Swindon's Signal Festival shortlisted for national arts education award

Signal Festival is a finalist in the Inspirational Local Partnership category of the National Arts and Cultural Education Awards 2026, Swindon24 reported on Wednesday 14 October 2026. It was shortlisted alongside organisations from Manchester, Salford and Brixton.

The awards are run by the arts education charity Curious Minds, which had more than 250 entries across ten categories, judged by a panel of 25. Winners were due to be announced on Wednesday 21 October at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.

What is Signal Festival?

It is a week-long festival of music, dance, theatre, poetry, film and visual arts for people aged nine to 25, launched by the Swindon charity Prime Theatre and now in its third year. Young producers lead the planning and promotion, with Prime Theatre's support.

The 2026 festival ran from 24 July to 1 August:

• more than 40 events at over ten venues, including Town Gardens, the Richard Jefferies Museum and The Platform
• more than 80 organisations, artists and creative practitioners involved
• free and low-cost events, to open the arts to young people from different backgrounds

Partners have included Swindon Borough Council, Museum and Art Swindon, Create Studios, BBC Wiltshire and the National Trust.

Dr Nick Capstick OBE, Chair of Prime Theatre's trustees, said: "We're delighted that Signal Festival has been recognised in this year's National Arts and Cultural Education Awards."

The report did not cover the result of the awards.

Source: Swindon24.