Channel 4 has commissioned artist Grayson Perry to present a three-part documentary series (3x60) exploring British taste. He will then use the experience as the inspiration for a major new work comprising a set of six tapestries that will tour nationwide.

Continuing its work with artists, Channel 4 Arts has commissioned a host of creative talent to make new works for the Channel's recently launched arts strand Random Acts, including musician Ghostpoet, 2011 Turner Prize nominees George Shaw and Hilary Lloyd, artist David Shrigley and conceptual and performance artist Francis Alys.

Commenting on the commissions, Tabitha Jackson, Channel 4's commissioning editor for arts, said: "I want our arts output to contain films with artists rather than about artists, to be about using artists as guides rather than simply offering guides to artists. This is the spine of our on-going mission - to try to reassert television as an artistically vibrant and experimental medium and use it to get the truth of what it is like to be us."

Channel 4 also announced it aims to build on the success of 2011's Street Summer, a season of programming celebrating urban culture, from music and dance through to street art and graffiti. A new season of arts programmes will air in the summer of 2012, the details of which will be revealed in the spring. Street Summer included a night of programming curated by street artist Banksy, specially commissioned performance piece One Man Walking and the feature-length urban sports film Concrete Circus. Across four nights Street Summer attracted a significantly younger, more upscale audience demographic than the slot averages.

Upcoming arts series and specials include Matthew Bourne's Christmas, a new film from dancer and choreographer Matthew Bourne, which is part of a Dancing Around the World Special on More4 that also includes films from the BalletBoyz and Akram Khan; a series exploring the growing field of neuroaesthetics presented by Channel 4 News Culture Editor Matt Cain, called What Makes a Masterpiece; and the television premier of Clio Bernard's The Arbor which was co-commissioned with Artangel and The Jerwood Foundation.

Next month Channel 4 will celebrate 20 years of the Tuner Prize on 4, with a half-hour live show for the Turner Prize, presented by Lauren Laverne, as well as an hour-long special on More4, Vic Reeves' Turner Prize Moments.

Channel 4 arts has also co-commissioned two films with Film 4: Dreams of a Life, and The Perverts Guide to Ideology.