Exhibitions
During each show and event, the Progress Theatre foyer is turned into an exhibition room showcasing work by local artists.
‘Meet the artist’ events are sometimes held before the evening performance of a show, offering an engaging insight into the artist’s process, story and their work.
Find out about exhibiting your own work >
OCTOBER 2026
Acorn Open Studios: From tiny acorns grow mighty oaks!
Acorn Open Studios takes place across east Berkshire over the weekend of 7-8 November 2026.
It is a new open studio trail, now in its third year, aiming to answer the question "what do artists do all day?". It hopes to increase access to art, share the secrets of the creative process and offer visitors the chance to buy an original piece direct from the artist or makers’ studio.
With 28 studios spread from Reading to Maidenhead to Sandhurst, you won’t be able to walk this trail, but you will be able to see behind the scenes of a diverse group of painters, print makers, sculptors and ceramicists.
In this exciting mixed show at Progress Theatre, coinciding with the Dance Nation production, you can catch a glimpse the work of all 30 artists in one place.
Friday 16 October, 6.30pm - Meet the Acorn Artists
Meet the people behind the work, hear about the ideas and stories that inspire them, and enjoy a wonderful exhibition of original art.
This free event will be held in the Progress Theatre foyer ahead of the evening performance of Dance Nation.
NOVEMBER 2026
Clare Forgie
Since dedicating herself to developing her art in 2021, Clare has experienced a meteoric rise in the wildlife art world. She has been a finalist in several prestigious competitions, including The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation's Wildlife Artist of the Year.
Clare has developed a free-flowing style allowing watercolour paint to find its own way on the paper, and sometimes by blowing it. She wants the paint to connect and flow on the paper or canvas. The links created through the paint, are symbolic of life on earth; we are all connected.
Clare is instinctively drawn to injustice and wants to provide a voice for the underdog. She spotlights mankind's conflict with wildlife, particularly topics such as poaching and the illegal pet trade.
However, it is not always about mankind's negative impact; predators cannot survive without their prey. Exploring this interaction as well as the behaviours of wildlife can remind the viewer that the adorable eyes of a wolf or lion has it's more sinister side.
Clare donates artwork or a proportion of the selling price to a number of charities including Orangutan Veterinary Aid, Forensic Response UK, Explorers Against Extinction and David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation.