RTÉ Arts & Culture: Commissioning Call

About the role

RTÉ is seeking proposals from independent production companies for high-impact, prime-time arts and culture programming. We aim to create content that resonates with a broad spectrum of Irish audiences, reflecting and commenting on life in Ireland through innovative and engaging formats. Our focus includes ambitious cultural events, live broadcasts, and documentaries that capture the current zeitgeist and tell the story of who we are as a nation.

Requirements

• Proposals must align with RTÉ’s Journalism & Content Guidelines 2020 and comply with statutory and regulatory obligations under the Broadcasting Act 2009 and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland Codes.
• Ideas should be properly developed and clearly meet the commissioning briefs for the Arts & Culture group.
• Proposals must demonstrate potential for returnable formats, strong narratives, and broad audience appeal.
• Preference will be given to projects that can secure Coimisiún na Meán funding or third-party investments, such as collaborations with national cultural institutions, organizations, or government bodies.
• Producers must submit detailed finance plans, identifying all funding parties and amounts committed.
• For proposals requiring higher budgets, additional justification must be provided.

Formats and Budget

Formatted Series

• Duration: 6 x 24-minute episodes
• Budget Range: €45,000 – €60,000 per episode

• Duration: 50-minute short series
• Budget Range: €90,000 – €120,000 per hour

Documentary, Documentary Series & Events

• Slots:
  • Pre-watershed Sundays: 18.30 – 19.30
  • Post-watershed Monday/Wednesday: 21.35
  • Post-watershed Thursday: 22.15
• Duration: 50 minutes (one-offs and short series)
• Budget Range:
  • One-off one-hour documentaries: €100,000 – €130,000
  • Series: €90,000 – €120,000 per hour

Content Focus

• Human Interest Stories: Proposals should feature strong narratives that engage and introduce the arts or Irish culture to a mainstream audience.
• Significant Anniversaries and Events: Ideas that mark major cultural milestones or explore national arts projects.
• Live Events: Multi-platform broadcasts that capture the current zeitgeist and unite the nation.
• Stories of Cultural Significance: One-off or multi-part documentaries about subjects from Irish cultural history, contemporary figures, or societal impact.
• Personality-Driven Documentaries: Features well-known faces on personal journeys with insightful commentary, enhancing viewer engagement.
• Distinctive Profiles: Intimate, immersive portrayals of cultural figures, focusing on storytelling style and directorial vision.
• Big Profiles of Cultural Icons: Explorations of artists who have had an exceptional impact on culture, potentially dismantling myths or re-examining legacies.
• Music and Live Events: Fresh, inventive ideas involving artists, musicians, and performers, with or without the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.

Examples of Successful Formats

• Portrait Artist of the Year (Sky) and Fake or Fortune (BBC) – layered formats celebrating and educating on the arts.
• Ireland’s Hidden Treasures and Page Turners – RTÉ series engaging broader audiences.
• Lady Gregory, Ireland’s First Social Influencer – a two-part series featuring Miriam Margolyes and Senator Lynn Ruane.
• Steps of Freedom – The Story of Irish Dance – a cinematic two-part documentary on Irish dance.
• Jack B. Yeats, The Man Who Painted Ireland – a documentary marking 150 years since the artist’s birth.
• Tommy Tiernan’s Epic West – a two-part series with personal engagement on a significant subject.
• Francis Bacon: The Outsider – presented by Adam Clayton.
• Colm Tóibín – On Memory’s Shore – an intimate portrayal of the novelist.
• David Puttnam: The Long Way Home – a heartwarming portrait of the Oscar-winning producer.
• Songs of the Open Road – a documentary on Thomas McCarthy, a singer from the travelling community.
• Clodagh – a profile of the trailblazing Irish designer.
• Nothing Compares and Love Yourself Today – recent feature documentaries with strong storytelling.
• A Note For Nature – an independent production exploring the Irish landscape through music.

Submission Process

Producers should submit ideas via the eCommissioning system under the programme category “Arts & Culture Formatted Series.” Initial interest or discussion does not guarantee a commission. Decisions will reflect proposal quality, scheduling priorities, and RTÉ’s financial position.

For assistance, contact Michelle Kenny or Laura Finnegan in the Independent Productions Unit at (01) 2082743 or (01) 2083429.