Project Canvas will be ‘creative playpen’ for artists

By Matthew Hemley for The Stage:

BBC director general Mark Thompson has claimed Project Canvas - an initiative backed by the Corporation to bring the internet to television via set-top boxes - will be a “creative playpen” for arts producers and organisations.

He also said that content specifically commissioned for it should be available to view from its launch.

Project Canvas, of which the BBC is one of seven backers, will offer access to all Freeview channels, as well as websites such as BBC iPlayer and YouTube.

Speaking at this year’s Media Festival Arts event, Thompson said the initiative is being designed as a “public space”, which will enable arts organisations to bring their work to millions of people.

He said the BBC, as one of the main partners behind the project, was discussing the idea of a toolkit, to be accessed online, which will allow third parties to learn how to get their content on to the Canvas platform.