New Arts Council England chair vows to tackle 'shocking' gap in children's access to culture

Dawn Airey, the new chair of Arts Council England, has said she wants to reconnect young people with culture after research showed that only half of children in England have been to a museum or the theatre in the past year, while three-quarters have not been to an art gallery.

Speaking in her first interview since taking up the role, Airey described the figures as "shocking" but said they also represented "an amazing opportunity to ensure they do have that experience to enrich their lives," according to the Guardian.

Airey's comments came after she visited a school where arts education is central to the curriculum, the report said. She indicated that widening children's access to cultural experiences would be a priority for her tenure at the organisation.

Arts Council England is the national development agency for arts and culture, distributing public funding to museums, theatres and other cultural institutions across the country.

According to the Guardian, Airey said she wanted the organisation to be more vocal in advocating for the value of arts and culture, stating: "I want us to be loud."

Further details of Airey's plans for the organisation, and the specific research on children's cultural engagement, were reported by the Guardian.