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On Friday 17th October, Wellington College will host its annual ‘Festival of the Arts’ bringing together pupils from local schools to celebrate creativity and community. The special event is a showcase of the incredible arts initiatives supported by the Wellington College Arts Fund (WCAF) which marks its 5-year anniversary this year.
Held in the G.W.A Performing Arts Centre at Wellington College, the evening event will be hosted by professional actor and Old Wellingtonian, Michael Ahomka-Lindsay. Tickets are open to the public and can be purchased here from £5 with all proceeds going to the WCAF.
The packed programme includes performances from pupils at The Wavell School, Ranelagh School, Garth Hill College, Artemis College, St Crispin’s School, Windsor Boys’ School, Wellington College Prep School and Wellington College. The show will feature musical theatre, pop and rock performances as well as contemporary dance, ballet and comedy. A collaborative art exhibition featuring local schools will also be on display in the foyer.
Since 2020, the Wellington College Arts Fund has distributed over £135,000 in grants to more than 70 local primary and secondary state schools funding music lessons, dance workshops, technical drama equipment, art resources and more.
In June 2025, Wellington’s Parent Arts Ambassadors, led by Chair Nicola Hogan, organised a silent auction at The Royal College of Music, raising over £12,000 for the WCAF. A wide range of lots was on offer from concert tickets to unique holiday experiences, artwork and signed books. Parents, friends and OWs supported the auction enthusiastically and there was plenty of energetic last-minute bidding as the auction came to a close. The College would like to say a huge thank you to all who took part and to the Parent Ambassadors for raising such a phenomenal sum.
“Since the fund began, we have had such enthusiastic parent supporters, assisting with raising money and raising its profile. The event at the Royal College of Music, which also included wonderful performances by OWs and present students, raised a staggering amount of money for the fund.” – Simon Williamson, Director of Arts & Music, Wellington College
Grants from the Arts Fund support numerous creative projects for our partner schools. Ash Manor School in Guildford used their grant to start a wind band, while Ranelagh School in Bracknell were able to fund the staging to create immersive drama performances like Bugsy Malone. In 2024 a grant was awarded to Hatch Ride Primary School in Crowthorne to fund a term of recorder lessons delivered by Berkshire Music Trust for 120 KS2 pupils.
Simon Williamson, Director of Music at Wellington says “an involvement in the arts is a vital part of every child’s education and cultural upbringing. We are hugely excited to see the local talent on display at the Festival of the Arts.”
To book tickets for ‘Festival of the Arts’ on Friday 17th October, visit: Festival of the Arts tickets
To find out more about Wellington College Arts Fund grants, please visit Grants & Donations – Wellington College or contact: thearts@wellingtoncollege.org.uk
