Cultural Metropolis, the Mayor's Priorities for Culture 2009-2012, was launched at the end of last year and has been broadly welcomed by museums and galleries.
It isn't a strategy just yet; the document will be worked on by the newly formed London Cultural Strategy Group, which is headed up by Iwona Blazwick, the director of the Whitechapel Art Gallery. The group will advise the mayor on taking the plans forward and on the development of the full cultural strategy, which is expected to emerge sometime this year.
The fact that Johnson has been relatively quick off the mark with his cultural plans has been welcomed as a sign that culture is being taken seriously by the new administration.
Munira Mirza, the mayor's director of cultural policy and author of the report, emphasised that young people should not be patronised but helped to experience great art in all its forms, from old master paintings to new media installations.
The document outlines a number of initiatives that cover museums including: The Story of London festival in June as part of the Cultural Olympiad, and persuading funding agencies to back projects such as the Tate Modern extension and the Exhibition Road development.
The problem is that the Greater London Authority's (GLA) culture budget is small and unlikely to grow in the next financial year. In light of this one museum director said: "All we can try and do is to look for ways for better liaison, linkage and better joined up action."
The document describes outer London boroughs as "key areas of neglect". Although it makes no direct reference to museums on London's outer fringes it has been previously well documented that some are in slow decline, with cuts to funding and threats of closure.
Sandy Nairne, the director of the National Portrait Gallery and member of the strategy group, said the sector as a whole needed to do more to support these museums.
The Story of London project is keenly anticipated. It will look at the history of London's communities and key partners include the Museum of London; Museums, Libraries and Archives London; and the London Museums Hub. However, details of venues and content for the festival remain scarce.
Some museums are well placed to take advantage of various opportunities presented by the new mayor. The Museum of London is now directly funded by the GLA. Jack Lohman, the director of the MoL, said the museum would have to be "very smart" in making a stronger liaison with the mayor at a much higher level.
However, there is still no clear indication of how MLA London will be funded, or what its relationship to the GLA will be as from April when all the other English regional agencies will be wound up.
The discussion document also revealed a move away from the previous mayor Ken Livingstone's focus on London's cultural strength being its multi-ethnicity. Mirza has said she wants more recognition given to class as a barrier to access to the arts as well as ethnicity.
But in the document she does say that it is important to acknowledge that multi-ethnic London is becoming more diverse, and the Black Cultural Archives are mentioned under the Mayor's key priorities.
Johnson acknowledges that there will be tough times ahead but pledges to help cultural organisations cope, although there is little substance in the publication that points to how exactly he aims to do this.
There are 24 members of the cultural strategy group including Museum of London director Lohman, Jude Kelly of London 2012, and Sara Selwood, who is currently chairing the review of Renaissance in the Regions.
It isn't a strategy just yet; the document will be worked on by the newly formed London Cultural Strategy Group, which is headed up by Iwona Blazwick, the director of the Whitechapel Art Gallery. The group will advise the mayor on taking the plans forward and on the development of the full cultural strategy, which is expected to emerge sometime this year.
The fact that Johnson has been relatively quick off the mark with his cultural plans has been welcomed as a sign that culture is being taken seriously by the new administration.
Munira Mirza, the mayor's director of cultural policy and author of the report, emphasised that young people should not be patronised but helped to experience great art in all its forms, from old master paintings to new media installations.
The document outlines a number of initiatives that cover museums including: The Story of London festival in June as part of the Cultural Olympiad, and persuading funding agencies to back projects such as the Tate Modern extension and the Exhibition Road development.
The problem is that the Greater London Authority's (GLA) culture budget is small and unlikely to grow in the next financial year. In light of this one museum director said: "All we can try and do is to look for ways for better liaison, linkage and better joined up action."
The document describes outer London boroughs as "key areas of neglect". Although it makes no direct reference to museums on London's outer fringes it has been previously well documented that some are in slow decline, with cuts to funding and threats of closure.
Sandy Nairne, the director of the National Portrait Gallery and member of the strategy group, said the sector as a whole needed to do more to support these museums.
The Story of London project is keenly anticipated. It will look at the history of London's communities and key partners include the Museum of London; Museums, Libraries and Archives London; and the London Museums Hub. However, details of venues and content for the festival remain scarce.
Some museums are well placed to take advantage of various opportunities presented by the new mayor. The Museum of London is now directly funded by the GLA. Jack Lohman, the director of the MoL, said the museum would have to be "very smart" in making a stronger liaison with the mayor at a much higher level.
However, there is still no clear indication of how MLA London will be funded, or what its relationship to the GLA will be as from April when all the other English regional agencies will be wound up.
The discussion document also revealed a move away from the previous mayor Ken Livingstone's focus on London's cultural strength being its multi-ethnicity. Mirza has said she wants more recognition given to class as a barrier to access to the arts as well as ethnicity.
But in the document she does say that it is important to acknowledge that multi-ethnic London is becoming more diverse, and the Black Cultural Archives are mentioned under the Mayor's key priorities.
Johnson acknowledges that there will be tough times ahead but pledges to help cultural organisations cope, although there is little substance in the publication that points to how exactly he aims to do this.
There are 24 members of the cultural strategy group including Museum of London director Lohman, Jude Kelly of London 2012, and Sara Selwood, who is currently chairing the review of Renaissance in the Regions.
At a glance: Mayor's cultural strategy
The Story of London festival across London in June 2009
Opera rather than hip-hop: Giving young people the freedom to choose their art form
Focus on better cultural provision in outer London boroughs
Back the plan to extend Tate Modern and the Exhibition Road development and encourage sponsorship of them
Raise profile of art history in schools
Call on national funders to "re-examine" current levels of funding
Arts Pass - a kind of Arts Oyster card to link culture and transport
The Story of London festival across London in June 2009
Opera rather than hip-hop: Giving young people the freedom to choose their art form
Focus on better cultural provision in outer London boroughs
Back the plan to extend Tate Modern and the Exhibition Road development and encourage sponsorship of them
Raise profile of art history in schools
Call on national funders to "re-examine" current levels of funding
Arts Pass - a kind of Arts Oyster card to link culture and transport
