Grant funding applications open for The Royal Docks’ summer festival, Join the Docks 2020

The Royal Docks Team has announced that grant applications for its unique summer festival, Join the Docks 2020, is now open to groups, organisations and individuals from across London. Activities large and small will be considered for this month-long summer festival, with a wide variety of grants available.

Join the Docks returns to London’s Royal Docks for a month-long celebration in August 2020. Organised by the Royal Docks Team, a joint initiative between the Mayor of London and the Mayor of Newham – the festival aims to inspire visitors and locals to discover and celebrate the area’s 4km of historic docklands as well as its beautiful parks, water, diversity, creativity and more.

Last year, the Royal Docks funded and hosted over 150 different events and activities ranging from heritage walks, silent disco tours, poetry workshops, gigs, art exhibitions and more.  In excess of 50,000 people, of all ages, attended from London, the UK and internationally.

Join the Docks is east London’s only waterfront, summer festival. The vast area of the Royal Docks has a rich social, trading, engineering and industrial history – once a centre of world trade for London. Today the Royal Docks is on the cusp of major transformation with thousands of new homes, jobs, public spaces and amenities coming forward as part of the area’s regeneration.  Investment in culture and community wealth building will ensure the Royal Docks re-emerges as a significant destination for business and tourism, with a reputation for nurturing local creative talent, investing in cultural facilities and curating a world-class programme to put the area on the map.

Grant applications are open to both new and existing activities. Proposed activities must take place in the Royal Docks between 7 August and 6 September 2020, be low cost to attend as well as be accessible and inclusive. While applicants do not need to be based in Newham, applications must include a partnership with an organisation based in the borough.  

All ideas for activities are welcome. Those who would like to take part have until Friday 17 April to apply. The Royal Docks will be hosting an open to all Q&A session regarding Join the Docks on Thursday 12 March at The Crystal building from 4:30 pm-6 pm.