Waltham Forest crowned London Borough of Culture

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has announced the winners of the first-ever London Borough of Culture competition, with Waltham Forest the first borough to be awarded the title next year, followed by Brent in 2020.

Inspired by the UK City and European Capital of Culture programmes, each borough will be awarded £1.35 million of funding to deliver a programme of ambitious cultural activities, placing culture at the heart of communities and celebrating the unique character of local people and places.

Waltham Forest will be the inaugural London Borough of Culture in 2019, with projects including a digital installation called ‘Molecules in the Marshes’ on Walthamstow Marshes and a fashion exchange highlighting stories about the heritage of Pakistani makers in the textile trade already planned.

The winner of 2020 London Borough of Culture is Brent, which, coinciding with Euro 2020, will see the world’s eyes fixed on the borough as Wembley Stadium is set to host seven matches including the semi-finals and final of the prestigious tournament, creating an opportunity for Brent to reshape itself as a destination for creativity and culture.

Khan said: “London Borough of Culture is a game-changer for the capital. It will give all Londoners, regardless of background, the opportunity to enjoy the capital’s fantastic cultural riches, discover places they never knew existed and will increase the level of participation in the arts across the city – especially in outer London boroughs.

"But with such high-quality bids, deciding which boroughs should win was a very difficult decision. All boroughs who have bid should feel proud of their proposals. Huge congratulations to Waltham Forest and Brent for their superb bids. I know that both will deliver a programme of work that will benefit residents and make the whole city proud. I am particularly happy to see both bids have placed such importance on young people. It’s vital that young people get access to culture, regardless of their background, so that they can aspire to be our performers, artists, entrepreneurs and cultural leaders of the future.

“All of London has two exciting Boroughs of Culture celebrations to look forward to, and I can’t wait to see Waltham Forest and Brent’s bids come to life and improve the lives of people in their local communities.”