SEEN Lewisham is back and nurturing local talent

This year promises an exciting lineup of events, showstopping performances, workshops, and free family activities featuring culturally diverse artists. The mentorship programme is back to support and nurture Lewisham’s most promising emerging talent.

After a brilliant debut last year, 54 events were held over seven days, with 4,010 people attending at Broadway Theatre and over 40 artists involved. This year’s festival promises to be even bigger, running from Saturday 4 October to Sunday 12 October.

Councillor Sakina Sheikh, Cabinet Member for Culture and Communities said:

"I’m thrilled to welcome SEEN Lewisham back for another year, alongside our continued partnership with Nouveau Riche. Last year’s festival was a vibrant celebration of the incredible talent within our borough. We were also proud to welcome a wonderfully diverse audience, with 67% of attendees coming from Black, Asian, or Dual Heritage backgrounds, reflecting the rich cultural fabric of Lewisham.

It’s a real joy to continue funding and supporting local artists as they share their stories and shape the cultural offering of Lewisham. I’m excited to see how this year’s festival takes on a new life of its own!"

Ryan Calais Cameron, Co-Founder and Artistic Director at Nouveau Riche said:

“We’re thrilled to bring SEEN Lewisham back for its second year, building on the incredible momentum and community we created in 2024. This year, we’re evolving our mentorship programme to offer even more tailored support for emerging talent.

Our partnership with Broadway Theatre is at the heart of this work – together, we’re investing in local creatives, providing meaningful platforms, and ensuring that the rich cultural identity of this borough is truly seen, heard, and celebrated. SEEN 2025 is about amplifying voices, creating opportunity, and making lasting impact.”

Nurturing Lewisham’s vibrant talent

SEEN Lewisham supports and funds local creative artists from culturally diverse backgrounds. Last year, nine Artist Development Mentees received funding and four months of support, with performances spanning the week of the festival. This year, the SEEN Mentor Programme is back.

This is an exciting opportunity to be mentored by industry professionals, receive funding to facilitate the development, progression, and staging of your work to be performed during the festival.

How SEEN Lewisham shaped the futures of 2024 mentees

“SEEN was exactly the balance I needed in terms of support. It’s a big stepping stone for me in my career. It's given me so much confidence to go on to create my own work… the environment that was created, in terms of it being a safe space for us as artists to collaborate, especially being from the Global Majority, for us to be able to freely express ourselves, was really good.” - Monique Day, theatre mentee

“[The Programme] definitely helped me to develop my skills… I learned how to put on a show, from the production to everything. It’s helped me to get a clearer idea of my next steps. It’s reignited my love of acting, I’m pursuing that more now.” - Amaarah Roze, theatre mentee

"Participating in SEEN Lewisham provided everything I needed, from the budget and rehearsal space to the mentorship programme. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to test our ideas, receive feedback, and build a lasting relationship with Catford Broadway. Since sharing our work at SEEN, we took the project to the residency programme and were awarded ACE funding to develop it further and tour." - Masumi Saito, theatre mentee

Who can apply

We are looking for artists across multidisciplinary art forms, including dance, theatre, and music. This mentorship programme is open to all ages, but participants must be over 18. We are not accepting applications from organisations at this time. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate their connection to Lewisham in their application.

What the programme offers

• grant ranging from £2000 to £5000 to fund an idea, a project, or an ambition
• four month mentoring programme ahead of the festival showcase with industry leaders to support and elevate your career
• the chance to spotlight your work on the iconic stage at Broadway Theatre captivating audiences from Catford and beyond

How to apply

Complete the application form and submit your application by midday Friday 6 June. Include a brief bio or CV, samples of your work, and your vision for the performance.

Dates for your diary

• call out deadline: Midday, Friday June 6 2025
• festival showcase: Saturday 4 October to Sunday 12 October

Be sure to follow us on social media @lewishamcouncil, @broadwaytheatre and @nvrchuk to stay up to date with the latest SEEN news.

The SEEN Lewisham Market Day and volunteering programme will return this year, along with the opportunity to become a festival partner. If you would like to get involved, express your interest.