What not to miss around Newbury this weekend
September Ceramics
This Saturday and Sunday is the showcase weekend at City Arts September Ceramics, with a rolling programme of demonstrations. You’ll see sculptures being built, clay being coloured and a variety of different surface decoration techniques. If you like getting your hands dirty, you can also have a go at throwing a pot on the potters wheel. These sessions were popular last year and can be booked in advance on the City Arts website www.cityartsnewbury.org There will also be a ceramics raffle, the ‘Up and Coming Makers’ competition and voting for your favourite work. September Ceramics 2024 exhibition at the Hampton Road community arts venue continues to September 22 with a good mix of domestic and sculptural pieces, all made by hand, by someone who’s completely engaged in the act of making. Someone who’s become intrigued by the marvellous material that clay is and who loves exploring what can be done with it. Open Thursdays to Sundays 10am-4pm.
Ablaze the hottest event of the year
This week 101 Outdoor Arts - national Centre for Arts in Public Space celebrates its 10th anniversary and Ablaze, by French street theatre Compagnie Carabosse, has been reprised for three days to mark the occasion.One of the outdoor programme's most spectacular events Ablaze, returns to light up the Kennet & Avon Canal with spectacular fire sculptures and live music this weekend. Take a canalside promenade along the fiery waterside show in celebration of art, community and a decade of outdoor excellence with Corn Exchange Newbury and 101 Outdoor Arts. As dusk turns to dark, the town’s canalside becomes a magical trail of flickering braziers and ingenious installations. Ablaze’s mesmerising display of floating fire sculptures and live music culminates in the spectacular Fire Garden finale at Victoria Park. The trail will be open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, beginning at West Mills swing bridge and will take you on a journey to Victoria Park, lasting about 30-60 minutes. The large-scale outdoor production in Newbury town centre is expected to attract up to 100,000 visitors. It is free of charge but you need to pre-book. Timed entry between 7.30pm – 9.40pm each night. - go to www.cornexchangenew.com
Classic reggae
Don’t let Friday 13 put you off - An Evening of Classic Reggae: Paying Tribute comes to the Corn Exchange from the people who brought you the sell-out hits An Evening of Marvin Gaye, An Evening of Roots, Rock, Reggae and An Evening of Aretha Franklin... The show pays tribute to reggae royalty, the legendary Sir John Holt and crown prince of Reggae Dennis Brown, by bringing together some of the finest reggae musicians in the world in one amazing band, featuring London’s finest, Wayne Hernandez and Delroy Pinnock singing all the hits; Help Me Make It Through The Night, Tide Is High, Money In My Pocket, I’d Love You To Want Me, Morning Of My Life, Love And Hate and many more! Get ready for this old school reggae night!
Photography exhibition
THE Newbury Photography Club 2024 Print Exhibition is currently running at Greenham Common Control Tower, with 40 framed prints from 21 members covering a variety of interests, themes and expertise, including some award winning prints on display. The exhibition runs until October 6 – and maybe later the club say – and is open Wednesday to Friday from10.30am to 3.30pm and Saturday and Sunday 10am to 4pm.
Festival of Arts & Crafts
THERE’s a colourful celebration of all things arts and crafts at The Base, Greenham’s Festival of Arts and Crafts., which runs to Saturday, September 21. In its third year, the festival features a number of vibrant events for all ages to enjoy, including creative Taster Workshops with versions of some of The Base’s most popular workshops and courses such as Drawing with Wire, Silkscreen Printing, Urban Sketching and Pottery Throwing, giving children and adults a chance to experience a variety of crafts first-hand, capturing their imagination and encouraging their creativity in new ways, some of which they may not have been able to explore before. There is also be a Festival of Art Exhibition, featuring local artists’ work in the venue’s Gallery offering visitors the chance to purchase a piece of original art. Visitors can showcase their own creativity for all to see as the Runway Gallery will become a huge chalkboard doodle wall, transforming the space into a collective piece of beautiful art that will evolve over the duration of the festival. https://thebasegreenham.co.uk
The Sky at Night Show
Astronomer and author Adrian West (aka VirtualAstro) brings his successful sell-out and highly-praised show to New Theatre Oxford on Saturday, presenting a glorious visual and thought-provoking experience for everyone that looks up and wonders. The Universe has never been so much fun! A spectacular theatrical experience for all, journeying around the constellations, stars, planets and more, with entertaining stories and the endless possibilities of our future.
Su Pollard
SU Pollard and her accompanist are live on the Corn Exchange stage on Tuesday, celebrating her 50 years in show business! Her new one-woman show, Still Fully Charged, brings a national treasure face-to-face with the adoring public to celebrate the amazing characters she has been fortunate enough to play, friends and colleagues she has met along the way, and the staggering range of music she has performed and recorded throughout her career. www.cornexchangenew.com
