Moving Waves, North London's performing arts academy, has officially been named one of the UK's Nation's Favourite Businesses for 2026 — the flagship small business recognition campaign run by Small Business Saturday UK in the lead-up to Small Business Saturday on Saturday 5th December 2026.
It's a recognition that means a huge amount to us — not just as a "well done," but as a nod to everything our small team has built since 2015: a community rooted in creativity, confidence and connection, delivered through dance classes, drama and musical theatre, after-school clubs, children's birthday parties, and care home activities across North London.
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Formerly known as the SmallBiz100, the Nation's Favourite Businesses campaign is Small Business Saturday UK's way of shining a spotlight on some of the country's most-loved independent businesses in the run-up to Small Business Saturday itself. Judges select a line-up of businesses each year — from cafés and restaurants to makers, traders and service providers — that reflect the diversity and character of the UK's small business community.
For over a decade, businesses named to the list have received exposure through Small Business Saturday's social media channels and national and local press, and have joined the campaign team in London for receptions at Downing Street, the House of Lords, and the Treasury alongside the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Being selected also means joining a growing alumni community that stays connected long after Small Business Saturday itself has passed.
Small Business Saturday UK's principal supporter is American Express, which originally founded the wider Small Business Saturday movement in 2010. The UK campaign has run since 2013 and has become one of the country's most successful grassroots initiatives for celebrating independent, small businesses.
Moving Waves started life as a performing arts academy in North London back in September 2015, and has grown into something much bigger: a mission to make the arts — and everything they offer — accessible to as many people as possible.
Today, that mission plays out across several strands of the business:
That range is exactly what the arts, done well, can offer: something for every stage of life. It's also, we suspect, exactly the kind of story the Nation's Favourite Businesses judges look for — a small, independent operation that shows up for its local community in a genuinely meaningful way, not just a marketable one.
Being named to this year's list isn't just a badge for the website. It's a chance to tell more people across North London and beyond what we do, to connect with a wider network of small business owners across the UK doing brilliant, often under-the-radar work, and to keep building momentum in the run-up to Small Business Saturday on 5th December 2026.
For a small, community-rooted business like ours, that kind of visibility is genuinely hard to come by — and we don't take it for granted.
What is Small Business Saturday UK?Small Business Saturday UK is a grassroots, non-commercial campaign that encourages people to "shop local" and support independent businesses. It takes place every year on the first Saturday of December — this year, Saturday 5th December 2026 — and is principally supported by American Express.
What are the Nation's Favourite Businesses?The Nation's Favourite Businesses is Small Business Saturday UK's annual showcase of standout independent UK businesses, replacing the campaign's long-running SmallBiz100. Selected businesses are championed across social media, press, and events throughout the year, including receptions in Downing Street and the House of Lords.
Where is Moving Waves based?Moving Waves runs its performing arts academy across three North London sites — Haringey (N15), Archway (N19) and Bounds Green (N11) — alongside after-school clubs, birthday parties, and care home workshops delivered throughout London.
How can I join Moving Waves classes?You can view timetables and book a place via the Moving Waves Academy page, or get in touch directly to discuss school clubs, parties, or care home sessions.
If you'd like to be part of the Moving Waves community — whether that's booking your child into an academy class, arranging an after-school club at your school, planning a birthday party, or setting up a care home workshop — you can find everything you need at movingwaves.org, or get in touch directly at info@movingwaves.org or 020 4602 2870.
And on Saturday 5th December 2026, when Small Business Saturday rolls around, we'd love for you to think of us — and of the thousands of other small businesses across the UK who make their communities that little bit brighter, all year round.
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