Wandsworth’s annual arts festival has revealed its first programme announcements for 2025, with 30 creative projects receiving funding as part of the borough’s year as the Mayor’s London Borough of Culture.
The Wandsworth Arts Fringe (WAF) will run from June 6-22, 2025, bringing live music, theatre, comedy, circus, street performances and interactive workshops to venues across the borough. This year’s festival is set to be the largest in its 16-year history, with Wandsworth Council and London Borough of Culture (LBOC) awarding £56,479 in grants to support local artists and creative companies.
All funded projects align with the London Borough of Culture’s core theme of using art and culture to improve local residents’ lives. The diverse range of initiatives will celebrate Wandsworth’s cultural heritage, promote health and wellbeing, bring communities together, and spark conversations about contemporary issues.
Several projects will spotlight the borough’s rich history, including “The Clockwork Underpass,” an audio-visual installation celebrating Wandsworth’s cinematic heritage, and “Tales of the Iron Lane,” which explores how industrialisation and migration have shaped the area.
“We believe in making arts, culture and heritage accessible for everyone and creating new narratives,” said Saqib Deshmukh, creator of “Tales of Iron Lane.” “We want to align the London Borough of Culture status with Wandsworth also being a Borough of Sanctuary.”
Health and wellbeing feature prominently in the programme, with projects like “Spreading the Joy (further),” an interactive journey celebrating positive mental health, and “The Fabric of Freedom,” a visual exhibition exploring connections between freedom and wellbeing.
The festival will also address significant contemporary issues. “Planet Harmony” will enable young people from schools in Southfields and Nine Elms to express their views on the climate crisis through music, while “Falcon Rd Bridge Pavilion” will create sound recordings of local people exploring themes of inclusion, exclusion and global nationalism.
LGBTQ+ experiences will be examined in projects including “Translation,” which explores queer identities through dance and circus styles from around the world, and “Before We Were Proud,” a photography exhibition documenting the personal stories of older LGBTQ+ people in Britain.
Throughout the London Borough of Culture year, Wandsworth Council is supporting young people’s creative ambitions, with several WAF projects featuring workshops specifically designed for young residents.
Tickets for Wandsworth Arts Fringe 2025 will go on sale from Thursday, April 24, 2025, with the full programme expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
