London’s major cultural institutions come together to celebrate a season like no other
Over two million visitors expected to attend world-class autumn season
London’s most well-known cultural institutions are coming together in a new initiative to promote the capital’s exceptional autumn season, as forecasts show over two million tourists are expected to visit a collection of blockbuster exhibitions and events taking place throughout the city.
The stellar line-up of shows and exhibitions taking place in the autumn includes Turner at Tate Britain, Anselm Kiefer at the Royal Academy and Ming: 50 years that changed China, a major exhibition covering the Ming Dynasty reign at the British Museum featuring some of the most beautiful objects and paintings ever made in China. In “The man who never lived and who will never die”, the Museum of London will invite visitors to delve into the mind of Sherlock Holmes, the world’s most famous fictional detective, and the museum will recreate the atmosphere of Sherlock’s London through film, photographs and original artefacts.
In an effort to maintain London’s position as the most visited capital city on earth and highlight the spectacular season ahead, London & Partners – the Mayor’s official promotional company for the capital – and the GREAT Britain campaign have produced a short film previewing the Autumn Season in London as preparations start for the key period in the cultural calendar. Narrated by the respected British actor David Harewood MBE, the film highlights some of the key artistic, literary and theatrical events available across the capital and the great historical treasures that domestic and international visitors can enjoy.
This evening, a launch event at Tate Britain will see industry leaders from London’s museums, art galleries, theatres and centres of performing arts gather to promote the upcoming season. The reception will feature special previews of blockbuster exhibitions across the Barbican Centre, the British Museum, the Imperial War Museum (IWM London), the Museum of London, the National Gallery, the Natural History Museum, the Royal Academy, Tate Britain, and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson:
This autumn’s outstanding programme of exhibitions, plays and shows is another great reason to put London at the top of your list of places to visit. Throughout the year, the capital offers an unbeatable variety of arts and culture, attracting people in their millions from around the world. It is a fabulous success story, which we want to build on, and we are developing a plan >aimed at maximising the potential of the full range of cultural activity to be found throughout our city.
Dr Nicholas Penny, Director of the National Gallery:
London’s cultural offering this autumn is world class and I expect to see even more than usual visitors as a result. The National Gallery receives 6 million visitors each year. This autumn, the National Gallery presents a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition, Rembrandt: The Late Works – this is the first ever in-depth exploration of Rembrandt’s final years of painting – and >it is sure to be a huge draw for visitors from across the globe.
David Harewood MBE:
As someone with strong connections to London’s cultural scene, I am delighted to support this campaign. Our vibrant city is building on centuries of history to create new exhibitions, shows and events that are truly inspiring and will draw people from across the UK and all over the world to the capital. It is vital that we continue to showcase London’s fantastic offer so that as >many people as possible are moved to come and be stimulated by our city’s culture.
London & Partners CEO Gordon Innes:
Overseas visitors to our cultural institutions generate an estimated £4 billion annually to London’s economy. As the most visited city on earth, London’s phenomenal global success continues to see record tourism figures. It is our job as a company to promote the capital’s strengths to the world and particularly our magnificent cultural collage of history and heritage, museums and art galleries, and theatre and performance. We hope this initiative will be the start of a global campaign that ?>firmly positions London as the world capital of culture.
Culture remains the leading driver for tourists, with eight out of ten citing it as the main reason they visit the capital. The blockbuster autumn season includes the largest exhibition of British First World War art for almost 100 years at the Imperial War Museum; a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the passion and innovation of Rembrandt’s influential late works at the National Gallery; and a major exhibition offering a new interpretation of one of Britain’s best-loved artists, John Constable, at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Media contacts:
Rebekah Clement
Media & PR Manager – Leisure Tourism
Tel: +44 (0)20 7234 5861 / +44 (0) 7826 907 415
rclement@londonandpartners.com
London & Partners
Media & PR Team
Tel: +44 (0)20 7234 5710
Switch: +44 (0)20 7234 5800
press@londonandpartners.com Twitter: @London_PR