A NEW man has been appointed to head the organisation which aims to encourage more Yorkshire people to take part in cultural activities.

Gary Topp, head of regional development with Yorkshire Arts, is to be the new chief executive of the Yorkshire Cultural Consortium.

In his new role, he will work closely with regional cultural, sporting and tourism bodies, as well as local authorities and the public.

The consortium was founded in 1999 to provide a single voice to speak for, and promote, the cultural sectors in the region