Twofour54 and Cartoon Network launch Arab animation academy

Abu Dhabi's multimedia organisation, Twofour54, is to launch an Arab animation academy in a deal with Cartoon Network. Twofour54 has struck a deal with Cartoon Network, which is owned by Time Warner, to open a Cartoon Network-backed production studio and school to boost the Arab animation industry. The animation training academy will launch in September while the production studio is set to launch early next year. The deal comes as Twofour54's flagship series, Driver Dan's Story Train, developed by the former CITV controller Estelle Hughes , is to be moved to a primetime slot on CBeebies. The 52-part programme, which is voiced by the comedian Peter Serafinowicz, has been shown during the lunchtime hour on the BBC's children's digital channel. However, the BBC is moving it to the primetime Bedtime Hour in the evenings after the success of the 10-minute daily programmes, which have been a ratings hit since launching in January. The series is made by the Bristol consultancy 3Line Media, set up by Hughes in 2007 with the former Chorion head of media Teresa Reed, with funding from both the BBC and Twofour54. The series has also been sold to ABC Television in Australia, it was announced today, and a new Arabic version is to be produced by UAE-based animation and production company Blink Studios. • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".