Partners Theatre Company rehearses for Signal Festival as Swindon readies City of Culture bid

Councillor Jake Chandler, deputy leader of Swindon Borough Council, sat in on a rehearsal by Partners Theatre Company on Monday 6 July 2026, the council reported the same day.

Partners Theatre Company is a project of the Reach Inclusive Arts charity. It is an inclusive performance group for adults with a range of disabilities and health needs. The group was rehearsing Night at the Gallery, a show in which famous paintings come to life to foil a robbery, for Signal Festival, which was due to run from Friday 24 July to Saturday 1 August 2026.

Cllr Chandler said: "Projects like this are at the heart of what makes Swindon such a strong and vibrant community."

Where had the City of Culture bid got to?

• UK City of Culture is a national competition. The winner receives up to £10 million for a year of cultural, heritage and community activity in 2029.
• Swindon was named in March 2026 as one of the final nine places on the longlist.
• The council and Swindon Culture Collective, which lead the bid together, were preparing the full submission, due in August 2026.

The council listed other festivals that make up Swindon's cultural year, among them Swindon Mela, Swindon Paint Fest, Festival of Tomorrow, Shuffle and the Swindon Festival of Literature.

Source: Swindon Borough Council.