The UK’s new culture minister Matt Hancock has urged the museums industry to fight exclusion, promising a “frank assessment” of the challenges facing the sector as part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s (DCMS) Museums Review.

Speaking at an event hosted by the Creative Industries Federation, Hancock said that review would cover how best to support museums large and small, help widen participation and support both digital innovation and learning.

“No one should be excluded from any of your industries because of their accent, their gender, or their postcode,” he said. “As the prime minister said on the steps of Downing Street, it’s part of building a country that works for all, not just the privileged few.

“Just as culture transcends boundaries and speaks to the common humanity in us all, so creativity allows us to transcend the circumstances of our lives. So let us drive open diversity.”

The review was unveiled earlier this year as part of the culture white paper – the first in more than half-a-century and only the second ever published in the UK. Following the paper’s release, then culture minister Ed Vaizey pledged to put the arts “at the heart of everyday life”. The Museums Review will address a number of areas, including diversifying participation, developing communities, supporting soft power and creating a resilient museum sector.