Wandsworth Arts Fringe

For 17 days each June, Wandsworth Arts Fringe fills South West London with an eclectic mix of arts and culture that thrills, moves, and inspires audiences from across the city.

WAF is an open access arts festival. There is no selection process so everyone can jump on board!

Since 2010, WAF has brought together hundreds of creatives in a bold, boundary pushing annual line up of new theatre and comedy, chamber and popular music concerts, art exhibitions, experimental performance art, outdoor art events, and everything in between, taking place across the borough.

WAF is emphatically inclusive and welcomes participation from artists across all art forms. We offer development support such as professional and peer advice, networking events and marketing toolkits to help participants bring their ideas to a high standard.

WAF is dedicated to meaningful support for talent at every stage. From established arts organisations to school children, we provide a democratic platform and support network for everyone who wants to take part.

Originally introduced in 2018 as a provision for housebound audiences, WAF In Your Living Room is WAF's digital programme strand, which aims to make work accessible to as many art lovers as possible.

Wandsworth Arts Fringe is brought to you by Wandsworth Council, supporting the arts and culture industries across the borough. The festival is funded by Wandsworth Council and has received generous contributions from Arts Council England.

Find out more about taking part

“I wanted to say thank you for this year. It has been both challenging and rewarding for YoPro to take part in WAF and we are so grateful for your support throughout. We always felt listened to and understood, and found a really safe environment to develop our work. WAF has been a proper stepping stone in our development and we feel so lucky to have had this opportunity as emerging producers.”

Emilie Labourey, YoPro Collective

"Usually as independent dance artists one feels alone, unsupported and stuck in continuous struggle. When we're part of WAF it's the opposite. We feel part of something bigger and very well supported through the meetings, the information, the in-kind offerings and most importantly because of Cath! Her support and help and positive feedback and encouragement don't just mean the world to us, they also allow us to grow and improve."

Lucia Schweigert (Kaleidoscopic Arts Platform)

Impact in Wandsworth

The 2023 edition welcomed over 18,000 audience visits and featured more than 1,400 local artists (428) and creatives (928) across the programme.

Download our 2023 impact and learning report for a full picture of outcomes and learning from that year. For news on recent festivals, see the News section on this site.