Create and Make (Summer Holidays) - 2025
This summer join us for some creative fun. Activities include arts and crafts, drama and more!
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
This summer join us for some creative fun. Activities include arts and crafts, drama and more!
Immerse yourself in the natural landscape and experience painting in the open air, under the guidance of Base resident artist Richard Francis Bellin.
Dance fans this one is for you!
Our summer holiday art club is supersized! Join our art club for a fun filled adventure! Try out exciting new mediums and work on your own project.
Suitable for beginners and more experienced potters alike: discover the elemental nature of 'raku-firing' with Base resident artist Cáit Gould.
Bring your camera to experience a day with wildlife photographer Simon Booker and gain an insight into the life and techniques of a professional photographer.
Wild about wombats? Fanatical about foxes? Print your own artwork inspired by The Wildlife Photographer of the Year 60 exhibition with Berkshire Printmakers.
Make your own clay animal inspired by Wildlife Photographer of the Year 60.
Join our resident artist Cáit Gould to make your own clay animal in response to the wildlife photographer of the year exhibition.
Spend a fun and creative day with basket maker, Judith Needham, weaving a lifesize sculpture of a Chicken to enhance your garden or perhaps to make a really special gift.
Join member of the judging panel Miranda Lowe CBE for a fascinating insight into the award winning images of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 60.
Ideal for all skill levels, this open level course offers a weekly opportunity to explore new art styles and techniques, guided by artist Yvonne de Savigny.
Join The Base’s resident portrait artist Ellie Kerr-Smiley in this Portrait Masterclass Workshop.
Have fun creating your own hand-built pot in clay and learn to throw on the potters' wheel with Base resident artist Cáit Gould.
Explore the Gallery and creative spaces of The Base through songs, stories, sensory play and movement with professional classical singer Louise Ashdown for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 60 exhibition.
Join us at the Learning Centre for this relaxing class.
Join this free weekly group and learn from a professional photographer about their style, develop your own skills and hear about their career journey.
Enjoy this introduction to painting with the versatile and accessible medium of oil paint with Base resident artist Richard Francis Bellin.
Become a scientist and create your own magical cloud dough before going to see Top Secret! The Magic of Science.
Join us for some creative fun in the school holidays. Activities include arts and crafts, drama and more!
Learn to sketch what you see and experience, from café environments to detailed urban environments, including buildings and people.
Join our art club this half term to experiment with different art techniques and creative projects!
Come along to this relaxed art class for parents or carers with babies under 12 months.
Join us for a relaxing and sociable walk through the countryside to promote creative well-being.
Explore the Gallery and creative spaces of The Base through songs, stories, sensory play and movement with professional classical singer Louise Ashdown for the INSIGHT 2025 - Open Studios exhibition.
A relaxed, first introduction for pre-schoolers to experience live music up close.
Join Michelle White to explore the world of watercolours.
Join artist Gemma Kirby for these fun messy story sessions that are based around popular children’s books.
Have fun this summer getting creative with your little one on Thursdays!
Join us for a session of traditional self-healing, meditation, and self-cultivation exercises originating in ancient China.
Boost your fitness and flexibility in a friendly setting.
Sing and socialise as part of a community singing group.
Ideal for beginners keen to explore new techniques and enhance their skills.
Open to children in school years 3 – 6 (KS2) who are studying at home, our junior drama sessions provide a fun interactive introduction to drama.
Designed to support children in school years 3 – 6 (KS2) who are studying at home.
Discover the endless possibilities of working with clay alongside Base resident artist Cáit Gould.
Level up your painting skills with expert guidance from Base resident artist, Richard Francis Bellin.
Join our specialist LAMDA tutor Amy Trigwell-Jones where you will learn the skills needed to communicate dramatic text whilst exploring style, character and more!
Join jeweller Sandra McArdle for an introduction to silversmithing. Explore the possibilities of silver to design and make your own, elegant, textured ring that you can enjoy wearing with pride.
Join Base resident artist Richard Francis Bellin to explore the abstract world of surrealism.
Explore the wonderful abstract world of surrealist art with Base resident artist Richard Francis Bellin.
Have fun with clay this summer with Susie Oates from Pots of Hope.
Ever wondered what a career as an artist looks like, or how you get into it?
Join us for this fun, creative after school club for children aged 7-11.
Discover the art of life drawing in a relaxed and welcoming environment.
Perfect for those with previous experience of working with oil paint, this course offers the opportunity to experiment with oils and elevate your artistic style with Base resident artist Richard Francis Bellin.
Experience the vibrant rhythms of Latin America without needing a partner!
Join Tessa Kirby for this painting course, focusing on watercolour and pastel techniques.
Join Base resident artist Richard Francis Bellin on an inspiring artistic journey into the mesmerising world of landscape painting.
Explore the Gallery and creative spaces of The Base through songs, stories, sensory play and movement with professional classical singer Louise Ashdown.
Our monthly Memory Café's are for people living with dementia and their carers.
This Easter holiday, join our art club for a fun filled adventure! Try out exciting new media and work on your own project.
Join artist Gemma Kirby in the Balcony Bar for our fun pre-show workshops.
Come and get creative this Easter!
Join us for some creative fun in the school holidays. Activities include arts and crafts, drama and more!
Come and join us for this series of free drop-in workshops for the whole family.
Explore the abstract world of surrealism to create your own mini fold out collage landscapes with Base resident artist Samantha Emmons.
Join Caroline Thomas from Bramble Cottage Flowers to make a living spring wreath.
As part of The Base's Master Crafter season, celebrate spring and explore the Ukrainian folk tradition of Pysanky egg decoration.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, this event will unfortunately no longer be taking place. The Box Office team will be in touch with those who have booked tickets and we apologise for any disappointment.
A relaxed, first introduction for pre-schoolers to experience live music up close.
Join artist Gemma Kirby for these fun messy story sessions that are based around popular children’s books.
Life drawing is the traditional discipline of working from the (usually) naked body.
Enjoy singing in these relaxed, wellbeing sessions
Explore the arts and crafts of cultures around the world and master them yourselves in our weekly World Crafts workshops.
Join us every Thursday for a social stitching session!
Calling all film fans!
Rev up your Monday mornings for the ultimate blend of inspiration, incredible cars, camaraderie and the joy of photography at Podium Place, Newbury
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.
Find out about work experience at the Corn Exchange!
Join us for Coffee Companions, every Thursday morning in our Café Bar!
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!
Help out with some of our regular performing and visual arts-based groups, projects and events.
Join our team of front of house volunteers at events