Kingston’s rich cultural heritage and vibrant arts scene brings communities together, instilling a sense of pride in this wonderful place we live and attracting visitors from far and wide. From the recent coronation celebrations marking our unique heritage as England’s oldest royal borough, to pioneering events such as Kingston International Film Festival (23-25 June) and Fuse International (30 June-9 July), the borough’s dynamic cultural scene has something for everyone.

As a council, we understand the power of arts and culture to enrich lives, open opportunities and create shared experiences. Through championing and investment, we act as a catalyst for creative projects and initiatives that foster a sense of belonging and inspire creativity.

This weekend (7 July) sees the official opening of FUSEBOX (creativeyouthcharity.org/fusebox), a creative and performance space for young people developed by local charity Creative Youth in partnership with Kingston Council. Located around the ruins of a Mediaeval bridge on the banks of the River Thames, FUSEBOX is a place for young people, emerging artists and community organisations to come together. I am extremely proud to collaborate with innovative organisations like Creative Youth to breathe new life into historic spaces like this and support our young people to develop new skills, spark imagination and create new opportunities.

FUSEBOX is also home to FUSE International (creativeyouthcharity.org/fuse-international), Now in its 14th year, the 10 day festival delivers an eclectic programme of music, theatre, dance, comedy, visual arts, spoken word, circus and more in venues around Kingston town centre, which kicked off on 30 June.

It comes hot on the heels of two other big arts festivals. Following the outstanding success of its inaugural year in 2022, the second Kingston International Film Festival (www.kiffest.uk) launched on 23 June, part-funded by Kingston Council. It was wonderful to see the town filled with film fans, industry professionals and aspiring film-makers for the three day event that showcased feature films, documentaries, shorts programmes, industry workshops, panel discussions and even an outdoor screening in Canbury Gardens.

We also saw London’s biggest dance festival come to the borough earlier in June. The Rose Theatre played host to DanceWest Fest, which supports established and emerging dance artists and large-scale community dance performances. And at Kingston Museum hundreds of visitors are enjoying Bowie and Beyond (kingstonheritage.org.uk/exhibitions/bowie-beyond), an exhibition developed by the Community Brain and supported by our Heritage team as part of a larger project celebrating the borough’s musical heritage.

As well as festivals and celebrations, public art is transforming areas across the borough. Local artists have reinvigorated walkways around Memorial Gardens in Kingston and the Surbiton Art Trail is hugely popular. Local artists are also being invited to take part in a competition to find artworks for public spaces in Unilever’s new global headquarters in Kingston. Emerging and established artists can apply at unilevercampus.co.uk.

Arts and culture create common ground where people can come together and forge connections. They also play a vital role in driving economic growth, with our festivals and cultural events attracting thousands of visitors, stimulating tourism and boosting local businesses. Our rich cultural programme offers residents and visitors the opportunity to engage with different perspectives, challenge their own ideas, and celebrate the borough’s diverse communities.