Your cultural life in London
Stage: Evidence gatheringLondoners are less likely than elsewhere in the country to have engaged with arts and culture in the last 12 months. Find out more and tell us your views. You could win access to over 90 attractions with a Go City Pass in our survey prize draw.
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923 Londoners have responded
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City Hall's Culture team wants to better understand how Londoners experience arts and culture across the city, and what prevents them from doing so.
- What, if anything, would encourage you to experience arts and culture more often in London?
- What arts and cultural experiences do you wish were more readily available in your area?
- How do you usually find out about cultural experiences? Where do you look for them?
- What has been your best experience with arts and culture in London, and why?
Mike from City Hall's Culture team will be reading your comments and joining the discussion below.
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Log into your accountMike - City Ha…
Official Representative 3 days agoHi folks,
Are you aware of London’s ‘culture lates’ type events– where cultural attractions stay open later than usual – is it easy to find out about these events and are you interested in attending them?
More broadly, if you go to late night cultural events, we’d love to hear more about the type of events you go to, where they are and what you like about them.
Thank you!
MarisolG
Community Member 1 day agoI find living in Greenwich is a great advantage to be close to cultural places, but sometimes events get sold out quite quickly.
dockleaf
Community Member 1 day agoA key reason that Londoners don't take advantage of the cultural activities in the city is that they can't afford it. Ticket prices have risen hugely, as has the cost of eating out, or even getting a cup of coffee. Essential costs of...
Show full commentA key reason that Londoners don't take advantage of the cultural activities in the city is that they can't afford it. Ticket prices have risen hugely, as has the cost of eating out, or even getting a cup of coffee. Essential costs of living swallow up earnings for too many of us. Less well off people used to get properly subsidised tickets, which would be e.g. 25% or even less of the full price. These days, a 'concession' ticket will be just a few pounds less than the very expensive full price ticket, so the 'concession' is meaningless. Also, the poorer areas of London - e.g. Newham - have nothing going on in the local area.
Show less of commentSRA
Community Member 2 days agoPlease to be part of this group.
I am fortunate enough to live within walking distance of Kenwood House, I would love to see more outdoor picnic concerts and outdoor theatre - and at a reasonable price
sweetguy2004
Community Member 2 days agoThank you for this information.thank you London for doing a wonderful works
MLawal
Community Member 2 days agoLondoners who don’t engage in arts and culture are probably too busy working and/or are not aware of events that interest them
MLawal
Community Member 2 days agoWhen I was a baby I was lucky because my Aunty, a clothes making teacher, would take me to museums and galleries. My primary and secondary schools also put a lot of effort into arranging school trips to museums, galleries and pantomimes...
Show full commentWhen I was a baby I was lucky because my Aunty, a clothes making teacher, would take me to museums and galleries. My primary and secondary schools also put a lot of effort into arranging school trips to museums, galleries and pantomimes. Now I take my 1 year old to free museums and galleries as well as local playgroups. I’ve lived in London all my life so I’m very knowledgeable about places to go and how to find out information
Show less of commentcez1984
Community Member 2 days agoAlthough London does have plenty of things that are free to enjoy, it would be nice if for those that aren't, London residents at least got a discount if not free entry like many other cities around the world do. I'm unable to go as much as...
Show full commentAlthough London does have plenty of things that are free to enjoy, it would be nice if for those that aren't, London residents at least got a discount if not free entry like many other cities around the world do. I'm unable to go as much as I used to with the rise in cost of living
Show less of commentCrispySeaweed
Community Member 2 days agoI think it is so sad that Londonders do not take advantage of the wonderful opportunities in London often right on the doorstep or a stones throw away and are often free. It is very important and beneficial to health and well being. Spread...
Show full commentI think it is so sad that Londonders do not take advantage of the wonderful opportunities in London often right on the doorstep or a stones throw away and are often free. It is very important and beneficial to health and well being. Spread the word and share the cost in a group setting. London offers so much and is steeped in culture.
Show less of commentAmira
Community Member 2 days agoi wish tickets would be cheaper for residents for museums and some attractions.
Hanousha
Community Member 2 days agoI am lucky enough to have an active interest and career experience in the arts. I understand the benefit and value of it and pass that down to my child too. I do however have an extended family who do not engage much in the arts and this is...
Show full commentI am lucky enough to have an active interest and career experience in the arts. I understand the benefit and value of it and pass that down to my child too. I do however have an extended family who do not engage much in the arts and this is for very typical reasons such as:
Cost of attending cultural events - theatre and music events are prohibitively expensive especially for families with more than one child. The discounts available such as group discounts for example are either time consuming to find or at inconvenient times such as only Mon-Thurs at 19.30 which is a school night.
Lack of representation within the artistic activities - people don’t see other people like them on stage or engaging in these activities so don’t consider them as an option.
The lack of available activities in Greater London and the lack of marketing to relevant communities. Much of the time my family don’t even know these things are going on. More could be done by marketing to schools, kids clubs etc
Regular access to the arts should be compulsory in schools from the start in order to provoke curiosity and develop their experience in the arts. That way over the years you have people interested in working in the arts which in time creates better diversity and representation and thus builds wider audiences.
Show less of commentmustakpatas
Community Member 3 days agoThere are loads (museums and galleries( across the City. VisitLondon is a good source of information. Vagina Museum is a good bet because it hosts events and talks and you learn something new.
Beji
Community Member 3 days agoWe talk about London, but London is vast and travel from outer boroughs like Bromley is long and exhausting. We do not have a tube, and the last Tory administration in Bromley provided very little. I find myself having to travel to other...
Show full commentWe talk about London, but London is vast and travel from outer boroughs like Bromley is long and exhausting. We do not have a tube, and the last Tory administration in Bromley provided very little. I find myself having to travel to other boroughs who are more fortunate with cultural provision and workshops. East London, etc. This isn't great or equitable. I don't like travelling late as a woman on my own.
Show less of commentDavidLondon
Community Member 3 days agoHi Mike,
Hope you are really well. I strongly think that unfortunately my beloved London atm doesn’t have much interesting and exiting culture events!
Show full commentEspecially in terms of Music Event and Music Culture London has seen a massive change...
Hi Mike,
Hope you are really well. I strongly think that unfortunately my beloved London atm doesn’t have much interesting and exiting culture events!
Especially in terms of Music Event and Music Culture London has seen a massive change that affected many venues and clubs.
London used to be the city with the most exiting and amazing music events.
I wanted to launch a project to save music culture in London but unfortunately because issues to find the right venue with the right license (really hard atm as the council is not helping the venues/clubs) didn’t happen yet!
Through my Music Culture Project I wanted also to help the community offering part of the revenue to support community kids to offer them free music classes.
Today especially because the massive increase of cost of living the access to music classes for kids could be really hard as parents maybe can’t afford that.
I wish to create not only a Music Culture event but also to crate a music culture community project free for kids to give them the possibility to learn.
If you would like to look at my project that could massively improve music culture for Londoners and help kids to have access to music it will be much appreciated if you could get in touch.
That will be amazing for me and also for many kids.
Looking forward to hearing back from you.
Thank you very much
Show less of commentDavide
santicurtis
Community Member 5 days agoI imagine because of transport difficulties or timing of events.
chloesadie92
Community Member 6 days agoI have found i so hard and frustrating to work out this web page and it has made me not interested in trying to participate it giving new ideas it like the question are all identified at the people who are contributing to the community...
Show full commentI have found i so hard and frustrating to work out this web page and it has made me not interested in trying to participate it giving new ideas it like the question are all identified at the people who are contributing to the community and not facing the real problem free loaders in the system ect job seekers ad universal credit are yet again being force to be unheard no changes people from jail who have studying but will yet again will be shamed for something they have been punished for served there time and will be penalised while people you deemed responsible take advantage of there position if you actually want t make a difference how about feeding the silver spoon to keep ur place and do what right and help the people you claim you are otherwise ur be adventally be seen for what you really are !!!!
santicurtis
Community Member 6 days agoPossibly because of the number and generality of choices.
LondonerFromAbroad
Community Member 1 week agoAnyone who wants to experience world-class arts and culture can do so in London. There's no excuse unless someone has a physical limitation.
Microbe
Community Member 3 days agoNot just a 'physical limitation' but also a limitation in one's pocket toward paying for extortionate entrance fees to 'cultures of London'.
LondonerFromAbroad
Community Member 3 days agoPlease see my other post where I give details of cheap/free musical events, such as Wigmore Hall and the opera.
You might also consider that entrance to the Victoria & Albert Museum is free. So are many exhibitions at the Design Museum. So...
Show full commentPlease see my other post where I give details of cheap/free musical events, such as Wigmore Hall and the opera.
You might also consider that entrance to the Victoria & Albert Museum is free. So are many exhibitions at the Design Museum. So is entrance to the Natural History Museum (including the dinosaurs). So is entrance to the British Museum (which I still haven't seen all of, after years of trying). The Science Museum is free too. Likewise the Horniman Museum. And the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. You can walk through Tate Modern for free. You get the picture.
Show less of commentjennidragon
Community Member 1 week agoI'm not surprised. There are so many different things to do in London. Cost has to be a consideration.
RSP792
Community Member 1 week agoFunnily enough I wrote my Master’s dissertation on how the England’s cultural industry could bounce back after covid by utilising innovative technologies to make these activities more accessible and affordable (I finished it around Sept...
Show full commentFunnily enough I wrote my Master’s dissertation on how the England’s cultural industry could bounce back after covid by utilising innovative technologies to make these activities more accessible and affordable (I finished it around Sept 2021 so fairly recent, happy to share if you think it may help?).
One thing I found is that there are/were far better initiatives in cities like Paris to encourage people (especially locals) to go out and experience cultural offerings in the city, and governments in countries like China and Japan really backed their cultural economies and merged digital & cultural policies to keep the industry ticking over throughout the pandemic. England not only lacks governmental support for these kind of initiatives both financially and in terms of passion, but it also lacks the technological skills and infrastructure to widen participation.
Even now in 2024, besides the National Arts Pass and the 2 for 1 offers on National Rail train tickets, I’m not really sure of any other incentives.
Sounds like this could develop into an interesting project, would love to keep track of this!
Show less of commentRSP792
Community Member 1 week agoTo answer your questions
Better transport at night, more local events, better protection (recently went to a gig where so many people got pick...
Show full commentTo answer your questions
Better transport at night, more local events, better protection (recently went to a gig where so many people got pick pocketed for their phones, nothing could be dine about it, went to another where many women were assaulted)
Comedy. My local pub closed recently which put the comedy night in jeopardy for a little bit, but we need more spaces for that, and theatre as well - local grassroots stuff would be great.
Usually instagram or newsletters. Mainly Ticketmaster but they’re controversial
Definitely music concerts. I regularly visit The O2, Wembley, venues in Camden, but again with the O2 and Ticketmaster monopoly, there’s no real competition so prices are outrageous.
Show less of commentTalk London
Official Representative 1 week agoHi RSP792
Thanks for your comments and offer to share your dissertation with us.
You're very welcome to send it to our inbox [email protected] and we'll share it with Mike and colleagues in the Culture team.
Many thanks,
Talk London
SukiTea
Community Member 2 weeks agoDiscount schemes: Battersea Arts Centre and The British Library both have 'pay what you can afford' tickets for some of their events (or on certain days). I usually filter Eventbrite for free activities...but the quality isn't always great...
Show full commentDiscount schemes: Battersea Arts Centre and The British Library both have 'pay what you can afford' tickets for some of their events (or on certain days). I usually filter Eventbrite for free activities...but the quality isn't always great.
Show less of comment