Italy to launch ‘Netflix of Italian Culture’ in US next year

Rome: Italy’s streaming platform ITsART – known as the ‘Netflix of Italian Culture’ – is set to roll out across Europe in October before becoming available to viewers in the US next year.

ITsART gives online access to Italian culture – both free and paid – ranging from art and music to dance and theatre, and is commissioned by Italy’s culture ministry.

“The idea is to provide a common platform that can reach a growing audience of consumers of Italian art and culture around the world,” ITsART head Giano Biagini told Variety.

The project, conceived during Italy’s first covid-19 lockdown, acts as a “virtual stage offering Italian entertainment and culture”, culture minister Dario Franceschini said at the launch in May.

With live and on-demand content, in Italy and abroad, the streaming platform features content produced by top Italian cultural institutions – from the Uffizi to La Scala – alongside films and documentaries.

ITsArt is divided into three sections – stage, places and story – within which cultural venues present their projects and productions.

The platform now offers more than 1,000 events and shows – reports Variety – from the upcoming Ennio Morricone tribute at Pompeii to performances with tenor Andrea Bocelli and conductor Riccardo Muti.