Ovation TV Invites Viewers on a Global Art & Culture Tour with the “Ovation Staycation”

Week-long Programming Event Features US Premieres of the Series This is Civilisation and The Art of Spain, as well as Ovation TV Original Series Art & the City

LOS ANGELES, CA (February 2, 2009) – Is the sagging economy making you think twice about your Spring Break travel plans?  Never fear.  Ovation TV has just the ticket to make sure you get your soul-restoring dose of art and culture from around the world.  The “Ovation Staycation” kicks off Sunday, March 8  and will feature US premiere series, specials and an OvationTV original series, taking viewers to faraway places, as well as US cities, highlighting the rich art, culture and history of each place.  The following series and specials are bound to make your “staycation” memorable:

•    This is Civilisation – US Premiere Series.  Four episodes run Sunday, March 8 to Wednesday, March 11, every night at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.  Artist and critic Matthew Collings embarks on an epic journey to stunning locations across Europe, Egypt, China and the United States, to explore the changing ways in which cultures of the past have shaped our civilisation.  Look for the This is Civilisation marathon Sunday, March 15 when all four episodes run back-to-back beginning at 8:00 ET/PT.

•    The Art of Spain – US Premiere Series.  Three episodes run Sunday, March 8 to Tuesday, March 10, every night at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.   In this absorbing and original series, Spanish art gains center stage as art historian Andrew Graham-Dixon goes on the road to reveal the fabulous art treasures of the country. Traveling from the south to the north, he explores some of the most important artists from Renaissance to Modernist, including Goya, Picasso, Dali, El Greco and Velasquez.  He also goes off the beaten track to reveal insights into the culture and people.
On Saturday, March 14 beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT, all three episodes will run back-to-back all night.

•    Art & the City – Ovation TV Original Series.  Six episodes run Sunday, March 8 to Tuesday, March 10, two episodes each night beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.  
Hosted by Los Angeles Times reporter David A. Keeps, Art & the City leads cultural tourists on discoveries of arts, architecture and design in the galleries, hotels, museums and artistic hotspots of destinations throughout the U.S. and Europe, including London, New York, New Orleans, Paris, Chicago, and Los Angeles.  All six episodes will run again back-to-back on Thursday, March 12 beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.

•    Paris  Three episodes run back-to-back on Friday, March 13 starting at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.   An Ovation TV favorite, this series follows art historian Sandrine Voillet as she reveals the tempestuous history, immortal beauty and bohemian soul of the city she adores. Taking viewers through several centuries of Paris’ cultural history, she celebrates the art, literature, music, films and design that have combined to create the spectacular ‘City of Lights’.

For more information on these shows and more, visit www.OvationTV.com.


About Ovation TV:  Ovation TV is a multi-platform network devoted to art, culture, creativity and making art more accessible to viewers in their daily lives.  The network showcases the world's greatest artists in theater, dance, opera, literature, film, visual and fine art, music, design, photography and architecture. Ovation TV reaches a national audience of 30 million households through carriage on DirecTV (channel 274), Dish Network (channel 157) and on cable and telco systems in major markets across the country.  Ovation TV’s programming is also available on video on demand (in both standard and high definition), as well as at http://www.OvationTV.com.


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Information:
Patricia Frith, Patricia Frith Marketing (for Ovation TV)
818.876.0480, pfmarketing@roadrunner.com

Images available upon request.