nathan Lane on Thursday 20th July (Part One) and 27th July (Part Two).

“We’re thrilled to have Sky Arts on board as a partner for National Theatre Live. This new initiative seeks to increase access to our work for those audiences who might not otherwise have the opportunity to see it and a service such as Sky Arts, which is dedicated to bringing the best of culture into people’s homes, is a great fit. We look forward to working together and the future projects we will collaborate on” – Emma Keith, Head of Broadcast and National Theatre Live