Promote
HOLBA will curate a programme of standout events, experiences & campaigns that celebrate the area’s illustrious cultural offer.
Achievements
Much was achieved and progress made over the last five years, including:
Published the area’s Arts and Culture Strategy in 2020 which connects businesses and cultural institutions to deliver major new cultural innovations
Established first-of-their-kind visual art initiatives including Art of London and Art After Dark which create experiences that attract new visitors, showcase the area as a truly dynamic destination and inspire reasons for people to visit and return
Delivered Scenes in the Square, an evolving programme of statues that celebrate the film industry and premieres in Leicester Square, generating over 750 pieces of press coverage since its launch in 2020
Delivered the Take a Moment mental well-being art campaign, reaching over 398M people through a variety of media
Secured £3.1M of investment through collaborative relationships for consumer activations
5.7B press reach generated from Art of London projects
Introduced new festive lights and Ramadan lights to the West End, contributing to celebrating diversity and attracting new audiences to the Heart of London area
SWOT summary
The summary SWOT analysis highlights the rise of competing destinations to London’s West End and the importance of not only having a compelling, attractive and accessible offering, but also the need to champion and tackle issues presenting a barrier to residents, tourists, businesses and investors. To read the full SWOT analysis, visit the main menu HOLBA area SWOT section.
- London ranks No.1 in the World’s Top 100 Cities, with 4 out of 5 visitors drawn by London’s culture.
- London is heavily dependent on international tourism (84% of the overnight market).
- The West End’s arts and cultural offer is targeted to an ageing and narrow demographic.
- Cultural organisations and artists could collectively activate and promote the district through our Arts and Culture Strategy
- Brings businesses and institutions together to deliver pioneering projects that contribute to the consumer and commercial tenant experience.
- Harness the high-profile brand of the West End to promote cultural activity as a driver for tourism.
- Increased competition from other destinations locally, nationally and internationally puts the Heart of London area at risk.
- Inflation and the cost-of-living crisis are impacting disposable income from the domestic market. 52% of those surveyed by the Night-Time Industry Association cited financial circumstances as impacting how often they go out.
Delivery plan
Over the next five years HOLBA will focus on:
- Employee benefits scheme
- Events & experiences
- Marketing & PR
Employee benefits scheme
Over the next five years HOLBA will:
- Encourage businesses to take advantage of the Heart of London Club employee privilege scheme to showcase their offer to over 3,000 West End employees.
- Grow employee participation in the scheme, which offers exclusive discounts, offers, giveaways and experiences.
Events & experiences
Art of London
Over the next five years HOLBA will:
- Transform the West End into a living gallery through HOLBA’s award-winning cultural programme Art of London
- Expand the programme of art trails and installations, connecting its cultural partners whilst also driving footfall and widening appeal
- Explore and deliver new and exciting collaborations and activations to generate profile, creating a “buzz” for the area and the Heart of London area’s cultural offering
- Deliver a rolling programme of promotional activities, events and activations linking wherever possible to London’s cultural calendar
- Grow and strengthen the Art of London brand through multi-channel promotional advertising and partner collaborations to maximise awareness.
Art After Dark
Over the next five years HOLBA will:
- Expand Art After Dark to support the area’s evening and night-time economy, attract new audiences and give existing audiences further reasons to visit to the area’s cultural offer.
- Deliver Art After Dark twice a year in spring and winter, providing visitors with memorable experiences, further reinforcing its value to the West End’s cultural calendar.
- Present the Heart of London area’s cultural offer as a comprehensive package by collaborating with the area’s world-class institutions including the National Portrait Gallery and working in partnership with the Greater London Authority, Westminster City Council and leading property owners.
- Offer free art and culture experiences to all, contributing to making art accessible for everyone.
- Extend the Art After Dark Gallery Hop to create even more reasons for enthusiasts and the curious to spend an evening discovering galleries which offer unique events curated for the occasion.
- Promote specially created itineraries for visitors to successfully plan their evening with exclusive dining and drinks offers from the area’s hospitality businesses.
Scenes in the Square
Over the next five years HOLBA will:
- Extend Scenes in the Square, with new statues. This public art initiative has brought together global entertainment giants to create a brand-new, award-winning, and free tourist attraction in the Heart of London area.
Festive Lights
Over the next five years HOLBA will:
- Deliver a programme of festive lights on St Martin’s Lane, Piccadilly and Leicester Square Gardens. These add vibrancy to Heart of London’s streets, benefiting businesses and bringing joy to workers and visitors
- Work to extend the Ramadan lights, initially launched in 2023 in collaboration with the Aziz Foundation, to attract new audiences, widen the Heart of London area’s appeal and create opportunities to increase spend and dwell-time to benefit businesses in the area.
Marketing & PR
Over the next five years HOLBA will:
- Deliver campaigns to attract international audiences, whilst also promoting the area to employees, residents and domestic audiences for whom London’s West End is ‘on their doorstep’
- Leverage our arts and culture programme alongside destination marketing to target and attract increasingly diverse audiences
- Amplify the reach and impact of our cultural initiatives through PR and marketing, including HOLBA’s destination-focused Art of London, Discover LSQ and WestEnd.london channels
- Deliver integrated campaigns with our London-wide partners, as well as international campaigns with London & Partners
- Profile individual members whilst promoting the area as the “go-to” destination for visitors seeking authentic and immersive travel experiences.