19 FEB 2019: London oozes culture. So much so that it’s easy for visitors (and, indeed, locals) to get caught up in all the great sport, theatre, food, nightlife, markets and other offerings. To that end, London mayor Sadiq Khan launched the London Borough of Culture (BOC) initiative in 2018, with the borough of Waltham Forest being the first to win the accolade for 2019 (to be followed in 2020 by Brent).

Inspired by the UK City and European Capital of Culture programs, BOC is designed to put culture at the heart of communities and to “shine a light on the character and diversity of London’s boroughs and show culture is for everyone” – not to mention putting “culture at the heart of local communities, where it belongs.”

Waltham was chosen from among 22 bids and awarded £1.35 ($2.3) million of funding to deliver a program of ambitious cultural activities – a program in 2019 packed with “stand-out projects and unmissable moments” designed to capture the attention of the whole city.

For example, on Feb. 16, the Walthamstow Jazz Festival brings together both new and recognized jazz artists, while starting March 29, Africa Express will feature up to 100 African and Western artists joining forces to collaborate on new music and reworking of old songs.

In April, Blackhorse Workshop, Waltham Forest’s renowned wood and metal workshop, will present Atomic 50: Time Travels in Tin – an immersive journey through the area’s rich heritage in manufacturing and metalwork.

And on June 22, Art Night celebrates the area’s rich market culture through a series of new commissions along and around Walthamstow High Street – Europe’s longest outdoor market – and other local landmarks.

There’s also a film fest, art trail, even a Bauhaus centenary celebration.

Waltham Forest is an outer borough of London located in northeast section of the city. It includes both inner city and affluent suburban areas and was a host borough for the 2012 London Olympics, including bordering the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

See full Borough of Culture programs details.