Jelly is Reading's award winning visual arts charity. 

Welcome to episode 5 of the pod! In this episode I chat to an anonymous artist who has been painting the boxes that house all those fuses and wires that only a chosen few know what they are actually for. The artist wishes to remain anonymous, like another artist who recently visited the town, this podcast was recorded before the gaol got their Banksy and social media had already been referring to the box painter as 'Reading Banksy. There are Facebook groups devoted to him.

He speaks about how the boxes have brought joy and colour to the otherwise bleak and lonely lockdown that began in March 2020. The sense of pride that the community of Newtown/Junction have in these artworks is very obvious. Long may they reign!

To find out more check out these links:

Reading Banksy Style Boxes

https://www.facebook.com/groups/215067083612619

Don't Paint Over Our Happiness

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2757143491281741

The artist mentions a few very Reading places that you can check out here:

Sweeney & Todd, 10 Castle St, Reading RG1 7RD http://sweeneyandtodd.co.uk - Best pies in the WORLD (probably)

Up the Junction, 231 London Road, RG1 3NY - https://www.facebook.com/Up-The-Junction-Reading-397688897672/ - Friendly bar and cafe

The Hub, 21 Cholmeley Rd, Reading RG1 3NQ - https://www.aurorafamily.co.uk - A community enterprise running a hub in East Reading, selling coffee, milkshakes, fresh bakes and good conversation! In addition they offer educational support services to vulnerable young people and have a rolling programme of evening activities (covid permitting) for people of all ages.

The Central Club and Black History Mural - https://culturemixarts.co.uk/education/resources/reading-central-club-mural/ - more info and history on Reading's iconic mural.

To help us to continue making our work, developing artists and delivering our education programme you can always make a donation here: 

https://www.justgiving.com/jellyartscentre

Follow us on all the socials using the handle @thejellyreading

We also want to say a huge THANK YOU to Culture Recovery Fund grants programme being administered by Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport for awarding us a grant to help us through this period of crazy times! 

Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture. We have set out our strategic vision in Let’s Create that by 2030 we want England to be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish and where everyone of us has access to a remarkable range of high quality cultural experiences. We invest public money from Government and The National Lottery to help support the sector and to deliver this vision. www.artscouncil.org.uk

Following the Covid-19 crisis, the Arts Council developed a £160 million Emergency Response Package, with nearly 90% coming from the National Lottery, for organisations and individuals needing support. We are also one of several bodies administering the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund and unprecedented support package of £1.57 billion for the culture and heritage sector. Find out more at www.artscouncil.org.uk/covid19

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