About us

When Walthamstow Garden Party 2020 got cancelled we knew we had to act fast.

Not only to keep the spirit of this award-winning community festival alive for the 30,000+ people who enjoy it every year but to continue to find ways to work with the amazing network of local creatives who make it happen. But how to transform a live festival into something you can enjoy from home?

Meet Walthamstow Garden Party In The Air.

Developed by local creative organisations, our free community-powered programme is packed full of bold and beautiful creative activities, workshops, performances and more. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out What’s On throughout the Summer. 

We couldn’t be prouder of Walthamstow Garden Party In The Air. Why? Because we believe Walthamstow Garden Party is special. And that what goes on behind the scenes is as important as the programme our audiences enjoy.

Since 2014, working year-round, we build connections with, and between, hundreds of local residents, community groups and artists creating space for people with different skills, backgrounds and expertise to come together. This has led to fresh collaborations between local creatives, paid work for local people, and development opportunities for young people across the borough.

Community cohesion, inclusivity and sustainability are woven into the fabric of Walthamstow Garden Party, and in 2019:

 

  • Almost three quarters (72%) of the programme came from and was presented by local people. We helped by facilitating open calls to get the word out. 
  • 2,873 people performed at the festival or participated in producing/programming it, including 500 local children.
  • We signed up to Keychange 50:50, led by PRS for Music Foundation, which encourages festivals to achieve a 50:50 gender balance in their programming by 2022. Our main stage programmed five (out of eight) female-led acts. 
  • We received Attitude is Everything bronze certification and organised 350 access passes for festival-goers unable to queue.
  • We banned single use plastic across the site and recycled food waste into free compost for Waltham Forest residents.
  • 63% of festival-goers were from the London Borough of Waltham Forest and almost half (49%) of all attendees walked or cycled to the event. 
  • We were announced as one of the world’s top green events, winning a Commended Award from A Greener Festival.
     

We hope you enjoy what we have on offer with Walthamstow Garden Party In The Air this year and look forward to welcoming you back in person when we can.

Walthamstow Garden Party In The Air is created by local creatives and residents; produced by the Barbican in partnership with London Borough of Waltham Forest. Supported by Arts Council England. Join in the conversation at #WGPInTheAir

If you have any queries please contact us on [email protected]

Barbican
Waltham Forest Council

A world-class arts and learning organisation, the Barbican pushes the boundaries of all major art forms including dance, film, music, theatre and visual arts. Its creative learning programme further underpins everything it does. Over a million people attend events annually, hundreds of artists and performers are featured, and more than 300 staff work onsite. The architecturally renowned centre opened in 1982 and comprises the Barbican Hall, the Barbican Theatre, The Pit, Cinemas 1, 2 and 3, Barbican Art Gallery, a second gallery The Curve, public spaces, a library, the Lakeside Terrace, a glasshouse conservatory, conference facilities and three restaurants. The City of London Corporation is the founder and principal funder of the Barbican Centre.

At Walthamstow Garden Party, the Barbican continues to build on its history of programming and partnerships with artists and organisations in east London.  

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Waltham Forest Council is a local authority in northeast London named in June 2019 as the Local Authority of the Year at the prestigious Municipal Journal Awards and the Mayor’s first London Borough of Culture 2019. Bursting with energy and opportunity, it is a place changing rapidly with business growth up and employment at its highest rate ever. It is a place people want to live, raise a family and start a business.  We are creating liveable neighbourhoods, where people have access to quality housing and the services and facilities that they need.

Visit Waltham Forest