Bernard Donoghue, director of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA), has been named an ambassador for cultural tourism as part of London mayor Sadiq Khan’s Cultural Leadership Board.

Formed of a group of leaders from London’s premier creative organisations, the Cultural Leadership Board will guide the mayor’s vision for culture in the British capital.

Donoghue, who also chairs the Tourism Alliance, takes up the role of ambassador for culture, alongside names such as Design Museum director Alice Black, Museum of London director Sharon Ament and Stuart Hobley, head of the Heritage Lottery Fund for London.

"I am honoured to accept the mayor's invitation to join the Cultural Leadership Board and to be ambassador for Cultural Tourism," said Donoghue, speaking to Attractions Management.

"London is rightly regarded as the cultural capital of the world with some of the best museums, galleries, attractions, heritage sites, as well theatres, performance venues, arts and artists. We know that London's cultural offer is the most important attraction for the overseas visitor to London but we also want to ensure that they - and Londoners themselves - get to experience all that London has to offer, not just the big central attractions.

"We want to support and strengthen our cultural sector and build for its long-term growth. It's an exciting role and an important time for London and its place in the world."

Sadiq Khan, who was elected in 2016, has demonstrated his commitment to London’s culture, doubling the amount of money for the city’s culture programme from £4.4m (US$5.6m, €5m) in 2016/17 to £8.88m (US$11.3m, €10m) in 2017/18.

“From the outset of my mayoralty, I made it clear that culture and the creative industries was one of my core priorities,” said Khan.

“The board’s collective experience and passion will ensure that we are able to harness the power of culture and creativity to transform communities, drive our capital’s economy and maintain our pre-eminent position on the world stage.”

Ben Evans, director of London Design Festival and executive director of the London Design Biennale, will chair the board, while Moira Sinclair, CEO of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, will act as vice chair.

The selection of cultural ambassadors are experts drawn from across culture and the creative industries, including design, gaming, events, cultural tourism, urban development, planning, film, theatre and heritage. As a collective, they will tackle some of the significant challenges facing culture in the capital in areas such as leadership, talent development, inclusion, innovation and infrastructure.

Mayor’s Cultural Leadership Board

Chair - Ben Evans

Vice chair - Moira Sinclair

Deputy mayor for Culture and Creative Industries - Justine Simons OBE

Bernard Donoghue – director, Association of Leading Visitor Attractions

Alice Black – director, Design Museum

Sharon Ament – director of the Museum of London

Stuart Hobley – head of Heritage Lottery Fund for London

Ajay Chhabra – Co-founder and co-artistic director, Nutkhut

Amy Lamé – Night Czar

Charles Leadbeater – author and leading authority on innovation and creativity

Claire Whitaker OBE – director, Serious and EFG London Jazz Festival

Cllr Darren Rodwell – leader, Barking and Dagenham and Portfolio Holder for City Development incl. Culture, London Councils

Gaylene Gould – head of Cinema and Events, BFI

Jennifer Crook – director, UK-India Year of Culture 2017

Dr Jo Twist OBE – CEO, Ukie

John Newbigin OBE – Leap board member and co-founder and chair, Creative England

Madani Younis – artistic director, Bush Theatre

Nii Sackey – chief executive, Bigga Fish

Pam Alexander OBE – chair, Covent Garden Market Authority

Prof. Ricky Burdett CBE – professor of Urban Studies and director, LSE Cities and Urban Age Programme, LSE

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