London named best city in the world for culture by Time Out

London tops Time Out’s new ranking of best cities for culture worldwide. The capital led a global survey of more than 24,000 city residents and a panel of Time Out editors. Paris finished second, with New York City taking third place.

Then Time Out cited London’s “large, high-quality, accessible cultural scene” across theatre, art galleries, museums, literary festivals, live music, and comedy. The British capital brings in an estimated £64 billion to its economy through culture each year. Deputy mayor for culture and the creative industries Justine Simons highlighted the figure and called London a “global cultural capital.”

“Culture is our DNA in London. It’s worth £64bn to the city’s economy. It’s the reason most of our tourists come here,” Simons said. Later she pointed to accessibility as a defining strength. “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.”

Also, free museums and galleries sit central to the ranking. Lewis Corner, head of content UK at Time Out, said 90% of Londoners praised the accessibility and affordability of art in the city. Drag queen Ginger Johnson agreed, telling Time Out that the cultural density of London was its biggest strength. Now London leads Time Out’s ranking. Read the full top-10 list via Time Out.