Become a London Borough of Culture
Applications for London Borough of Culture 2025 and 2027 (and Cultural Impact Awards) closed on 30 November 2023. The winners will be announced in March 2024.
How to get started
London boroughs can get started by reading the prospectus. It outlines the programme, the criteria and has inspiring case studies to help you imagine how to make culture an integral part of your borough’s future.
We recommend boroughs start developing their applications in partnership with cultural organisations, local partners and communities as soon as possible.
All boroughs interested in applying must also sign up to the London Borough of Culture newsletter to stay up to date on the latest news and selection progress.
How to apply
The application portal opened in July 2023. You have until 30 November 2023, 12pm to make your application.
During this time there is an extensive programme of events to help support your application, and experts will be on hand to help shape your thinking.
Grants within the region of £5000 are available to help resource the application process.
After the closing date, a panel of senior GLA officers score and moderate the bids, and comments are sought from our Strategic Partners Board. Shortlisted applicants are invited to interview with an external panel of experts. Recommendations are made to Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture, Creative Industries and 24 Hour London, and the Mayor Sadiq Khan, who make the final decision.
The announcement will be made in March 2024.
Timeline
Applicant support programme
Application guidance available
Online application portal opens
Application deadline
Assessment
Interviews and final decision-making
Winners announced
Delivery of Title Award
Delivery of three Cultural Impact Awards
Delivery of Title Award
Application guidance and resources
The London Borough of Culture application guidance will help you prepare for your application.
Not sure about something? Check our Frequently Asked Questions.
Need help to develop your approach to legacy planning? Take a look at our Legacy Framework.
If you can’t find what you’re looking for, or if you have any questions, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
Evaluation and impact films
Watch three short films telling the stories of people involved with London Borough of Culture and the dramatic impact it had on their lives ways of working.
Browse previous year’s evaluations to see their take on London Borough of Culture and the impacts the programme has made.
Waltham Forest 2019's evaluation report, The Story of Our Year: Evaluation, Impact and Learning, is an in-depth document looking back on the first London Borough of Culture.
Brent 2020's evaluation report, Metrolanding, Brent's year as London Borough of Culture, looks back on their year and ahead to a culturally confident future.
We Are Lewisham 2022’s impact report, takes a detailed look at the year-long celebration of history, people and place, with hundreds of events in venues, parks and street corners, created by the people of Lewisham.
Read a report from Goldsmiths about New Town Culture: art, creativity and care, a Cultural Impact Award project.
Lambeth: browse the evaluation of ELEVATE, Lambeth's Cultural Impact Award project.
Useful links
Previous and current title holders
Previous Title Holders - programme overview and evaluation reports
Current Title Holder – programme overview
Previous Cultural Impact Awards – programme overview and insights
Current Cultural Impact Awards – programme overview
Identifying Need
- London Datastore – 1,000+ datasets about London
- Cultural Infrastructure Map – view your borough’s cultural infrastructure, identify strengths and gaps
Engaging Young People
Guidance on working with young people in an empowering and ethical way
- 2.8 Million Minds: a Manifesto – an exemplar project working with young people around mental health, including top tips
- Amplify Youth Voice – a Kazzum Arts guide to youth voice, co-production and trauma-informed care
- A New Direction – training and resources on best practice
Engaging Communities
Guidance on engaging communities in an embedded and authentic way
- Cultural Democracy in Practice – 64 Million Artists’ guidance to widening arts access, including involving your community in governance and decision-making
- Rules of Engagement – 10 guiding principles for working in community contexts through the arts
Arts, Health and Wellbeing
Resources on delivering health and wellbeing outcomes through culture
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
- Call to Action Toolkits – four toolkits by CVAN England to help you plan for ‘fair and equitable’ practice
- Resources by Unlimited – including Accessible Marketing Guide, Top Tips for Running Accessible Events, and Top Tips for Accessible Commissioning.
Fair Pay and Team Wellbeing
Industry guidance on fair pay for artists and creatives
- a-n The Artists Information Company – for visual artists
- Artists’ Union England – for visual and applied artists and artists with a socially engaged practice
- Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications and Theatre Union (BECTU) –for technical and production staff
- Independent Theatre Council – for theatre practitioners
- Museums Association – for museums staff
- Musicians’ Union – for musicians
- Society of Authors – for writers, illustrators and literary translators
- UK Theatre – for theatre staff, musicians and performers
- Structurally F–cked: An inquiry into artists’ pay and conditions in the public sector – research into artists’ pay and conditions
- Commissioning Guidelines – the Social Art Network’s guide to fairly and effectively working with artists
Communications Planning/Storytelling
- Culture Hive - free online resource for culture marketing professionals
- Digital Culture Network – practical help to employ digital skills to engage audiences
- Arts Marketing Association - membership body working with individuals and organisations in the arts, culture and heritage sector
- Best practice guide to comms strategy – joint industry guidelines for working effectively with agencies (2007)
Celebrating Your Heritage
- What is heritage? – a short film outlining NLHF’s wide-ranging definition
- Inclusive heritage – examples and guidance on telling everyone’s stories
Archiving Your Process
- Archiving large cultural infrastructure projects – guidance from The National Archives
Environmental Impact
- Julie’s Bicycle – resources supporting arts and culture teams to move towards zero net carbon and to promote climate action
- Making London events more sustainable – GLA’s approach to producing more sustainable large-scale events
Fundraising
- Institute of Fundraising – guidance around fundraising including legal and ethical
- Arts Fundraising and Philanthropy – insights and training around income generation for arts and cultural projects
Sign up to the newsletter
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