Learning & Participation Volunteers
Help out with some of our regular performing and visual arts-based groups, projects and events.
Teacher Network CPD sessions
Supporting young people’s mental health and wellbeing
A six-part course for children and young people motivating them to take responsibility for their own physical, mental and emotional, social, educational and holistic wellbeing. The course can be tailored to both the Primary Curriculum and as a KS3 course for young people. Sessions focus on creative, interactive arts activities based around the nationally-recognised 5 ways to wellbeing, in order to create meaningful, positive change in young people’s daily lives.
This course could also be designed as a series of podcasts or a 3 day intensive course for those aged 15 – 18, delivered at the Corn Exchange for a small cohort by referral.
Developing Life Skills is a one-day drama-based course tailored to ages 15 – 18 (years 10 – 13) to help equip young people with the interactions skills useful for the workplace. It has been designed to support the development of young people by increasing their confidence, encouraging positive thinking and helping to raise their aspirations. Students are often selected by the schools involved to provide the opportunity for those who they know will most benefit from support with social interaction, self confidence and communication. Content addresses teamwork, ‘How do I fit in?’, voice impact, positive thinking and presenting skills through drama games and reflective practice. Sessions are led by professional drama practitioners.
These sessions may also be developed to be led as an out of school session at the Corn Exchange or as a series of online sessions.
Mental health and creative arts support for Year 5/6 pupils.
The Corn Exchange has a well-established reputation in West Berkshire for delivering high quality arts provision and for using the arts as a tool for children and young people’s artistic and cultural development.
This one-off hour-long workshop has been created because we understand that transitioning to Secondary school is an exciting and important milestone in a child’s life but that it can also be a time of intense emotion, fear and mental ill-health. This session provides a variety of tools to help with resilience, stress and anxiety though a period of change.
A creative writing project culminating in original poetry based on a chosen theme. This has been an intergenerational project in the past, collaborating with local care settings and creating partnerships with local schools, Primary and Secondary. The project run usually as a course of 4 x creative sessions culminating in a rehearsal and performance/ sharing session of the groups’ works.
A six-week literacy and drama project (6 x 2 hours) exploring Roald Dahl’s classic texts and rehearsing an adaptation of one of the stories. The project culminates in each school involved joining other local schools for a performance on the Corn Exchange main stage! The project takes place annually in the summer term.
If you are interested in finding out more about one of our courses or have any questions, please get in touch with us at getinvolved@cornexchangenew.co.uk or phone the box office on 01635 522733
Help out with some of our regular performing and visual arts-based groups, projects and events.
Ever fancied operating a giant insect through the streets of Newbury or being part of a tale of hope and redemption that involves dynamic promenade action, stilts, aerial performance, soaring music, fire and pyro techniques…? Then this could be the opportunity for you!
Join us every Thursday for a social stitching session!
Join us for Coffee Companions, every Thursday morning in our Café Bar!
Join our team of front of house volunteers at events
Join us on the first Wednesday of each month at Café B for this Coffee & Crafts session.
Perfect for absolute beginners, this one-day workshop gives you all the essentials to start your crochet journey with confidence.
Join stained glass artist Emy Mills and create your very own stained glass panel!
Join artist Gemma Kirby in the Balcony Bar for our fun pre-show workshop.
Explore, experiment, and create together!
Join Yvonne de Savigny to learn how to create a needle felting landscape.
Fancy trying something a little different? Want to learn a new skill and create a unique piece of silver jewellery?
Come and spend a relaxing session learning the ancient art of Indian block printing.
Give yourself an evening to feel rejuvenated and quiet that busy brain.
Join us in our Balcony Bar for your little ones to explore the world of music and sounds.
If you love fashion and being creative, this workshop is for you!
Make and paint a decorative seasonal pinch pot in clay.
Get ready for Halloween by designing and screen printing your own unique bag for Trick or Treating.
Our summer holiday art club is supersized! Join our art club for a fun filled adventure! Try out exciting new media's and work on your own project.
Join artist Gemma Kirby in the Balcony Bar for our fun pre-show workshop.
Complete your Arts Award Discover award, in three fun-filled sessions at central Newbury venues.
Help us create our annual illuminated lantern display for The Base's festive season.
This October half term, join us for some arts and crafts, drama and more!
Sip, paint and get spooky!
Get into the spooky spirit this Halloween with a fun-filled mask-making workshop.
Creating a stylish and practical tote you’ll be proud to carry.
Be inspired by the exhibition Lines of Influence: 20th Century Printmaking and explore the art of lino cut printing with printmaker Charlotte Adcock.
Explore a variety of mixed media techniques using wax, watercolors, inks, pastels, acrylics, and more.
Join Fi from Fitter Mother, a qualified post-natal specialist, for this gentle and low-impact Post-natal Pilates class.
Under the expertise of Sally Haynes extend your practice and explore art with all your senses, and a variety of media and methods.
Join Tessa Kirby for this painting course, focusing on watercolour and pastel techniques.
Nathan Detroit (Frank Sinatra), the fixer of New York's longest established floating crap game, is feeling the heat on all sides.
Experience the vibrant rhythms of Latin America without needing a partner!
Join the Berkshire Printmakers for this fun, creative hands on Silkscreen Printing on Paper course suitable for absolute beginners or as a refresher course for those with some screen printing experience.
Improve your mood and reduce anxiety and stress while building better balance, strength and flexibility with this low impact Chinese exercise.
Sing, smile, and move to the music!
Try your hand at silkscreen printing and join Berkshire Printmakers for a fun introductory session to learn the basic techniques of this heritage craft.
Guided by Base resident artist Ellie Kerr-Smiley, develop your artistic skills in this relaxed art class.
Join us for our Cinema Club, where you can enjoy a screening in our cinema before coming together to talk about it with fellow film fans.
Develop your theatre practice in this exciting series of expert-led masterclasses.
A fun introduction to printmaking with Charlotte Adcock.
Lay down and relax to the soothing tones of quartz crystal bowls, Tibetan singing bowls, Wind Chimes, Native American Flute, Guitar, Percussion instruments blended together with digital effects to create a truly unique and immersive experience.
Our monthly Memory Café's are for people living with dementia and their carers.
Join artist Gemma Kirby for these fun messy story sessions that are based around popular children’s books.
Rev up your Monday mornings for the ultimate blend of inspiration, incredible cars, camaraderie and the joy of photography.
Designed to support children in school years 3 – 6 (KS2) who are home educated.
Work with Emma Mayo to learn the basics in Waltz, Cha-Cha-Cha, Slow Rhythm, Rumba, and Quickstep.
Work with Emma Mayo to continue developing steps and variations in Waltz, Cha-Cha-Cha, Slow Rhythm, Rumba, and Quickstep as well as introduce new dances and rhythms.
Sing and socialise as part of a community singing group.
Boost your fitness and flexibility in a friendly setting.
Join one of our creative practitioners for these exciting stay and play sessions.
Open to children in school years 3 – 6 (KS2) who are home educated, our junior drama sessions provide a fun interactive introduction to drama.
Enjoy singing in these relaxed, wellbeing sessions.
Ever wondered what a career as an artist looks like, or how you get into it?
Join Judith Needham to make willow Christmas decorations.
Join stained glass artist Emy Mills and create your very own festive stained glass panel!
Come and create your very own lantern for the lantern procession, Festival of Light 2025.
Reuse Reduce Recycle! Here is a workshop that will help with all three!
Learn the ancient art of Indian block printing with Homemade by Mils and Mum.
Create your own Christmas cards in this fun packed festive workshop with Charlotte Adcock
Enjoy creating your own unique glass wreath or festive decorations and gifts in this seasonal workshop.
Calling all film fans!
Explore the arts and crafts of cultures around the world and master them yourselves in our weekly World Crafts workshops.
Starring Judy Garland, this musical follows the Smith family though a year in their life beginning in Summer 1903, leading up to the St. Louis World’s Fair of 1904.
The Hilarious Low-Down on High Life!
S'Wonderful! S'Marvelous! ...She's the fairest lady of all!
Everybody remembers it how they need to.