Final round of groundbreaking £10m East London creative fund launched with community at its heart

• Foundation for Future London has launched a new funding opportunity: Collaborate: Safer Spaces Commission
• Four teams to receive £50,000 each to prototype safer community spaces
• Part of the £10m Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund supported by Westfield Stratford City
• The fund was launched with two community events celebrating East Londoners
• Applications close: 18 August 2025

Foundation for Future London has marked a major milestone with the launch of the final round of funding from the Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund, a transformative, £10 million programme powered by Westfield Stratford City that has championed creative equity, safer spaces, and community-led regeneration across East London for the past five years.

The final funding strand, COLLABORATE: SAFER SPACES Commission, will award four diverse-led teams up to £50,000 each to develop innovative, community-led approaches to safer, more inclusive spaces across the boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest. The application deadline is 18 August 2025.

Sarah Nelson, CEO of Foundation for Future London, said:

“As we launch this final round of funding, it’s a moment of pride and reflection, but also a call to action. Over the last five years, our communities have shown what’s possible when trust, creativity and collaboration come together. This final phase, focused on co-creating safer spaces, continues that journey ensuring that communities define and drive the changes they want to see. We’re incredibly grateful to all our partners, and I look forward to deepening our impact and continuing to champion equity and leadership in the heart of East London.”

To launch this phase of funding, the Foundation hosted two special events to reflect on its journey and demonstrate the importance of continued community-led investment.

Video production: El Halahan IG & Youtube @el_halahan

At The Source in Stratford, a dynamic community celebration brought together past grantees, local authorities, creatives and changemakers to celebrate the fund’s achievements and discuss the future of safer spaces in East London.

The Foundation also held an event with care leavers at Toynbee Hall, highlighting its wider commitment to supporting underrepresented communities. With voices from those with lived experience, including care-experienced leaders and advocates, the event sparked powerful dialogue on how to support young people transitioning out of care.

Video production: Anne-Marie Michel IG @annemariemichel

Together, the events showcased how the Foundation is investing in local people, not just through funding, but by creating platforms for voice, leadership and long-term change.

Tiwa King, Community Ambassador for Foundation for Future London, said:

“It’s been an honour to help with both these events and launch this final funding round, not just as an ambassador, but as someone who is invested in the future of East London. These events weren’t just celebrations; they were reminders of the power we hold when our voices are heard. My role is about making sure that communities, young leaders and grassroots groups know this support is for them. We want East Londoners to see themselves in this opportunity and step forward with their ideas. Safer spaces start with us and I’m excited to help make sure everyone has a seat at the table.”

Jacinta Rowsell, MD, Customer & Retail Operations, Northern Europe at Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, said:

“This final round of the Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund marks a powerful moment in our partnership with Foundation for Future London. It reflects our long-standing commitment to championing creativity, equity and community-led change. We’re proud to support local people in shaping safer, more inclusive spaces — and in building a legacy of opportunity across East London.”

Over the last four years the Foundation has invested over £11 million in 400+ grassroots organisations, enabled nearly 800 people to access jobs, engaged just over 19,000 young people and delivered over 2,600 business development and entrepreneurial training opportunities.

To apply for the Collaborate: Safer Spaces Commission by 18 August 2025 visit: https://future.london/grant/collaborate-safer-spaces-commission/

-ENDS-

Video production: El Halahan IG & Youtube @el_halahan

Video production: El Halahan IG & Youtube @el_halahan

For more information contact:

Katie Balcombe/ Tangram

katie@tangramstrategies.co.uk or 07732046465

Main Photo credit: Anne-Marie Michel

Notes to Editors

About Foundation for Future London

The Foundation for Future London is a charity that builds and creates community equity and empowerment, using the vehicles of arts, culture, heritage, sport and the environment to help communities realise their potential.

The Foundation’s work centres on programme delivery and fund giving, through capacity building, community leadership and exchange, safer spaces, grassroots programming, strategic investment, advocacy and policy change.

Our work is vital to tackling inequalities and providing opportunities. We achieve this through a unique partnership approach that combines genuine co-design and participatory practices.

Since our launch in 2015, we’ve been listening to local voices and connecting people and institutions, from bustling street markets and homeless shelters to hushed galleries and auditoriums. East London is home to approximately 2,023,383 people. The Foundation for Future London is dedicated to creating new employment and life chances for people living, working and studying here.

To date, we work with over 400 grassroots organisations and have provided over 35,000 training, employment, young people and entrepreneurial opportunities.

Our user-centred theory of change determines the direct social impact the Foundation’s work is making.

Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund

Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund is an ambitious five-year programme that aims to invest £10 million into local communities of Newham, Tower Hamlets, Hackney and Waltham Forest. This flagship project will provide new jobs, learning, training and educational programmes through the means of arts, culture, innovation, public realm and creative placemaking. The programme aims to transform and catalyse the lives and careers of people in East London by putting funding, resources and support straight into local people’s hands. The fund is supported by Westfield Stratford City and delivered by Foundation for Future London.

Westfield Stratford City

Since opening in 2011, Westfield Stratford City has become the UK’s leading retail and leisure destination, attracting 50 million visitors annually. As a key part of East London’s regeneration and a lasting legacy of the 2012 Olympics, it plays a vital role in the area’s £25 billion transformation. Beyond retail and leisure, Westfield Stratford City is committed to driving positive community impact. In partnership with the London Borough of Newham, it co-founded The Skills Place Newham, a retail academy managed by Seetec to combat long-term unemployment. The centre is also a Founding Partner and Official Sponsor of East Bank, supporting employment, education, and training in East London. Additionally, through its partnership with the Foundation for Future London, it launched the Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund – a £10 million, five-year initiative aimed at creating 19,000 jobs and expanding opportunities in arts, culture, and innovation. Leading the way in sustainable urban retail, Westfield Stratford City operates its own Combined Cooling and Heating Power (CCHP) plant, underscoring its commitment to environmental responsibility and setting a benchmark for future developments.