Now Peter, alongside his daughter and long-time collaborator Sophie, are taking a rather different approach. Their newly launched Arts Biography Channel brings these films directly to viewers via YouTube, making them available to anyone with an internet connection. At a time when arts programming is increasingly squeezed from traditional schedules, the channel offers a new home for thoughtful cultural documentaries. Even better, it is accessible, global and free.
The scope of ambition extends beyond showcasing their own work. Peter and Sophie hope the Arts Biography Channel will become a platform for independent filmmakers whose projects might otherwise struggle to navigate the lengthy commissioning processes of conventional broadcasters. The result, they hope, will be a richer ecosystem for arts documentaries – one that gives talented filmmakers a route to audiences regardless of broadcaster backing or industry connections.
We spoke to the pair about bypassing the gatekeepers, building an audience online and why they believe YouTube could help secure the future of arts documentary-making.
Congratulations on the launch of the Arts Biography Channel. Having both worked in/with traditional broadcasting in the past, what made you decide to step outside that system and start your own YouTube channel instead?
We'd spent years making films we were proud of, but always felt they deserved a wider audience than traditional broadcasting allowed. YouTube gave us the chance to put them directly in front of anyone, anywhere – no schedules, no cost, no middlemen. It felt like the right moment to just go for it.
What has surprised you most about setting up and running your own channel? Has it felt liberating, terrifying, exhausting – all three?
All three, often in the same afternoon. We knew it would be a lot of work, but the sheer scale of everything – technical, logistical, creative – was genuinely eye-opening. We're still regularly surprised by how much there is to learn, but that's also part of what makes it exciting.
What was the process like?
Slow, and frequently humbling! We've been very much learning on the job – figuring things out as we go, making mistakes, and gradually finding our feet. We're nowhere near done learning, but we're enjoying the journey more than we expected.
How do you decide what is worth making a film about?
The subject has to genuinely grab us – there's no faking enthusiasm when you're going to be living with a project for years. We're drawn to stories that have some lightness to them; something humorous or uplifting, even within a complicated life. If a subject makes us laugh as well as think, that's usually a very good sign.
Your most recent film features the wonderful Felicity Kendal. What was that experience like, and what do you think makes someone compelling to film?
Felicity is delightful to work with. Her story is quite extraordinary – growing up in India with her parents' touring Shakespeare company, surrounded by a wonderful ragbag of actors, she had very little formal schooling, before coming to the UK and having to fight hard to establish herself. And then of course the extraordinary career that followed, from landmark West End theatre to so many beloved television hits. What makes her so compelling on film is that she brings the same qualities to conversation that she brings to performance – she's warm, funny, and completely unguarded.
Traditional television can involve endless development, approvals and gatekeepers. Has making films independently changed the kind of conversations you are able to have – or the risks you are willing to take?
We've always made films that felt meaningful to us rather than chasing what we thought broadcasters wanted – which probably explains why getting them shown was often such a battle! Independence hasn't changed our instincts so much as removed the exhausting obstacle course that used to stand between us and the audience.
Could this eventually become something larger than your own films – a home for other documentary-makers working outside the traditional commissioning system?
That's very much the hope. Later this year we're planning to run a competition to bring more arts biography films onto the channel – made by other filmmakers who share our passion for the form. We genuinely believe there's a real audience out there for this kind of thoughtful, quality documentary, and we'd love the channel to become a hub for it.
Do you see platforms like YouTube as the future for thoughtful documentary-making, or simply as a necessary alternative for filmmakers who want more freedom?
We think it's both – and we're not sure those two things are as different as they might sound. The future of documentary-making probably looks less like a single gatekept highway and more like a rich ecosystem of different routes to an audience. YouTube isn't perfect, but it's given serious, independent work a home.
What kinds of films or filmmakers have shaped your own taste over the years – the work you return to when you need reminding of what good storytelling looks like?
We keep coming back to the films of Jonathan Stedall, a friend and a wonderful filmmaker, whose documentaries had a rare quality – thoughtful, unhurried, and full of genuine humanity. We're hoping to add a collection of his work to the channel later this year, which feels like a privilege and a fitting tribute.
And finally: what is next? Are there new subjects, people or stories you are itching to explore?
Plenty – the list never seems to get any shorter! We have several subjects we're deeply excited about, and the beauty of running our own channel is that we can pursue them on our own terms and in our own time.
FAQs
What is the Arts Biography Channel?
The Arts Biography Channel is a new YouTube platform dedicated to high-quality arts documentaries and biographies. Founded by veteran filmmakers Peter and Sophie Bevan, it brings films about artists, actors, writers and cultural figures directly to viewers online.
Who are Peter and Sophie Bevan?
Peter Bevan founded his production company in 1982 and has spent more than four decades creating award-winning documentaries and dramas for broadcasters including the BBC, ITV and PBS. He now runs the Arts Biography Channel alongside his daughter, Sophie.
Why launch a documentary channel on YouTube?
The Bevans wanted to reach a wider audience than traditional broadcasting often allows. YouTube enables viewers anywhere in the world to watch films for free, without schedules, subscriptions or geographical restrictions.
What kind of films can viewers expect to find?
The channel focuses on arts biographies and cultural documentaries, profiling notable figures from the worlds of theatre, literature, visual art and entertainment. The emphasis is on thoughtful storytelling and in-depth exploration of creative lives.
Who features in the channel's latest film?
One of the channel's most recent documentaries explores the life and career of actress Felicity Kendal, tracing her unusual childhood in India and her subsequent success on stage and screen.
How is making films independently different from working with broadcasters?
According to Peter and Sophie, independence removes many of the layers of approvals, development processes and commissioning hurdles that can slow projects down. It allows filmmakers to bring work directly to audiences while retaining greater creative control.
Will the channel only feature films made by the Bevans?
No. The longer-term ambition is to create a platform for other independent documentary-makers. The team plans to launch a competition later this year to discover and showcase new arts biography films from external filmmakers.
Is YouTube becoming an important platform for documentary-makers?
Many filmmakers increasingly see YouTube as both an alternative distribution route and a legitimate home for serious documentary work. It offers direct access to audiences and greater freedom than traditional commissioning models.
What makes a great documentary subject?
For Peter and Sophie, the most compelling subjects are those that spark genuine curiosity and enthusiasm. They are particularly drawn to stories that combine depth and complexity with humour, warmth and humanity.
What is next for the Arts Biography Channel?
The channel plans to expand its catalogue, commission new work and introduce films by other documentary-makers. The Bevans are also hoping to add a collection of documentaries by the late filmmaker Jonathan Stedall, whose work has long inspired them.
