Latest news
All the latest news and updates from across the arts, culture and heritage community in Reading.
£2.06m grant for essential upgrade to The Hexagon
The Hexagon theatre has been awarded £2.06 million by Arts Council England to carry out essential upgrades to ensure it is fit for the future. The funding will deliver new, more comfortable seating and improved accessibility for people with mobility issues and infrastructure works which will keep the theatre running safely and smoothly.
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Reading Museum Secures Funding For Roman Britain Project
Reading Museum has been awarded £80,000 from DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund for the Roman Britain – Reimagined in Reading project. The Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund grant represents a major investment in Reading’s already vibrant cultural life and heritage offer, ensuring the stories of Roman Britain and its connections to Reading are celebrated and shared for generations to come.
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Winners of the What's On Reading Awards 2026 revealed!
The winners for this year's What's On Reading Award for Arts, Culture & Heritage were crowned at a sold-out ceremony at Reading Biscuit Factory on 23 March, celebrating some of the great work done all over Reading in the past year.
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Reading Walks Festival 2026 programme announced
This year’s festival has 43 guided walks led by local experts, exploring Reading’s history and natural heritage, with over a quarter celebrating Reading’s great waterways to tie in with the 30th anniversary of the Thames Path National Trail.
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RABBLE Theatre announce exciting education programme for adults and children
The company, who welcome up to 800 students each term to their programmes, have exciting plans for the new year, with projects and productions designed to boost creativity, confidence and community in January 2026.
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Hunt For Hops with a special IPA launching to celebrate the release of Predator: Badlands
Siren Craft Brew reveals a flavoursome new IPA to celebrate the release of 20th Century Studios’ Predator: Badlands. The beer takes its name from the “First Hunt. Last Chance” tagline of the movie, while Siren’s Soundwave IPA was seen as the perfect fit for the theme.
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Work begins to create new Studio Theatre at The Hexagon
Work has started to create Reading’s newest theatre. The area off Queen’s Walk will be transformed into a cutting-edge, intimate theatre perfect for comedy gigs and bands. The new building will also have superior backstage facilities for performers and crews and an upgraded technical area which will attract quality productions of all sizes.
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Success for the Purple Turtle with Arts Council Grant & Reading F.C. Partnership
In a boost for Berkshire’s live music scene, Reading’s much loved bar and venue The Purple Turtle has secured its first Arts Council Grant in the form of an Audience Development & Marketing Grant. The project financed by this grant has been named “Now Hear This”, which aims to increase exposure for both up-and-coming and established music acts to Reading audiences.
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Arts Council England invest £30,000 in the development of RABBLE’s next production, William the Conqueror
The major new project will be the prequel to RABBLE’s Henry I which was produced in 2023 to significant critical acclaim. Beth Flintoff, RABBLE’s associate playwright, will be writing the play again, which will be worked on by a number of familiar names in the creative team, alongside exciting new influences, during a week of Research & Development starting on 23rd June.
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Paddington comes to Michael Bond’s Reading
Reading played a large part in the life of Michael Bond, the creator of Paddington, who grew up and went to school here. And now a new Paddington statue has been unveiled in Broad Street ahead of the new film Paddington in Peru being released.
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Reading & Düsseldorf produce a theatre education exchange to celebrate the twin towns.
RABBLE Theatre are pleased to announce an exciting theatre-education partnership in association with Max-Planck-Gymnasium, Düsseldorf and English Theatre Düsseldorf, this weekend.
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Berkshire Music Trust appointed to lead Berkshire Music Hub
Appointed by Arts Council England, the Berkshire Music Hub will deliver high quality music education accessible to all children and young people in West Berkshire, Reading, Wokingham, Bracknell Forest, Windsor & Maidenhead and Slough through diverse partnerships between educational, creative and community organisations, in their local communities and throughout the county.
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The Duke Of Edinburgh Visits Reading Rep Theatre
On Monday 22nd April, His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh visited Reading Rep Theatre. This visit holds particular significance as Reading Rep received his Royal Patronage in October 2022, acknowledging the venue's pivotal role within the local arts scene and their impactful community work.
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Curtain up at New Studio Theatre a step closer after planning application approved
Reading audiences will have the best seats in the house after plans to breathe life into the Hexagon by adding a new studio theatre have been approved by the Council. Reading Borough Council’s plans include a striking new accessible public entrance with a welcoming public area and flexible community space. Behind the new front door, a new studio auditorium is set to be built with a capacity of up to 300.
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32 creative projects in Reading receive Seed Fund grants from Creative Lives
Creative Lives, in partnership with Reading Borough Council, is proud to announce the full list of Seed Fund grants to support creative activities and encourage residents to feel connected to Reading. They awared 32 grants totalling £28,300, part of Reading Borough Council’s commitment to provide opportunities for everyone to get involved in creative activities where they live and enhance community engagement.
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£13.7 million project to revitalise Hexagon Theatre reaches first major milestone
The ambitious Hexagon Theatre project will see the creation of an attractive, flexible and exciting new space for performances and community use. The Council today (Wednesday 12 July) announced the official appointment of the internationally renowned professional team who will support this major project moving forward.
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Council Successful in Bid to Revitalise Hexagon and Central Library
READING Council has been awarded £19.1 million to revitalise Reading’s cultural offer by transforming the much-loved Hexagon Theatre and building a modern new Central Library. The Council is one of a number of local authorities to be awarded the money as part of the Government’s ‘Levelling Up’ funding pot, announced yesterday (Jan 18).
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Hours of taped talks with Samuel Beckett get new home
Private recordings of playwright, novelist and poet Samuel Beckett, hidden away for three decades, have been donated to the University of Reading’s Beckett archive, the largest collection of materials relating to the Nobel prize-winning author in the world.
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Reading Council wins prestigious national accolade for Reading Arts & Venues
READING BOROUGH COUNCIL’S Sports, Leisure and Cultural Service team has been announced as the winner at the APSE, Association for Public Service Excellence Service Awards.
The national awards recognises the best and most innovative local authorities, focusing on the delivery of frontline services and seeks to celebrate those councils who are achieving excellent results in a wide range of different service areas.
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