We’re exploring how to unlock the capital’s treasure trove of arts and culture for all Londoners.

Evidence shows that people in London are less likely than those elsewhere in the UK to visit the museums, theatres and art galleries which sit on our doorsteps. Within the scope of this project, we will consider why and how policy makers can remove barriers to enable more Londoners to benefit from the capital’s cultural experiences.

Arts and culture in London 

Cultural engagement is linked to increased physical and mental health, and overall quality of life. It also underpins much of London’s economic dynamism with a fifth of working Londoners employed in the sector, and the creative industries comprising the third largest sector of London’s economy. However, evidence suggests that Londoners consistently engage with the arts to a lesser extent than other regions in England. 

Our research 

We will identify actions that city and local government can take to enable more Londoners to engage with the capital’s rich cultural offer. We will hold roundtables and interviews with experts from a range of fields, including a range of London’s cultural institutions, and conduct a survey of Londoners, to explore a range of questions, including: 

• Why are Londoners less likely than people in other parts of the UK to engage with the arts and heritage?  
• Which groups of Londoners engage with arts and culture less than others?  
• What are the barriers (e.g. financial, geographical, perceptual) that prevent people from engaging more with arts and culture?