From Constable's Suffolk and Lowry's Manchester to the wild landscapes that inspired Robbie Burns and Emily Bronte; the rich and diverse scenery of Britain has been casting its spell on artists for centuries. Now a major new BBC One series will embark on a a fascinating journey of discovery into some of the nation's most best-loved landscapes.

A Picture of Britain, presented by David Dimbleby, explores the art which has been inspired by British landscapes and how artists have in turn helped to shape and define our view of the landscape around us. The programmes introduce us to the artists, their work and techniques both through major and minor works. A Picture of Britain offers different perspectives and aspects of viewing the landscape which surrounds us.

But David Dimbleby's series is just part of this focus on the British Landscape, there’s a host of other programmes, online activities, events and exhibitions to inspire and engage you with this visual representation of Britain.

Other Programmes
In BBC Four's A Digital Picture of Britain, the cream of today’s photographers will produce brand new images of Britain's urban, rural and industrial landscapes. On daytime BBC One TV Countryfile and Landward will feature stories touching upon A Picture of Britain. For music lovers, the first night of the BBC Proms will feature music themed around the TV series. Meanwhile BBC Radio 3 Nightwaves will commission new writers and poets to compose a piece relating to their local area.

Online Activity
Meanwhile the BBC A Picture of Britain website is launching a competition to build up a digital picture of Britain in 2005 - a selection of amateur photographs which best capture aspects of contemporary British landscape. The winners, as voted for by the public and a panel of photography experts, will receive a digital camera and their photographs will be exhibited at the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television in Bradford. Find out more about the Picture of Britain competition on bbc.co.uk

The BBC Blast website will also be getting involved by collaborating with Tate Learning on a day at the gallery tailored for their audience. 

For those wishing to travel, Visit Britain (the official Tourist Office website for visiting Britain) will be providing online maps that guide you to the places that have inspired our great artistic heritage.

Events
More locally, BBC Open Centres and Community Buses will be running workshops and offering advice on digital photography, while the Community Channel will be linking up with photographic bodies around the UK and will also be running workshops.

Partner to A Picture of Britain, The Open University will be offering public talks that explore various artistic perspectives, held in galleries across the UK. The first to be announced focusses on Alexander Nasmyth's painting entitled Princes Street with the Commencement of the Building of the Royal Institution 1825. OU Associate Lecturer William Hare will give the lecture on Thursday 21st July at 12.45pm at the National Gallery of Scotland. Open2.net will announce details of further OU lectures as soon as they are confirmed.

Exhibitions
Tate Britain will present an exhibition which partners A Picture of Britain, presenting a journey through the British landscape as seen by some of the greatest British artists from Turner and Constable to Lowry and Hepworth. The exhibition will run from Thursday 16th June to Sunday 4th September 2005. Find out more at the Tate's website.

The National Museum of Photography, Film and Television will be hosting a display of the professional’s photographs from the TV series and the winners of A Digital Picture of Britain photographic competition. The display opens on Tuesday 24th May 2005. Other regional galleries will showcase the photographs on plasma screens. Find out more at the NMPFT's website.

Content last updated: 17/05/2005