BBC Arts x Civilisations: Rise and Fall

New series on BBC iPlayer - November 2025

Natasha collaborated with BBC Arts social media team with a 120 second video at the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum in Bournemouth, to celebrate the release of their new series.

Watch here:

Project Overview

Civilisations: Rise and Fall is the latest chapter in the BBC’s acclaimed Civilisations series; a visually rich, globally minded exploration of how cultures emerge, evolve, and decline. Featuring expert commentary, world-class artefacts, and immersive storytelling, each episode focuses on a single civilisation.

To promote the series across digital platforms, BBC Arts commissioned four content creators to represent individual episodes via short-form video campaigns. The initiative aimed to spotlight local museums and engage new audiences through social media.

Natasha’s Role

Selected to promote the Japan episode, Natasha created a short-form video in collaboration with the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum in Bournemouth. Although the series is filmed using the British Museum’s collection, the BBC’s digital campaign focused on regional storytelling.

With access to the museum’s Japanese holdings, Natasha worked alongside curator Duncan Walker to explore rarely seen artefacts, including handling an original katana, samurai armour, and historic photographs.

Her content offered audiences a unique, first-person experience of the collection, blending architectural insight, cultural history, and behind-the-scenes access, designed to spark curiosity and inspire museum visits.

Focus: Japan and the Way of the Samurai

Natasha’s campaign focused on:

Martial symbolism and spiritual values
Weaponry and craftsmanship in samurai culture
Western myths vs historical reality

Filmed in an intimate and conversational style, the video invited viewers to join Natasha as a companion on her journey; making heritage feel accessible, personal, and emotionally resonant.