London has been named the best city in the world for culture by global online magazine Time Out.
The capital was recognised for its large, high-quality, accessible cultural scene, which included “theatre, art galleries, museums, literary festivals, live music and comedy”.
The ranking resulted from surveying more than 24,000 city residents worldwide and gathering insights from a panel of Time Out experts and editors.
Justine Simons, deputy mayor for culture and the creative industries, said London was a “global cultural capital”. She added: “Culture is our DNA in London. It’s worth £64bn to the London economy. It’s the reason most of our tourists come here.”
Time Out ranked Paris, France, second for culture and New York, United States, third.
London-based drag queen Ginger Johnson said it was “absolutely right” that the capital had been named the best city in the world for culture.
“The most fabulous thing about London is that because we’re so packed in here, you are never more than a stone’s throw away from something spectacular and world-class, like the National Opera, and then a grubby little drag bar,” she said.
“The clash of those things against each other is what makes the culture of London so rich and so exciting.”
Sherika Sherard, a busker in the capital, said London was a great place to “find yourself and to have more experiences”.
She said busking in the capital had taught her about how to better relate to others.
‘The heart of our success’
Simons said the accessibility of culture was important in the capital.
“In London you can see everything. You can go to a grassroots music venue, you can go to a mega concert, you can find art in a car park in Peckham, you can go to Tate Modern – it’s the dynamism of all those creative disciplines working together.
“Free museums and galleries are absolutely at the heart of our success as a cultural capital. It’s so important that everyone gets access to culture.”
Lewis Corner, head of content UK at Time Out, echoed this and said the capital had “incredible free access to some of the world’s best institutions”.
Corner said that within the research, 90% of Londoners praised the accessibility and affordability of art in the capital.
“That is a real testament to our country investing in that and making that available for everyone,” he said.
