The new executive director of York's Impressions Gallery has pledged to make the gallery among the best in the country - and the world.

Anne McNeill took over the post this week after being appointed by the chair and board of trustees to the job, which has stood empty for a year.

Anne, 39, who has more than 15 years experience working in the photographic and visual arts sector, said she had long been a fan of the Castlegate gallery.

She said: "I have admired the gallery since I started out in photography.

"It has a very good reputation around the country and has proved to be a great springboard for up-and-coming photographers."

Anne, who was until recently the artistic director of the UK Year of Photography, said she wanted to take Impressions to the forefront of photography, both nationally and internationally. "But I also want the gallery to be a place that local photographers, photography teachers and members of the public can come and look at high quality work and feel welcome - galleries don't have to be places to be frightened of," she said.

Originally a darkroom worker in London, Anne has worked at various institutions and has freelanced as a practitioner, educationalist and curator of national and international projects.

In 1995 she was the founding director of commissioning agency Photoworks, and from there went on to become artistic director of Photo 98 and the UK Year of Photography.

She added: "I am committed to promoting a greater understanding, participation and enjoyment of photography.

"I see Impressions as a place for the fusion of ideas and I really want this organisation to be at the heart of cultural and critical literacy within photography and new media.

"Impressions will nurture and promote work by artists that extends the boundaries of current practice and will be known for showing and touring work that pays attention to new ideas and contexts."

She added: "This will be a place where thinking and looking begins."

Exhibitions previously curated by Ms McNeill include the historical Facing The Front, previously unexhibited work by Lee Miller, and Trains and Chocolate - new Flemish photography.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.