The 2025 programme is packed with unmissable events, ground breaking performances, and unique cultural experiences. Tickets for the events will be made available soon, among the highlights are:
Strictly Wandsworth (26 April) – The biggest dance spectacle the borough has ever seen, uniting 200 dancers from 22 local organisations in a breath taking 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.
Tooting Food Festival will bring people together through the shared joy of food, culture, and community. More than just a festival, it’s a feast of togetherness, sustainability, and the rich diversity of Tooting. Locals grow, cook, and share homegrown produce, connecting through flavours, stories, and traditions. The Food Festival builds on a beloved local legacy while adding new dimensions—beyond food stalls, storytellers will share not just the tastes of their homelands but also the journeys that brought them or their ancestors to Wandsworth.
Culturally Mindful: Diversity in Creative Health (year-long) – A pioneering project using arts and culture in social prescribing to boost mental well-being. Working with the NHS, it brings together Global Majority artists and lived experience groups to co-design inclusive creative health interventions, ensuring Wandsworth’s diverse communities benefit from culturally relevant artistic experiences.
Memory Boxes for Dementia Patients (year-long), in partnership with the University of Roehampton and local organisations, will bring Wandsworth’s rich heritage collection into care homes and community spaces. Interactive time capsules—filled with sensory objects, archive materials, and recordings—will be used to spark connection, trigger memories, and support wellbeing for people living with dementia.
Full story: https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/news/news ... formation/
