CultureMix Arts & Music Centre
BEST FOR
Ages 7+
ENTRY
Free
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
Reading
What it’s like
Steel pan, drum kit lessons and a Friday reggae night for young people aged 7 and up, with the under-16s workshop free to join.
This is a music centre first, not a soft-play sort of stop. Kids aged 7 and up can learn steel pan in the Steel Band Workshop, and it costs nothing if they're under 16 (over-16s pay £10). There's also 1-2-1 drum kit tuition and the Jazzrobeat Collective, a term-time course for 12 to 18 year olds mixing Afro Jazz, Funk and Reggae, which is free but capped at 16 places, so it fills up.
If your teenager doesn't own an instrument, that's not necessarily a barrier. The centre has drum kits and a small number of keyboards you can use on the Jazzrobeat course, though if you play guitar, bass or anything with a horn, you'll need to bring your own. Reading or playing by ear both work; you don't need to read music, though knowing your way round a simple chord chart helps.
Friday nights shift the mood entirely, with Reggae Collective sessions running from 7pm to 11:30pm and live band showcases at £10 (sound system veterans nights are £5). That's clearly an evening thing rather than a family afternoon, so plan the daytime visits around the earlier weekday hours instead, Tuesday and Thursday being the longest days if you want more choice of when to turn up.
One thing worth flagging: opening times can shift about, and the centre suggests you get in touch to arrange a visit rather than assuming the posted hours are fixed. Parking nearby is free for the first two hours on a few side streets a short walk away, or there's paid parking at the Broad Street Mall or Reading Civic B car park if you need longer.
What’s on here
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- 7 to 18, with teens getting the most from the courses on offer
- Parking
- Free for up to 2 hours in Russell Street, Waylen Street and Zinstan Street (6-8 mins walk)
- Pushchairs
- Children aged 7-9 must be accompanied by an adult for the steel band workshop sessions
- Getting there by bus or train
- 10 minute walk from Reading Railway Station
- Jazzrobeat Collective only runs during term time, not holidays
- Friday nights are an evening event, not a daytime family session
- Bring your own instrument for guitar, bass or horn parts on the Jazzrobeat course
- It's a 10 minute walk from Reading station if you're coming by train
Plan your visit
What's the minimum age?
Seven, and children aged 7 to 9 need an adult with them for the steel band workshop sessions.
How much does it cost?
The steel band workshop is free for under-16s and £10 for over-16s. Friday reggae nights are £5 or £10 depending on the event, and the Jazzrobeat Collective course is free.
Do we need to book?
There's a booking link for sessions, and the Jazzrobeat Collective in particular goes live before term starts with only 16 places, so don't hang about.
My teenager doesn't play an instrument, can they still join Jazzrobeat?
There are drum kits and a few keyboards on site to use. If it's guitar, bass or a horn instrument, they'll need to bring their own.
Do you need to read music?
No. Understanding a simple chord chart helps, but playing by ear is fine too.
What if we miss a Jazzrobeat session?
That's fine, you get access to the course repertoire and music so you can catch up in your own time.
Is there parking nearby?
Free parking for up to two hours on Russell Street, Waylen Street or Zinstan Street, about a 6 to 8 minute walk. Broad Street Mall and Reading Civic B car park are the paid options if you need more time.
What are the opening hours?
They vary by day, roughly midday to evening Tuesday and Thursday, later afternoons Monday and Wednesday, and Friday nights run 7pm to 11:30pm for the reggae events. Times can shift, so it's best to get in touch to arrange your visit.
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