Wandsworth Arts Fringe (WAF) is back from Fri 6 to Sun 22 June 2025 and Wandsworth Council is calling out for established and emerging artists take part. Expressions of interest and applications for WAF Grants of up to £2,000 per project open today. The borough’s 2025 flagship festival of arts and culture will be the most ambitious yet, as Wandsworth has been chosen as The Mayor of London’s London Borough of Culture for 2025.
Every Summer, WAF brings together hundreds of creatives in a bold and boundary pushing annual line-up of cutting-edge theatre and dance, brand new music, exhibitions, comedy, performance art, outdoor extravaganzas and everything in between, taking place across the borough of Wandsworth. And this year it will be even grander as WAF becomes one of the highlights of our London Borough of Culture programme.
A testing ground for bold, experimental work, WAF is a proudly inclusive festival gathering artists from the length and breadth of the UK, from across globe, and from down the street. If you want to try out new work, connect with creative networks and be part of something that thrills and inspires audiences from across London and beyond, WAF wants you.
Wandsworth’s year as London Borough of Culture kicks off in April 2025. Wandsworth’s cultural programme, co-created with residents and local artists, will be a catalyst for exciting change across the borough and see every corner of the borough – from Putney to Tooting and Battersea to Roehampton – come alive in an explosion of creativity.
“We know that culture is powerful – sparking joy, connecting people, and transforming lives to improve our health and happiness. We are bringing the energy of our annual celebration of arts and culture to a full year of extraordinary events and grassroots interventions, opportunities and long-term transformations for Wandsworth’s artists and residents” says Councillor Kemi Akinola, Wandsworth Council’s Deputy Leader and cabinet member for the voluntary sector, business engagement and culture.
Each year, the WAF Grant scheme awards up to £2000 (per project) to support the realisation of creative projects that engage meaningfully with Wandsworth communities and meet the strategic themes for Wandsworth’s London Borough of Culture. For Wandsworth London Borough of Culture year, the available WAF Grant funding is £88,000 – representing up to 44 supported projects.
Key dates:
Expressions of interest open (artists, practitioners, and venues): Mon 9 September 2024
WAF Grants open: Mon 9 September 2024
WAF Grants applications close: 30 October 2024
Registrations (Early bird) opens: Mon 2 December 2024
WAF Grants announced: mid-December 2024
Expressions of interest close: Thu 12 December 2024
Early bird registrations close: Thu 9 January 2025, 5pm
Final registration and copy deadline: Fri 14 February 2025, 5pm
WAF festival dates: Fri 6 to Sun 22 June 2025
How to take part:
STEP 1: Fill in an Expression of Interest form. Get in touch, talk to us, let us know your ideas so we can help put you in touch with venues/locations/funding opportunities to make your WAF event happen. At this stage you are not committed to be part of WAF, we just want to chat and hear your thoughts. wandsworthartsfringe.com/expressions-of-interest
STEP 2: Find and secure a venue or choose a digital platform. If your event is live, you will need to confirm a date and time directly with the venue. If you need some help finding a venue, let us know as soon as possible. wandsworthartsfringe.com/get-involved/venue-list
STEP 3: Pay to register your event by Fri 14 February 2025, 5pm. You must register your event/activity online to be part of WAF. As part of the registration process you will be asked to provide date, time, location and pay the registration portal. You can take advantage of our Early Bird offers until Thu 9 January 2025, 5pm.
STEP 3: Make sure you upload all the details of your event(s) including a short copy description, image(s), ticket prices, and accessibility measures. The deadline is Fri 14 February 2025, 5pm.
