Only half of children in England have visited a museum or the theatre in the past year, and three-quarters have not been to an art gallery, according to recent research. Dawn Airey, the new chair of the Arts Council England (ACE), described these figures as “shocking” but also an opportunity to ensure young people have access to cultural experiences that can enrich their lives. Airey, who previously worked in television and led Channel 5, said that exposure to arts and culture “should almost be a human right.” She noted that during her own school days, cultural trips were seen as part of education, but today, such opportunities are harder to access for many children. Airey made these comments during a visit to Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, where she toured various arts projects. She succeeds Nicholas Serota as chair of ACE, an organization that has faced challenges in recent years, including significant budget cuts from the government. An independent review of ACE this year criticized the organization for overly complicated application processes that “stifled creativity and innovation.” Additionally, the organization’s grant processing platform, Grantium, crashed earlier in the year, causing delays and confusion for many arts groups. On her first visit to ACE’s London office, Airey said she found the atmosphere “quiet, a little bit subdued.” She expressed a desire to restore the organization’s confidence and energy, encouraging it to be more open, confident, and engaging. “I want the Arts Council to be loud,” she said, emphasizing the need to move away from being overly process-driven. ACE recently released its first Creative Young Lives survey, the largest of its kind, which revealed that 51.79% of young people visited a museum in the past year, while 48.56% attended a theatre or show. Only 26.31% went to an art gallery, and 22.25% to a music event. Despite this, 74% of children said being creative was important to them, and 60% expressed a desire to participate in more cultural activities. Cost was a significant barrier, with 32% of children stating it prevented them from visiting cultural places more often. Over half of respondents said making these activities more affordable would help increase their participation. Airey visited Dowdales school in Dalton-in-Furness, where arts education is a core part of the curriculum. The school has strong ties with major cultural institutions, including the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Headteacher Emma Aubrey emphasized the importance of maintaining arts education, even as it faces challenges nationally. During a visit by the Guardian, students were rehearsing Romeo and Juliet and discussing their town’s future, highlighting the contrast between their artistic engagement and the perceived decline of their local area. Aubrey stressed that the goal of arts education is not necessarily to create artists, but to open young people’s minds to new possibilities and help them feel they can be anything.