WAF Grants applications are CLOSED FOR 2025.

The WAF 2025 Grants  fund activities and events that will take place as part of  Wandsworth Arts Fringe from Fri  6 June - Sun 22 June 2025.

WAF Grants are open to individual artists and organisations wishing to use their creativity to make a positive impact in Wandsworth working with our inspiring residents, communities, and places.

In 2025 WAF will be teaming up with Wandsworth Heritage Festival during the final week of WAF (Fri 13 – Sun 22 June), therefore we are keen to encourage applications with a heritage and culture focus to take place during these dates.

The grants are funded directly by Wandsworth Council through Wandsworth Grant Fund and London Borough of Culture (LBOC) initiatives. All applications will be assessed by the WAF Assessment panel. The highest-ranking applications will then be recommended to the London Borough of Culture (2025) Local Champions Group.

After you've applied - what happens next?

Once you've submitted your application, we will not be in touch until after the deadline has passed, unless we have specific questions about your application.

You will be contacted about outcome of your application no later than Fri 20 December – we will not be able to respond to follow-up enquiries until January 2025.

We aim to announce the successful projects to be supported by WAF Grants in March 2025. Award outcomes are embargoed until then.

Please do not email the WAF Grants inbox with queries (this email address is only for receiving application budgets and will not be monitored after 31 October 2024.)

How do we select grantees?

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 our strategic goals. This year, we're updating those goals to align with the strategic themes for Wandsworth’s London Borough of Culture. 

Applications should demonstrate arts content and meet one or more of the following strategic priorities for our London Borough of Culture year:

The programme will focus on five key themes, harnessing the power of culture to:

CONNECT

Connect people to life-changing experiences – opening the doors to creative jobs, discovering heritage and meeting people where they are, so that we can fall in love with arts and culture.

UNITE

Unite, because we are better together, united by or aspiration to imagine a brighter future for people, communities, and our borough.

HEAL

Because building arts and culture into healthcare helps us thrive. By approaching wellbeing holistically, culture can support people body and soul, to live better.

NOURISH

Creating the conditions for young people to express their creativity and be part of their communities.

ACTIVATE

Inspiring people through culture to take real steps to reduce pollution and their carbon footprint; reconnecting people with sustainable living and the natural environment.

Assessment criteria

• Artistic quality: we are looking to develop bold work, engaged artistic practice or innovative working model
• Strategic fit: does your project address at least one of our strategic priorities?
• Deliverability: project timeframe, partners and collaborators
• Impact: who will benefit from your project and how so? How will you measure it? Is it value for money?