Wandsworth has officially embarked on a year-long celebration of culture, creativity, and community, as The Mayor’s London Borough of Culture 2025.
The ambitious programme will showcase world-class performances, grassroots creativity, and a pioneering focus on the power of culture to improve health and wellbeing – and is packed with unmissable events, groundbreaking performances, and unique cultural experiences.
One of Wandsworth’s flagship venues, Battersea Arts Centre, hosted the launch event which assembled musicians, performers, local dignitaries and community members from all walks of life, representing the diversity of the borough.
Flowers from Wandsworth’s New Covent Garden Flower Market and colourful silk banners adorned the entrance way as Welcome to Wandsworth officially kicked off an ambitious, surprising and eventful year ahead. Read more about the launch event here...
Tickets for the events will be made available soon. Highlights include:
Strictly Wandsworth (26 April) – The biggest dance spectacle the borough has ever seen, uniting 200 dancers from 22 local organisations in a breathtaking celebration of movement. Created by Jeanefer Jean-Charles MBE, the visionary behind mass movement performances for global events such as the London 2012 Olympic Games, Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant, and Manchester International Festival, this landmark event will feature extraordinary groups including Tavaziva Dance and London Children’s Ballet. The spectacle will culminate in a high-energy mass dance finale led by Patience J, inviting everyone to take part in a moment of collective joy and rhythm.
A supercharged Wandsworth Arts Fringe (WAF) (6 - 22 June) – For the Borough of Culture year, WAF 2025 expands its reach with increased funding, new collaborations, and a bold commitment to accessibility. With grants supporting up to 30 projects, WAF will break open culture to those who rarely access it, staging events in libraries, parks, and community hubs. Overlapping with the Wandsworth Heritage Festival, the programme blends cutting-edge arts with local history, while free tickets and enhanced accessibility ensure everyone can take part in this dynamic, borough-wide celebration of creativity.
The Wandsworth Heritage Festival (13 June – 13 July) celebrates Wandsworth’s rich history with a packed programme of walks, talks, exhibitions, and performances. Expect encounters with the dead in cemetery walks, storytelling and craft workshops as part of this year’s special arts-themed festival programme.
Battersea Park In Concert (23 - 25 August) – A spectacular three-day open-air concert series over the August Bank Holiday, blending world-class classical and jazz music with great food and magical summer moments. In this extra-special London Borough of Culture year, we’re thrilled to welcome the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra and many more. The 2025 edition will also celebrate local heritage artists and expand its education programme, giving more children access to classical music and film composition. To ensure culture is accessible to all, 1,500 tickets will be available at a fraction of the cost for qualifying residents, making it easier for more people to enjoy these unforgettable concerts.
Urban Flow (13 September) – A stunning silk banner procession, animated by 100 performers and digital art, blending movement, martial arts, and dance to explore our relationship with the city. Developed with India's Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts and Wandsworth’s Tavaziva Dance, this promises to be a breathtaking visual experience.
Liberty (26-28 September), Battersea Arts Centre and other venues – London’s flagship festival celebrating D/deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent artists. Working in collaboration with CRIPtic Arts the festival will offer a bold platform of work from some of the most exciting disabled creatives and embed them in the heart of Wandsworth community. It will explore the disabled experience – past, present and future - and push artistic boundaries to create a fresh, resonant and vital experience, cementing the borough’s commitment to inclusivity.
Palace of Varieties (26 November) - the Clapham Grand celebrates its 125th anniversary and they are marking the occasion with a dazzling birthday extravaganza at Wandsworth’s iconic ‘Palace of Varieties’. Honouring the venue’s history, the night promises to celebrate 125 years of variety and entertainment, from a diverse range of artists. The Grand will also play its part in offering up its archives to be part of an exploration of the history of Queer Culture in the borough, culminating in an exhibition as part of LBGT History Month in February 2026.
The Wandsworth Way (July 2025 - March 2026) – A brand-new radio drama series, produced by Theatre503 and Riverside Radio. Imagine The Archers, but set in South West London—a unique chance for local people to get involved in storytelling, performance, and production.
Our Music Our Freedom – a deep dive into the last 50 years of Wandsworth’s rich and diverse musical heritage – from 1970s reggae, 1980s hip hop, Bhangra and 1990s grime, to jazz, folk, classical and South Asian musical heritage, 21st Century indie, rock and electronica – BBC presenter, radio producer and co-founder of Oily Cart, Max Reinhardt will curate a series of podcasts sharing the stories and memories of the borough’s vibrant and influential music scene.
Portrait of a National Treasure (early 2026) – a powerful tribute to Dame Carmen Munroe, a national and local icon whose trailblazing career has shaped British cultural life. Venice Biennale Golden Lion-winner artist Dame Sonia Boyce will create a new film honouring Carmen’s legacy, celebrating her landmark roles in Desmond’s and Doctor Who as well as her groundbreaking work in theatre, including as a founding member of Talawa Theatre Company. Alongside the film screening, the project will connect with Wandsworth’s health and wellbeing initiatives, engaging young people in heritage, identity, and the power of representation in the arts.
To discover the full programme of events, visit the official Welcome To Wandsworth website here...
#WelcomeToWandsworth
