Support

Museums, theatres and the arts open doors to the past and reflect the creative energy of the present. Access to quality culture plays an important part in people's health and well-being. Our aim is to increase participation in culture throughout Reading's diverse communities, and to improve access to arts facilities for all. Your financial support is vital. Funds raised by Viva Reading! go directly into community outreach programmes across cultural services, encouraging creative learning and active participation in a wide range of activities.

For example, Viva Reading! members support the Museum's nationally recognised Loans Service to bring the past alive in schools across Berkshire. The service has been placing real historic objects in the hands of school children since 1911, helping them make an emotional engagement with history and enhancing the educational experience.

A class exploring a Contact Loan

"The children have gained so much from the loan service. A textbook or video simply cannot compare with the learning experience of touching and examining the objects in the boxes."
Class teacher, St. Michael's Primary School, Reading