Published on
September 22, 2022
Arts and culture have long been at the heart of creating this new part of central London, with a vital role in fostering community cohesion and building pride of place.
Cultural strategies from 2014 and 2017 have delivered events, activities and arts investment for each area within the Vauxhall Nine Elms and Battersea Opportunity Area.
Read the cultural strategies in the Downloads section of this website.
Wandsworth Council commissioned a report into the impact of cultural activities in Battersea and Nine Elms, considering performance against the objectives, the lessons learned and recommendations for the Council’s role moving forward.
The Cultural Impact Assessment found that the Cultural Strategy has played an important role in fostering placemaking and social cohesion and secured approximately £13m of investment for arts and culture in Battersea and Nine Elms between 2017-22. However, the report identifies an opportunity to shift the strategic focus from attracting ‘global cultural brands’ to the area, towards supporting ‘homegrown cultural assets’ to take root and thrive and for future work to balance ‘top down’ and ‘bottom up’ cultural programming, with increased local participation in decision-making over cultural planning.
The learning from the Impact Assessment will inform the refresh of the Cultural Activity Plan for the area. This will be brought forward as part of the borough’s ten-year Arts and Culture Strategy as part of a boroughwide approach.
