Your What's On Reading Cultural Champions for 2024 are...

27th March 2025

The first What's On Reading Cultural Champions event was a massive success! Eleven certificates were awarded followed by a fantastic celebration at Double-Barrelled Brewery.

What's On Reading is Visit Reading's sister-site, and in just the last year alone it has listed approx 2500 different events, activities and workshops, transforming the way residents and visitors stay informed of Reading's year-round calendar of events.

To celebrate their 5th year since going live, those working on the site organised a fantastic event to celebrate the Reading residents who make a massive cultural impact in their town.

It truly was a celebration of the massive amount of love Reading has for arts, culture and heritage, with some wonderfully deserving winners (and equally-deserving runners-up). It was great to see so many of Reading's representatives under one roof, getting to know each other and enjoying their mutual achievements!

𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒔 a𝒓𝒆...

Champion For Reading

• Reading Male Voice Choir

Community Leadership & Skill Development Champion

• Dance with Sonia Brown

Creative Wellbeing Champion

• No5 Young People (School Transitions project)

Cultural Partnership Champion

• Creative Connection (Through a Different Lens and Partners)

Cultural Rising Star

• D'Lecter Cabaret

Diversity Champion

• Rank & File Theatre

Heritage Champion

• Nick Cooksey (Junction Arch Heritage & Arts)

Sustainability Champion

• Reading Rep Theatre and Jelly - Sustainability Forum

Youth Culture Champion

• Mel Le Breuilly, Music Director of Reading Youth Orchestra

Event of the Year

• Reading Symphony Orchestra and Reading Youth Orchestra's Joint 80th Anniversary Concert

Judges' Award

• Vincent Valere for Bastille Day Festival Reading

Each of these awards is a demonstration of the massive amount of effort, determination and creativity that goes into making Reading a great place to live, from protecting its heritage, to promoting diversity and sustainability, to running fantastic events!

Find out more about the awards and the runners up here: whatsonreading.com/champions and follow What's on Reading on Instagram at @whatsonrdg.