Latest news

What's On Reading Cultural Champions - finalists announced!

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.

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 - and how you can join us at the ceremony!

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Pancakes & Sunshine = broad smiles on Broad Street

Reading’s Broad Street saw a flurry of pancakes on Shrove Tuesday as Launchpad’s 27th annual Pancake Race took place, raising £11,898.36 (and counting!) for the charity’s essential services supporting those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in Reading. 25 cracking teams, representing local businesses and community groups competed for first place and the chance to claim the famous frying pan trophy.

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BBC Radio Berkshire Make a Difference Awards 2025 launched!

For the fourth year, BBC Radio Berkshire wants to celebrate and say thank you to people living in our villages and towns who make where we live a better place. Whether it’s caring for someone in need, being a brilliant neighbour, or inspiring children in the classroom, if you know someone who is really making a difference to your life or where you live, then you can nominate them for an Award.

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Celebrate Jane Austen 250 in Reading

Global celebrations marking a major milestone for one of the world’s most famous authors will centre on places associated with Austen, particularly in Hampshire and Bath. But Reading aims to bring a new perspective to the year-long celebrations – by giving fans the chance to visit a site connected to the writer that they have likely never seen before.

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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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Jelly launches new community art project: All Roads - Migration Stories

Jelly is delighted to be supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to record and celebrate women's migration stories to Reading and secure them for future generations of the community to learn from in the form of oral histories and textile art. They are asking women to share the textiles and textile skills that they brought with them when they travelled, to explore the crossovers of cultural making techniques with shared practice. 

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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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