About Us

The East Reading gas tower was an icon of the Newtown horizon for over a century. Whether you were coming to Reading by train, or walking back into Newtown from the park, the gas tower let you know you were nearly there. In the past, you could tell the weather (and the demand for gas) by whether the tanks were high or low. The tower was demolished in 2022 - but its legacy lives on in the work of many local artists and writers.

During the Covid lockdowns over 100 artists contributed paintings, poetry and photography to our online Gas Tower Gallery - a digital exhibition celebrating the gas tower.

Since then we've held three live exhibitions: Farewell to the Gas Tower at St John and St Stephen's Church, A Walk along the Kennet at the Fisherman's Cottage, and Terraces and Towpaths at the Jolly Angler's.

We continue to celebrate community art with #artinuniquespaces, a series of Reading-inspired art exhibitions which are free to all. We aim to encourage creativity and make art accessible to everyone - whether you're an amateur or professional artist, whether you fancy trying your hand at a bit of collage or photography, or whether you simply enjoy seeing art on the walls of your local pub or a nearby church. Find out about our current exhibitions here.

The gas tower also plays a starring role in a children's picture book, Alina Saves The Moon. Don't miss this fantastic story about girl power, teamwork and a dramatic rescue!