Ealing is a vibrant borough known for its diverse communities and thriving creative scene and Ealing Council is taking bold steps to preserve its rich cultural heritage while looking ahead to the future.

Earlier this year the council announced a new cultural manifesto and action plan to strengthen the borough’s creative heritage and its artistic and cultural landscape.

Watch the six-minute cultural manifesto video to find out more and to hear from local creatives Fibz, a talented graffiti artist and Ky Lewis, a passionate musician.

Ky comments: “I think the manifesto will help spread awareness of the opportunities for us, artists, and the potential we have. It’s a great platform to showcase not just music, but art. And art is a beautiful thing, which needs to be put out there a lot more.”

Embracing creativity

Councillor Polly Knewstub, Ealing Council’s cabinet member for thriving communities, said: “Ealing’s art and culture scene is a constant source of inspiration. With our cultural manifesto and action plan, we want to ensure that Ealing remains at the forefront of British arts and culture.

“By celebrating the diversity of our communities, this manifesto seeks to empower more creative people, more creative places and more creative communities.”

Empowering residents

Ealing Council’s leader, Councillor Peter Mason, said: “Ealing has so much to be proud of. Ealing Studios is the home of British film, Southall has nurtured the British Bhangra scene and the Ealing Club was the cradle of British Rock Music. We can’t wait to build on this, and to unlock the potential and creativity of everyone living in Ealing as well as our creative organisations and businesses.

“It is important to us that we co-created this manifesto with residents from our seven towns, capitalising on their local expertise.”

Justine Simons OBE, deputy mayor for culture and the creative industries, who also appears in the video added: “Ealing has great cultural and creative heritage and many diverse communities and creatives.

“Culture is bringing us together as communities – it’s helping with our health and fitness, giving young people purpose, building our civic pride. Culture is a kind of golden thread throughout all our cities, and it couldn’t be more important”

Tonya Nelson, area director of Arts Council England, who you can also hear from in the video commented: “We want to make sure that people from all parts of the borough have access to great arts and culture and that everybody has a chance to express themselves.

“This is not a manifesto that says this is what is good for you, this is what we are going to provide for you. It’s a really exciting process of actually engaging with people and empowering them to decide what they want to see in their community.”

Be part of the change

Sign up to our cultural manifesto to receive the following:

For artists and art organisations

• Have your name or organisation’s name displayed on our website
• Become part of Ealing arts and culture network – a community of Ealing’s creatives, meeting twice yearly to network and discuss topical issues
• Receive arts and culture newsletters with information and opportunities
• Be able to use our 367,100 Creatives – Ealing’s Cultural Manifesto logo, so you can proudly show your support for culture in Ealing
• An Ealing Cultural Manifesto digital poster and postcard.

For residents

• Receive an Ealing Cultural Manifesto digital poster and postcard
• Receive updates on arts and culture activity in Ealing.

Together we can build a future where creativity in Ealing thrives.