The What's On Reading Cultural Champions
To celebrate the fifth anniversary of What's On Reading, we're proud to announce the What's On Reading Cultural Champions – nominated by YOU, and awarded at a special event on Wednesday 26 March at the Double-Barrelled Brewery taproom.
Picking up the baton from the Reading Cultural Awards, the What’s On Reading Cultural Champions will recognise those within our town’s arts, culture and heritage community who have done great things in the past year.
There are ten categories, and after over 200 nominations, we can now reveal the shortlist of nominees who you said made a mark, made a difference, and made our town such a vibrant cultural space during 2024.
The categories are:
Champion For Reading
A cultural ambassador for the town on a national or international scale.
- Kalakunj
- Reading Male Voice Choir - WINNER
- Reading Rep Theatre
Community Leadership & Skill Development Champion
The people, places and projects that foster a sense of belonging and connection, through grassroots efforts, cultural initiatives and/or creative skill-sharing.
- ABC To Read
- Dance with Sonia Brown- WINNER
- Rank & File Theatre
Creative Wellbeing Champion
Creative activity that helped people feel better in their body and mind
- Berkshire Wellness
- No5 Young People (School Transitions project) - WINNER
- Zillah Puri (New Directions College)
Cultural Partnership Champion
An event or project where two or more local organisations, individuals or venues have joined up to create something wonderful.
- Medieval Fantasy Trail Quest (Reading BID and Partners)
- The Market Tree mural, St Mary’s Butts (Commando Jugendstil for Reading High Street Heritage Action Zone)
- Creative Connection (Through A Different Lens and Partners) - WINNER
Cultural Rising Star
An individual, organisation or venue that has either made their first steps within the last year, or a newer organisation that has really stepped up and made its mark.
- D’Lecter Cabaret - WINNER
- Walk Works
- Through A Different Lens
Diversity Champion
An event, activity, person, group or place that has delivered significant work for or with under-represented groups within arts, culture and heritage.
- Nathifa Jordan (CultureMix Arts)
- Progress Theatre for its production of 'Under Milk Wood'
- Rank & File Theatre - WINNER
Heritage Champion
The people or places preserving Reading’s cultural and natural heritage, ensuring it is celebrated, understood, and shared with future generations.
- Dr Alice Mpofu-Coles and Robyn Woronka (Oxford Road Stories)
- Nick Cooksey (Junction Arch Heritage & Arts) - WINNER
- REDA (Visit Reading)
Sustainability Champion
An event, activity, person, group or place that has delivered work sustainably, or integrated cultural expression with environmental awareness.
- Lucy Daniels, Events and Engagement Manager, Reading Borough Council
- Paul Ducker
- Reading Rep Theatre and Jelly - Sustainability Forum - WINNER
Youth Culture Champion
Celebrating youth involvement in cultural initiatives and the importance of arts and culture within education.
- Mel Le Breuilly, Music Director of Reading Youth Orchestra - WINNER
- Progress Youth Theatre
- Thomson Chauke
Event of the Year
A festival, a gig, a show… whatever! Your pick for the best single event of 2024 – and this one was decided by YOU! (voting is now closed)
- After Dark Reunited (Fools Gold/Success)
- Are You Listening Festival
- Bastille Day Festival
- Cinderella (Hexagon Christmas Pantomime)
- Cruella, Pretty & Richie by Doris Allimadi (performed at South Street)
- Reading School of Dance Summer Show
- Reading Symphony Orchestra and Reading Youth Orchestra's Joint 80th Anniversary Concert - WINNER
- Royal Berks Charity NHS Christmas Concert
- The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde (performed by Progress Theatre in Reading's Abbey Ruins)
Judges' Award
The Judges award is, as you would expect, chosen by our panel of judges to recognise the winner’s contributions to our cultural year, and in reflection of popular support in the nomination process. Our panel of judges had the difficult task of selecting the winner, but after a truly outstanding list of over 200 nominations, one name and event rose to the top.
The winner’s contributions have had a tremendous impact on our town, and the level of popular support in the nomination process speaks volumes about the immense love and appreciation people have for this individual and event.
- Vincent Valere for Bastille Day
Photos courtesy of cheeselogs.co.uk/Dijana Capan/DVision Images.
The shortlist was selected by a panel of independent judges, and the winners will be announced at our special event on Wednesday 26 March. You can book your place to be at the ceremony via our event listing page. This is an opportunity for us all to come together and raise a glass to our collective achievements, both in the past year and in the lifespan of What’s On Reading.
Nomination rules: nominations must reflect events, activities and projects – and those that put them on – that took place in 2024 only. Nominees must have been eligible to be listed in some capacity on whatsonreading.com during 2024. You may nominate as many different people, places and events as you wish, but cannot make multiple nominations for the same nominee in the same category. Judges reserve the right to discard any nominations that they believe to be invalid, to divert nominations to a more suitable category, or to contact nominators for clarification if required. Nominations close at midnight on Sunday 9th February and any nominations received after that point will not be counted. A judging panel will assess all nominees to create a shortlist of finalists which will be announced in the weeks leading up to the ceremony. The judging panel will be made up of independent experts and will be revealed when the list has been finalised. Shortlisted finalists will be further assessed to determine the winner of each category. The judges’ decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into.
