Our borough has an amazing cultural history. It is the home of British cinema at Ealing Studios, has been described as ‘the cradle of British rock music’ and has played a key role in driving the Bhangra, jazz and dub scenes over the years.
Creative and cultural activity is partly shaped by the borough’s diversity, as a place that people from around 100 other countries now call their home.
In 2024, the council published its cultural manifesto to build on its legacy by creating more places for residents to enjoy arts and culture and new jobs to help the creative sector thrive.
The Ealing Culture website was set up in the same year to support local events and let people know what exciting music, arts and culture were happening around the borough.
And, last year, a creatives directory was added to the site. It has given a platform for more than 100 local artists, musicians and designers to promote their services. Ealing Council was also the first London council to have a venues directory, with at least 100 local venues listed for people to find.
Festival fun
The annual Ealing Summer Festivals in Walpole Park attract fans of jazz, blues, and comedy from all over London every summer.
Run by the Events Umbrella on behalf of the council, last year’s comedy festival had stars such as Judi Love and Chris McCausland; while the Brand New Heavies celebrated 40 years since they formed in Ealing by headlining at the jazz festival.
New Gen festival created in 2022 by, and for, young people with support from the council is also now a regular fixture in the festivals programme showcasing emerging artists, DJs and TikTokers and offering everything from Manga drawing, dance and gaming to chill out zones.
The As One in the Park LGBTQ+ festival will return to Walpole Park for a third year this summer and the London Mela celebrates South Asian culture and is acclaimed as the largest such festival in Europe. The annual event recently returned to its original home in Gunnersbury Park. It brings together some of the world’s biggest artists, as well as upcoming talent, in music, comedy and dance.
More than books
DJ and Bhangra workshops, steel pans and poetry performances to celebrate the reopening of Acton, Northolt and Southall Dominion Centre libraries after an almost £1million makeover last year proved that our libraries offer more than just books.
Improvements included upgraded technology and study areas, shelves and furniture that can be moved around to give space for cultural events, performances and meetings. New stages and furniture were also created by local businesses in the council-backed Creative Enterprise Zone (CEZ) in Park Royal.
Supporting the creative industry
Since opening in 2022, the Acton and Park Royal CEZ has become home to more than 345 businesses in the creative industries and has enabled 1,250 new jobs, by offering affordable spaces to help these companies to thrive.
Art for all
Have you spotted the new artwork brightening up some of our high streets?
Barbers, baristas and other traders helped create and inspire new artwork in Hanwell, Oldfields Circus in Greenford and Pitshanger Lane in Ealing.
Southall is next to be given an artistic makeover with murals, sculptures and inspirating public art at 6 locations across the town. (Link to come once public art story approved)
The Destination Southall public art project, led by the council and funded by the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, will celebrate Southall’s history, multicultural identity and community spirit while improving the look and feel of the areas chosen for the artwork.
If you have ever passed Pitzhanger Manor and Gallery in Walpole Park and thought you must go there one day, add it to your new year’s resolutions. Concessions are available with free entry for some. A pay-what-you-can model operates on Sundays from 10am to noon and on the first Thursday of every month from 5 to 8pm. It means that all local residents can enjoy the gallery.
Cinema: a long legacy
The Ealing Comedies were made in the golden years of British cinema. And the world-famous Ealing Studios was making movies in the early years of the 20th Century, before other major British studios and even before Universal Film Studios in Los Angeles was founded in 1912. And, today, there are independent creative studios right across the borough carrying on this tradition.
The council’s West London Film Office has been encouraging movies and TV shows to be made in the borough – and you can read the Reel Life blog about the latest batch of filming to take place.
And, of course, we all need places to watch movies, too.
A former disused library that was transformed into an independent cinema run by the community celebrated its fourth anniversary last year, after the council awarded management of the building. ActOne hosts a series of community-led events, as well as showing movies and having a café.
And, in 2023, council leader Peter Mason joined the opening of the new Picturehouse Cinema at Filmworks in central Ealing – ending a long wait, which the council helped to conclude by using compulsory purchase powers on the previous owners to speed things up.
Rich tapestry of creativity
Councillor Blerina Hashani, the council’s cabinet member for thriving communities, said “We are deeply passionate about nurturing arts, culture, and creativity across the borough. We are incredibly fortunate to be home to such a vibrant and diverse community, with residents bringing culture and traditions from every corner of the world. This rich tapestry not only inspires creativity but also strengthens our sense of belonging.
“Supporting and growing job and business opportunities in the creative sector is vital—not just for our local economy, but for the future of the borough as a place where imagination and innovation can thrive. By investing in our creative industries and celebrating the talents of our residents, we are building a borough where everyone can take pride in their heritage and look forward to new possibilities.”
Find out more:
- find out what’s on in your area on Ealing’s Culture Website
- information on Pitzhanger Manor and Gallery
