South Asian Heritage Month 2025

First launched in 2023, Wandsworth celebrates South Asian Heritage Month each year. For the borough’s year as the Mayor’s London Borough of Culture we are supporting eight exciting cultural projects, specially commissioned for our 2025 programme.

Receiving grants of up to £2,000 from Wandsworth Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, this year’s programme includes a variety of events with comedy, food, music and workshops on offer plus celebrations of DIY culture and of Tara founder Jatinder Verma.

What's On

Sri Lankan Culture Collective 2025 -Where tradition and culture are reimagined
A multi-day festival showcasing the food, music, and comedy from the modern Sri Lankan diaspora. From cutting-edge comedy, avant-garde music to a hopper-making masterclass, and from a wine pairing workshop to an intimate supper club. 

Shatha Abumorr - Cultural Community Garden 
Collaborating with the Ethnicity Mental Health Improvement Project (EMHIP), this project will transform Tooting's Community Garden into a vibrant cultural hub through collaborative art workshops, community engagement, and a celebratory event honouring heritage, creativity, and well-being. Throughout July and August, artist and designer Roopa S Basu will lead three sessions of workshops at Mushkil Aasaan and Tooting Community Garden. These workshops will bring together community members to create artistic and functional garden artefacts.

Bhuchar Boulevard - Retracing our Footsteps: From South London to the South Bank
Bhuchar Boulevard marks SAHM 2025 through the public sharing of Wandsworth’s rich South Asian performing arts heritage. Bhuchar Boulevard celebrates the tenure of Tara Arts’ founder, Jatinder Verma, through excerpts and readings of Tara’s prominent works, a visit to the National Theatre Archive, and the celebration of Professor Jerri Daboo’s book about this pioneering legacy. 

Hamja Ahsan - Zine Mela: South Asian Journeys in DIY Cultures
This event hosts a Zine fair and exhibition showcasing South Asian and diaspora DIY Cultures including; zine makers, indie comic book artists, punk ephemera, graphic design and illustrators, archiving emergent zine fairs across South Asia at WIP Space Studios.

Asma Choudhry - Heritage Harmony: South Asia's Rich Traditions
A cultural initiative celebrating the vibrant heritage of South Asia through traditional attire, art, storytelling, cultural games and interactive workshops. This project hopes to foster creativity, community engagement, and cultural appreciation at Alton Community Centre.

Roopa Basu - Block Printing 
Roopa is a collaborative artwork company creating a shamiyana style ceiling installation that celebrates South Asian block printing while bringing residents together to create a vibrant, collaborative and artistic piece, that reflects shared heritage and creativity.

Ahista Stories & Paaras Abbas - Bring Your Own Fabric Workshops
This event hosts a series of three workshops at Tooting Works including:  natural dye, block printing and embroidery - encourage upcycling and celebrate heritage South Asian crafts.

Krishna Istha  - Intergenerational Workshop
This free Intergenerational music workshop explores South Asian heritage, music, and personal stories, whilst creating a space for creativity and connection at Battersea Arts Centre.