The Mayor of London, Sadiq khan, has launched a new culture strategy providing financial grants between £1,000 to £5,000 for small companies, organisations and creative individuals to fund their ideas and make them a reality.

This strategy is called cultural seeds and aims to preserve London’s culture as well as enabling people to explore their creativity and community.

The Mayor’s culture strategy lays out a vision in which London is enriched with culture and excitement. He launched the culture seeds scheme at the Battersea Arts Centre, a public place in which people come together to express their creativity.

Culture seeds is a $1 million micro-grant program set to support new businesses and organisations that work locally within their communities and might not have the financial resources they need, the end goal is for Londoners to feel a strong sense of identity and cultural understanding.

Successful applicants will become part of the culture seeds network as well as receiving up to £5,000 to help further their creativity and ideas.

The Mayor is “calling on all Londoners” to let them know “how a small grant could make a big difference in your neighbourhood. From kick-starting a new arts festival, to funding a pop-up cinema screening in your local park – the possibilities are endless.” For more information visit www.london.gov.uk/culture-seeds 

The Mayor of London has said he has “invested more in culture than any other mayor” because he believes “in its trans-formative power”, he also believes that this new scheme will create tight knit communities and allow “all young people in the city to feel they can pursue careers in the creative game”.

Creative and cultural industries add 47 billion to London’s economy every year and account for one in six jobs, it also so it’s no wonder that London is on its way to becoming the world’s capital for culture.

Deputy Mayor for Culture and Creative Industries, Justine Simons OBE, said “Culture Seeds is the perfect project to demonstrate what the Mayor’s draft Culture Strategy is all about – using the power of culture to make a real difference in communities across the capital. Small grants can make big things happen and we want everyone to have great culture on their doorstep”.

A summer campaign in the capital is also one of the plans set out in the Mayor’s new culture strategy,  “sounds like London” aims to put a spotlight on new talent and young women in the music industry, as part of a campaign which will take place during June 2018 there will be shows all around London supporting independent music venues, there are many partners involved including Air bnb and BBC music.