London is at the nation’s heart of arts and culture and London boroughs actively strengthen the capital’s position as a leader of innovation in this sector.

However boroughs’ ability to promote the arts face significant challenges including: falling arts funding, which means that they need to seek new ways to support the arts; rapid population growth, which puts pressure on boroughs to develop at the pace and scale necessary to meet the needs of their residents and businesses; and some of the lowest rates of participation in the arts nationally.

Yet many councils are using their resourcefulness and ingenuity to develop plans for their arts and culture assets that serve local communities, contribute to the economic, social and cultural value of the capital and create a cultural offer for everyone.

The forthcoming London Borough of Culture Awards will showcase the breadth of impressive work taking place across London local government, working with communities, and provides an opportunity to celebrate and energise those efforts. This exciting new competition is a chance for boroughs to inspire local talent and highlight their hidden treasures: bringing communities together and encouraging a renewed connection with the arts.

To date, twenty boroughs have launched campaigns to compete for the London Borough of Culture title, and will be rated on their artistic vision and ability to deliver outstanding cultural initiatives in their local area. The winning prize is £1 million, but up to £600,000 is also available for up to six runner-up boroughs to invest in their communities.