Marquee TV acquires Helios Arts
May 31, 2022
Marquee TV, the specialist streaming service for arts and culture, has announced the acquisition of Helio Arts and the appointment of Co-founder and CEO, Ryan McKinny, as Marquee TV’s Head of US Content Partnerships.
Video content and partnerships from US based streaming site Helio Arts will be folded into the Marquee TV catalogue, adding to the site’s extensive classical music and dance categories. Highlights from Helio Arts’s collection include Bon Appétit, a one-woman opera about American chef Julia Child starring renowned mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton and After Glow, a retelling of Schumann’s song cycle Dichterliebe, which won an award at the Seattle Film Festival in 2021.
Also announced today is an internal restructuring that sees long-serving COO, Nina Laricheva, appointed CEO, succeeding Co-founder & CEO, Simon Walker, who becomes Chairman. Laricheva takes on full executive responsibility for the business, with McKinney reporting directly to her, while Walker focuses on strategy and corporate development. Both the arts world and the streaming market are transforming at pace and Laricheva and Walker combine the experience and expertise to ensure Marquee TV is well placed to maximise the opportunities ahead.
Walker commented: “Marquee TV’s global mission is to democratise access to the performing arts. We are transforming our sector through strong partnerships with the world’s greatest artists and arts organisations. Ryan’s ambition, both creatively and commercially, is a perfect fit with ours and we’re delighted to welcome him to the team.”
“One of the most gratifying parts of building Helio has been nurturing incredible artists as they connect with audiences in new ways,” said McKinny. “As a performer and filmmaker, I’ve been hugely inspired by Simon’s vision of Marquee TV as a streaming service that truly serves both audiences and artists, and I’m eager to expand the range of American creative projects available on the world’s leading digital arts platform.”
Laricheva commented: “Our sector is just at the beginning of its transformation to digital. At Marquee TV we are building the best brand, the best team, the best technology, the best distribution and most importantly the best set of content partners – both artists and arts organisations. I’m thrilled to take the wheel for the next phase of growth.”
“Ryan McKinny brings a keen artistic eye and a huge heart to every project he works on, both onstage and behind the camera,” said Jamie Barton. “He consistently uses his personal power to help elevate new voices in classical music, and I can’t wait to see the impact he will have on the incredible breadth of projects available on Marquee TV. I’m thrilled to see an artist of Ryan’s caliber take on a leadership role like this.”
Marquee TV partners with the world’s leading dance, opera, theatre and music companies to offer on demand performances for its global audience. The streaming service currently has over 450 titles including performances by the Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Opera House, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Ballet, Teatro alla Scala, Deutsche Oper Berlin and more.