Members Spotlight: Marquee TV

Built to bring the world’s best stages to your screens, Marquee TV is a streaming platform with a difference. Through distribution of esteemed works  – from the Royal Ballet & Opera to Exhibition on Screen – the platform gives viewers unlimited access to some of the most acclaimed documentaries, live performances and premieres.

We chatted with Chief Executive Officer, Edward Humphrey, to learn more about the dazzling world of digitised performance that Marquee TV has curated; their prioritising of audiences over algorithms; and how they’re deepening access to arts & culture for everyone.

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m Edward Humphrey, CEO of Marquee TV, the streaming platform dedicated to world‑class performing arts. My role is to lead the organisation’s strategic direction – expanding our global footprint, deepening partnerships with cultural institutions, and ensuring that audiences everywhere can experience exceptional theatre, dance, opera, classical music, and arts documentaries.

What are you currently working on?

We’re scaling Marquee TV’s distribution and audience reach as well as its commissioning and partnership strategy. We are closely working with leading arts organisations to bring more original productions and digital‑first experiences to audiences. We’re also investing in product innovation to make cultural discovery easier, more personalised, and more accessible. Alongside this, we’re expanding our international partnerships to strengthen Marquee TV’s position as the global home for performing arts.

What has been your organisation’s proudest achievement?

Marquee TV has become a trusted digital stage for the arts – a platform that supports cultural organisations at a time when visibility, funding, and audience reach are under pressure. We’re proud of our long‑term partnerships with major institutions across the UK and internationally, and equally proud of championing emerging companies and independent artists. Our greatest achievement is proving that digital distribution can meaningfully expand access to culture without compromising artistic integrity.

How is your organisation working to champion EDI within your sector?

EDI is embedded in our commissioning, curation, and partnerships. We platform diverse voices across genres, collaborate with organisations committed to inclusive practice, and actively seek work that challenges traditional gatekeeping in the arts. Digital access is a core part of our EDI strategy – ensuring that geography, cost, disability, or time constraints are not barriers to experiencing culture. We also support creators from underrepresented backgrounds through commissioning and partnership opportunities.

What are three things you’re loving in your sector right now?

• Digital innovation – immersive technologies, and digital‑first performance are expanding what cultural experiences can be.
• Cross‑organisational collaboration – cultural institutions are working together more strategically than ever.
• Audience appetite – global audiences are curious, open, and increasingly willing to explore new forms of performance.

And three things you’re not loving so much in your sector?

• Funding instability – organisations are being asked to innovate without long‑term support.
• Access inequality – too many communities still face barriers to cultural participation.
• Talent demands – creative professionals are stretched thin, often delivering extraordinary work with limited resources.

Who would be your dream collaborator/collaboration?

A large‑scale partnership that brings together a major UK cultural institution, an international performing arts company, and a leading digital innovation studio – creating a new model for how performance can be produced, distributed, and experienced globally. We’re particularly excited by collaborators exploring the intersection of performance, technology, and new audience behaviours.

What does creativity mean to you?

Creativity is the engine of cultural progress – the ability to imagine, challenge, and reinvent. For Marquee TV, creativity means empowering artists and organisations to tell stories in new ways, and giving audiences the opportunity to experience those stories wherever they are. It’s about curiosity, experimentation, and the courage to push boundaries.

What’s next for your organisation?

We’re deepening partnerships with UK and international cultural organisations, and investing in new digital tools that enhance discovery and engagement. Expect more original productions, more cross‑sector collaborations, and continued innovation in how audiences experience performance online.

What do you think needs to change in the UK’s Cultural and Creative Industries?

The UK needs a more sustainable cultural ecosystem – one that values creative talent, funds innovation properly, and prioritises access for all communities. We need long‑term investment in digital infrastructure, support for emerging organisations, and a sector‑wide commitment to equitable access. The UK’s cultural output is extraordinary; the structures around it need to match that ambition.

Keep up with what Marquee TV is working on via Instagram.