United Group, the leading provider of telecommunications and media services in Southeast Europe, announced on Tuesday that it has made a strategic investment in Marquee TV, the global specialist streaming service for arts and culture.

The investment is part of £6.7million in a Series A funding made by two investors to accelerate the upgrade and global rollout of Marquee TV’s platform.

Launched in 2018 and dubbed ‘Netflix for the arts,’ Marquee TV is the world’s leading performing arts streaming service with subscribers in over 100 countries.

Investment from Dutch-based United Group and international media company Viasat World will be used to enhance Marquee TV’s content proposition with more originals and exclusives, particularly in support of the hottest new talent. Marquee TV will also launch on major platforms around the world and upgrade its apps with new features, delivering on its promise to become the ultimate arts companion.

Marquee TV curates the richest mix of dance, ballet, opera, theatre, classical music, and documentaries – from the contemporary and cutting-edge to the classics. Available direct from app stores and on major TV platforms, Marquee TV’s mission is to connect global audiences with arts and culture wherever they are and however they want to watch.

During lockdowns Marquee TV established itself as the must-have app for culture fans and the go-to partner for arts organisations looking to connect with audiences online. Research shows that 60% of arts audiences have acquired the habit of watching performances online, and of those, 90% are continuing to watch online even as the live sector re-opens.

Subscription streamers that focus on one particular audience or content category have grown more than twice as fast as the mass market players over the last two years. With the overall subscription streaming market forecast to reach £100bn by 2025, and the arts sector only beginning its transition to digital, Marquee TV is perfectly positioned to ride both waves of growth.

Marquee TV Co-founder and Chief Executive, Simon Walker, commented: “We are thrilled to raise this capital from not one but two brilliant strategic investors. United Group and Viasat World are both entrepreneurial organisations who understand what it takes to succeed in today’s digital media market. With their backing I’m confident we can accelerate our vision to bring the incredible gift of the performing arts to online audiences across the world.”

“Arts & culture is one of the last unexploited global content verticals. Marquee TV has built the foundations of a brand that can roll up this opportunity in every major market. We are delighted to partner with Simon and his team to serve this extraordinarily valuable audience who until now have not been given enough attention,” said Victoriya Boklag, United Group Chief Executive.

“The Marquee TV team has a genuine passion for the power and potential of the arts. Viasat World was an early supporter because our team shares that same vision to build a large-scale digital content vertical for global arts lovers and the ‘culture curious’. As one of Europe’s biggest content aggregators and curators, we are ideally placed to back the next phase of growth through partnerships with key talent, leading international arts organisations, and major distributors,” said  Irina Gofman, Viasat World President and CEO.

Marquee TV’s fully curated Autumn/Winter 2021 season showcases over 50 new performances featuring the world’s leading orchestras, opera and dance companies, and a host of new talent, including exclusive films and special ticketed event – building upon their longstanding partnerships with organisations such as the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Scottish Ballet and San Francisco Dance Film Festival, while introducing exclusive content from the likes of Teatro alla Scala and Teatro Real, and extensive collections from Opera Australia and the Australian Ballet.

Marquee TV is currently available on iOS and Android apps, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire, Comcast X1, Cox, Roku, and Samsung with regular launches on additional platforms around the world.