Just announced

What's On Reading Awards Ceremony

Mon 23 Mar, 18:30

Join us on 23 March for as we announce the winners of the What's On Awards 2026, celebrating the people, places and events that made our town such a vibrant cultural space in the last year!

As well as the award ceremony, this is an opportunity for the creators, lovers and supporters of arts, culture and heritage #inrdg to get together and let our collective hair down. It's the perfect chance to mingle, cheer, and enjoy a fantastic company.

And the nominees are...

Event of the year

A festival, a gig, a show… whatever! Your pick for the best single event of 2025.

A Christmas Carol (Reading Rep Theatre)
Beauty and the Beast (The Hexagon)
Diwali Light it Up!
East Reading Festival
Find the Flock: Shaun the Sheep trail
GLOW Lantern Parade
PACT's Reading's Big Quiz
Reading Children's Festival
Reading Water Fest
Reading’s Digital Revolution (Reading Museum)

Event of the year is open to the public vote - vote now
Voting closes at midnight on Sunday 22 March

Creative Skills Award

Celebrating the people, places and projects that are all about giving back, sharing skills and nurturing talent for future success, from venues and organisations that teach classes and workshops, to events that support personal and professional growth.

Berkshire and Henley Dance
Jenny Brown, Swing Factory
Seamus Allen - What's The Game Improv

Creative Wellbeing Award

Celebrating those creative activities that help people feel better in their body and mind, or which support preventative action and behaviours to aid mental and physical wellbeing.

Becoming Mums
Reading Bhangra group
Real Time

Cultural Ambassador Award

An event, organisation, individual or venue that represents Reading on a wider stage, or that promotes recognition of Reading as a cultural destination. This could be an event that brings out-of-town audiences to Reading, or a local organisation that has flown the flag on a national stage.

Deadlocked Escape Rooms
Future Transmissions
Mates Rates Comedy Club

Cultural Partnership Award

An event or project where two or more local organisations, individuals or venues have joined up to create something wonderful. This could be partnerships within the cultural sector or outside of that, such as with community groups or local businesses.

Becoming Mums - Creative Motherhood Project
Reading Bike Hub
Whitley Carnival

Diversity Award

An event, activity, person, group or place that has delivered significant work for or with under-represented groups, including recognition for accessibility within arts, culture and heritage.

Reading Museum/Kala The Arts - The Art of Dance from the Indian Subcontinent
Rising Sun Arts Centre
Thomson Chauke

Film & Screen Award

Celebrates a person, independent film, short production, local cinema initiative, outdoor screening series, or film-based community project that has significantly enriched Reading’s film culture in the past year.

Maria Trevis – “Just A Mum”
Through A Different Lens

Heritage Award

Recognising the people and places dedicated to preserving Reading’s cultural and natural heritage, ensuring it is celebrated, understood, and shared with future generations. This could be a museum or heritage site, an organisation that celebrates local history, or an individual who lives and loves Reading’s past.

Jane Austen 250
PACT's Reading's Big Quiz
Yota Dimitriadi – Reading Old Cemetery

One To Watch Award

Recognising the unsung heroes who have made bold steps in the past year. This could be a newcomer to the cultural scene, an innovator who’s done something truly different, or a stalwart of the scene quietly doing things that more people should be paying attention to.

Giddhasise
Reading Bhangra Group
Reading Bike Hub

Sustainability Award

Recognising those who have delivered work sustainably or set sustainability targets within the events they have delivered, or those projects that integrate cultural expression with environmental awareness.

Museums Partnership Reading (The MERL and Reading Museum)
Reading Bike Hub
Reading Borough Council – Leading Sustainable Transformation Across Reading’s Events

Youth Culture Award

Celebrating youth involvement in cultural initiatives and the importance of arts and culture within education. This could range from young individuals or groups, to youth-focused projects or organisations, to someone that has delivered an educational project, to a school that has delivered something within the cultural sphere.