Ealing Council has formally made its bid to be crowned London Borough of Culture 2025 at a meeting with the Mayor of London’s assessment panel on Thursday 8 February.
More than 2,300 residents have signed up to show their support so far, but there is still time to back the bid online.
The winner is due to be announced next month.
The interview team presenting the borough’s bid was led by Councillor Polly Knewstub, cabinet member for thriving communities.
Councillor Knewstub said: “Last year we launched a cultural manifesto for Ealing. We spoke with hundreds of arts organisations and creatives and residents. We know we need to turbo-charge culture and cultural infrastructure in Ealing, and we want to kickstart a million conversations and to forge connections between everyone that calls Ealing their home. As well as commissioning a world class line up of events throughout the year we will create culture hubs in all of our 7 towns.
“The hubs will create a local and accessible network, exchanging content and ideas to amplify each town’s identity and encouraging residents to explore other areas they rarely visit in this large borough. Our cultural manifesto pledged to give all 367,100 of us the opportunity to be creative. Becoming London Borough of Culture will help us make good on that pledge.“
The bid is a true partnership, involving the cultural organisations based in the borough, from the Bollo Brook Youth Centre in South Acton and PRSSV Institute of Performing Arts and Heritage in Southall to Ealing Film Studios; Pitzhanger Manor and Gallery and the Gunnersbury Park Museum to the North Acton and Park Royal Creative Enterprise Zone, home to a thriving community of artists and designers.
The council has also received amazing backing from the local business community.
The ambitious plan lays out how, if Ealing wins the title of London Borough of Culture, all our 7 towns and communities will be involved. Activities and events will be borough wide and involve neighbouring boroughs and wider communities.
Councillor Peter Mason, leader of Ealing Council, said: “Ealing has an incredible cultural heritage and a thriving culture sector that reflects the talent and diversity of our 7 towns. We have an ambitious plan to help build communities full of pride and identity and, as outlined in our cultural manifesto, we want to weave culture through everything we do. Winning London Borough of Culture will help us achieve this and will leave a legacy for generations to come.”
And don’t just take our word for it, Oscar winner Dame Judi Dench, president of the Questors Theatre in Ealing, said: “Ealing’s ambitious bid to be London Borough of Culture will transform and promote arts, music and culture across the 7 towns of the borough and create a lasting legacy.
“At the heart of this will be the enjoyment of people working together and creating transformative opportunities for residents, across all ages and all communities.”
The other members of the interview team were Sarah Gaventa, creative director, Ealing Council; Anjan Saha, poet and project manager, PRSSV Institute of Performing Arts and Culture, Southall; Ellie Djerir, head of heritage and museum services, Gunnersbury Park Museum; Beverley Mason, chief executive, The Friends of the Huntley Archives at LMA and Colin Brent, Ealing Youth Services and Bollo Brook Youth Centre.
Add your support and share your ideas for the bid at ealing2025.org.
Ealing’s bid to be London Borough of Culture 2025 also includes an option to be considered for London Borough of Culture 2027.
