A new scheme has been established to give away unsold tickets for London cultural events for free.

The Ticket Bank, a project set up by the Cultural Philanthropy Foundation, will launch in January and see around 1,000 tickets to theatre shows and gigs made available every week to people who can't afford them due to the ongoing cost of living crisis. Venues like the Roundhouse and Barbican are among those taking part in the scheme, in addition to theatres such as the National Threatre, the Almeida Theatre and Tara Theatre.

"Access to art and culture are essential to the human condition, a human right," said Chris Sonnex, co-founder of Ticket Bank. "If people can't afford these riches, society is poorer off. [Ticket Bank] is a real act of change, and it will give many people, who couldn't otherwise, the opportunity to be entertained, to see other worlds, to escape and, most importantly, to dream."

The team behind Ticket Bank are also partnering with a number of food banks and housing charities, such as The Trussell Trust and Centrepoint, to increase awareness of the cost of living crisis, and help to drive support for people struggling.

You can find out more about Ticket Bank, and donate to the scheme, here.