Penguins on Tour!
Arts Alive are thrilled to be able to offer (funded by Arts Council England) a mini tour of the children’s show Penguins by Jam Jar Theatre Company – an immersive and sensory show for little ones, performed inside a pop-up igloo!
Over 300 children at schools in the Shrewsbury and Telford area will get to join Noah, a little boy determined to follow in David Attenborough’s big footsteps, and travel to Antarctica to meet his favourite animal – the penguin!
The shows theme of climate change, and the power of imagination, make this show a perfect addition to the winter season of events in schools and community spaces.
Arts Alive Announces a Brand New Season of Live Events – With a £10 Early Bird Offer!
Arts Alive is thrilled to launch its vibrant new season of live events, running from 5th February to 25th April 2026, and bursting with an eclectic mix of theatre, music, storytelling, comedy, family performances and unforgettable cultural experiences. From gripping dramas to toe-tapping gigs, hilarious interactive shows and beautifully crafted family theatre, this season celebrates creativity in all its forms.
To mark the occasion, we’re offering an exciting Early Bird discount – £10 tickets for eligible performances* booked through the Arts Alive website between 1st December 2025 and 26th January 2026. It’s the perfect chance to secure your favourites before they sell out.
Season Highlights
Audiences can look forward to an extraordinary line-up including:
- Joe H Henry – A powerhouse singer-songwriter with a “voice as powerful as a freight train,” blending folk, soul, rhythm & blues, and stories drawn from a remarkable life journey.
- The Home – A moving, visually rich production from Open Sky, based on writer Gill Parsons’ own lived experience, merging new writing, physical theatre and evocative sound design.
- Game Show Show – A hilarious, community-fuelled quiz-night spectacle packed with trivia, games, poetry, gossip and prizes.
- Vo Fletcher – A musical journey through the Summer of Love with stories, guitar mastery, and hits from the ’60s.
- The 3 Little Pig Tails – A heart-warming, funny and fully interactive family show from Garlic Theatre, complete with puppets, music and a French twist.
- My Car Plays Tapes – John Osborne’s wonderfully nostalgic storytelling show about music, memory and rural touring.
- The Ballad of Mulan – A gripping retelling of the real legend behind the iconic warrior, from Grist to the Mill and Red Dragonfly.
- Let Us Take You to Paris – A gorgeous musical voyage through the golden age of French chanson from Fifi and Oliver.
- Juliet & Romeo (Lost Dog) – A smart, witty, dance-theatre comedy exploring what happened after Shakespeare’s lovers didn’t die young.
- Eyes Down – A riotous, interactive bingo-theatre murder mystery full of twists, tension and real prizes.
- Wonder Women – Pianist and storyteller Sarah Hagen shines a light on overlooked women composers of the 18th and 19th centuries.
- Arthur Coates & Kerran Cotterell – Genre-blending contemporary folk, spellbinding harmonies and joyful showmanship.
- Mark Harrison Band – A truly original blend of blues, roots and folk from one of the UK’s most characterful musical storytellers.
- A Noise Annoys – A joyful, hilarious poetry-and-sound performance for all ages, packed with rhymes, props, and delightful nonsense.
- Crumbs – A riotous comedy about reinvention, baking, and Internet fame – complete with baked treats for the audience.
- Sarah McQuaid – A rich, immersive evening with one of the most distinctive voices and musicians in contemporary folk.
With so many genres represented, there’s truly something for everyone.
Book Early and Save
The £10 Early Bird Offer is available 1st December 2025 to 26th January 2026 for selected performances throughout February to April 2026 when booked via the Arts Alive website. Don’t miss your chance to enjoy world-class performances in your local venues, at an unbeatable price!
Find out more & book onlineArts Alive and Telford Theatre on Tour Join Forces to Bring Live Performance to Local Communities
Arts Alive is proud to announce an exciting new partnership with Telford Theatre on Tour, working together to ensure communities across the borough continue to enjoy high-quality live events while the Telford Theatre undergoes major refurbishment.
As part of this collaboration, a dynamic programme of theatre, music and spoken word will tour to venues across the region, including The Anstice, Belmont Hall, Cosy Hall, and Dawley Town Hall. The partnership brings together Arts Alive’s expertise in rural touring with Telford Theatre’s commitment to cultural provision, ensuring continuity of access to live performance for audiences of all ages.
Hannah Prior, Artistic Director at Arts Alive, commented:
“We’re thrilled to be working alongside Telford Theatre on Tour. It’s a partnership built on shared values – a belief that great live performance should be accessible in every community. We’re particularly excited to bring bold, diverse and joyful work into venues that are at the heart of local life.”
Debbie King Theatre & Programming Manager at Telford Theatre, added:
“Telford Theatre is currently closed for refurbishment, but that hasn’t stopped us. This partnership with Arts Alive enables us to maintain a vibrant cultural offer across the borough, supporting venues and reaching audiences in new ways.”
The partnership launches with performances from the Autumn/Winter 2025 season, with more dates to be announced as the collaboration develops into 2026 and beyond.
Upcoming Shows:
Klezmer Foygl Band – Saturday 11th October, 7.30pm, Dawley Town Hall
Grandad Anansi – Sunday 2nd November, 2pm, Belmont Hall (performance contains BSL interpreter)
Done To Death, By Jove – Friday 5th December, 7.30pm, Cosy Hall, Newport
Tickets are available from: www.ticketstelford.com
New Touring Season Announced: 35+ Live Performances Coming to Local Venues this Autumn and Winter
Arts Alive is delighted to announce the launch of our Autumn / Winter 2025 live events season, bringing an inspiring new programme of live theatre, music, storytelling, and family entertainment to rural communities across Shropshire, Herefordshire, Telford & Wrekin and beyond.
Public booking opens on Monday 1st September, with more than 35 performances taking place between October and December in village halls, community centres, and arts venues throughout the region.
This season, we are proud to showcase a wide variety of shows that celebrate powerful storytelling, world-class musicianship, bold ideas and magical moments for all ages.
What’s On This Season
Some highlights from the programme include:
• Heidi Talbot – An intimate evening of Celtic folk with the acclaimed singer-songwriter.
• Jekyll & Hyde – A gripping and fast-paced adaptation of the gothic classic.
• The Great Baldini’s Family Magic Show – Laughter and wonder for audiences young and old.
• How Reggae Changed the World – A vibrant musical journey through the history of reggae.
• Penguins – A heartwarming festive dance performance perfect for families.
• Klezmer Foygl, Daisy Chapman, Jali Bakary Konteh, and more exciting musical guests.
The season begins on Thursday 2nd October and runs through to Thursday 18th December, with performances in over 25 rural venues.
As always, we are committed to working in close partnership with local volunteers and venue promoters to bring unforgettable arts experiences to the places people live. Whether you’re looking for a great night out, a magical family afternoon, or a dose of cultural adventure – this season offers something for everyone.
Booking Information
The full schedule will be available to view from 1st September on our website, with links to book tickets through each local venue.
Visit: www.artsalive.co.uk to explore the season and plan your next live event experience.
Off Grid – Applications Open
The Courtyard Hereford and Arts Alive proudly present Off Grid – a ‘scratch night’ showcasing the brightest emerging and experienced talent across all art forms.
From raw scripts to avant-garde choreography, soul-stirring poetry to innovative short films, Off Grid offers a unique opportunity to experience art in its purest form – daring, unfiltered, and on the cutting edge of creativity.
Artists performing as part of Off Grid (on Tuesday 21st October, UK) will need to apply to be part of the event and a selection panel of industry professionals will make a final selection of artists to allocate performance slots to.
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Flicks Rural Remix
Flicks in the Sticks, our flagship cinema initiative running for 25 years in rural communities, is teaming up with four independent cinemas for the Rural Remix event in Shropshire…
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Our new website is live!
Welcome to our new website – we hope you are finding your way around and discovering something new about Arts Alive. This site is still in beta and we would love to hear your feedback – the good, the bad and the ugly! Please take 2mins to complete this short feedback form:
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Become an Arts Alive Trustee
We are seeking new Trustees to join our Board.
If you are interested to find out more about what we do and how YOU can play a vital role in shaping our future, download the Trustee Recruitment Pack here:
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