The Department's role
The Department's aim is:
"To improve quality of life through cultural and sporting
activities, to support the pursuit of excellence and to champion
the tourism, creative and leisure industries."
The Department is responsible for government policy on the arts,
sport, broadcasting and the creative industries. It is the lead
department for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The
Department also has responsibility for the National Lottery,
tourism, libraries, museums and galleries, press freedom and
regulation, licensing, gambling and the historic environment.
During 2009-10, the Department was responsible for 55 public
bodies that help deliver its strategic aims and objectives. The
largest of these include the Olympic Delivery Authority, Arts
Council England, English Heritage, Sport England and the British
Library. As a response to the Coalition Government commitment to
'reduce the number and cost of Quangos' the Department announced on
26 July 2010 that it was abolishing, merging or deregistering a
number of bodies, including the UK Film Council and the Museums,
Libraries and Archives Council.