Arena is the BBC's premier arts and culture documentary showcase. More than 600 films by some of the world's greatest directors have been featured—from profiles of cultural icons like Bob Dylan, Salman Rushdie, and Orson Welles to explorations of more esoteric topics like the Ford Cortina, New York's Chelsea Hotel, and subcultures from the Caribbean to China. Originally conceived as a weekly magazine-style show in 1975 with three "strands"—Art & Design, Theatre, and Cinema—it transitioned to feature-length movies in 1979.