Wandsworth Arts Team drives the development of a thriving and diverse arts and cultural life across the borough of Wandsworth in south London. We recognise the unique value of the arts in and of themselves and also: to promote community engagement and social cohesion; increase wellbeing; enhance the public realm and foster a sense of place and belonging.
Regular visible projects include Wandsworth Arts Festival & Fringe, Artists’ Open House, Pump House Gallery exhibitions and participatory activities. The Arts Team also develops and advocates for art and culture in the public realm, on High Streets, and alongside regeneration and renewal in the borough, resulting in a range of other project work across a variety of contexts.
The team encompasses a considerable range of knowledge, skills and experience – of the borough and its residents as well as arts sectors. Across all projects we maintain excellent relationships with stakeholders, partners and other interested parties. We work variously with steering groups of local residents, and other advisory panels of artists and service users to ensure our work is relevant and strategic.
Committed to diversity and equality of access to arts and culture, we aim to leave no corner of the borough untouched. Our position in the Council affords us opportunity to uncover openings, broker across different interests, and inspire new possibilities and practise. Arts aren’t always a solution, but we believe they have an integral role to play in the lives of our places and peoples.
For a number of years we have made a priority to commission and support a variety of projects in Roehampton, an area of the borough that scores significantly high in deprivation indices. Roehampton includes one of the largest public housing estates in the UK, The Alton. It’s social fabric has suffered prolonged degradation and deprivation over a number of years, and communities are diverse, disparate, and isolated.
Wandsworth Council is currently leading major physical redevelopment there, and a master-plan has just been approved. A need to also renew the social fabric of the area is explicitly recognised. Available Council resources are largely focussed on improving access to employment, and developing comprehensive health strategies. The Arts Team looks to complement this by investing in local involvement and ownership of cultural and civic life through creative engagement and programming
