Culture White Paper published

The government has published the first White Paper for arts and culture in more than 50 years.

The Culture White Paper sets out the government’s vision, strategy and proposals for the sector – the arts, museums and galleries, libraries, archives and heritage.

Its main focus is on access, and makes explicit an expectation that 'all publicly-funded arts organisations must increase access for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds'.

The government will also be conducting a wide-ranging review of museums, exploring three areas: the national infrastructure for museums in England and how it relates to those in the devolved nations; how DCMS-sponsored museums could work better together and with other museums; and the roles of Arts Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund in supporting local and regional museums.

• Culture White Paper