The Beacon Arts and Community Centre has been a hub for arts and community activities in the town and the surrounding areas since 2014.

A report will be presented to the Vale of White Horse District Council’s cabinet on Friday, May 30, outlining plans to enhance the centre’s future.

Councillors will review the success of measures introduced over the past year and consider proposals for the next phase of improvements.

In February 2024, the centre announced a new action plan aimed at securing a sustainable and ‘best value’ future for the centre.

The Beacon in Wantage (Image: Vale of White Horse District Council) It aimed to offer a range of live performances, community classes, and hire opportunities.

Since the announcement of the action plan, improvements at The Beacon have included the introduction of National Theatre Live screenings, monthly afternoon cinema events, live music acts such as Taylor Swift and ABBA tributes, and a sell-out family production, A Winter’s Tale, at Christmas.

Last month, Wantage Literary Festival, with the support of The Beacon, reintroduced a café to the venue, and volunteers now run ‘Brews and Books’ on weekday mornings.

Plans are also underway to give the centre a revamp with an investment of £285,000 to improve customer experience at the venue.

Work will include changes to the layout of the reception area, a facelift for the toilets, and some changes to the exterior of the entrance.

Councillor Helen Pighills, cabinet member for community health and wellbeing at the district council, said: “The Beacon is such a great venue and we want to see it going from strength to strength.

“Like many community and arts organisations, it was hit hard by the pandemic but we are now seeing visitors return and the bigger programme of events and activities and the introduction of the café means that The Beacon can be a go-to location for people to pop in and connect with others and the council can support community initiatives at the heart of Wantage.”

As part of the second phase of the action plan, councillors will be asked to approve a pathway for a new Culture, Heritage, and Creative Industries Strategy, which will be adopted next summer.

It will focus on working closely with national organisations such as Arts Council England and The National Lottery Heritage Fund for funding opportunities, allowing the council to raise the level of ambition for the centre and align the plans they have for the district as a whole, to improve and enhance the arts and culture activities across the vale.

The council will also work with Oxfordshire County Council’s Museums and Heritage Service to help develop the strategy.

Councillor Pighills added: “The continued improvements to The Beacon and the introduction of the new Culture, Heritage, and Creative Industries Strategy shows how important we see the arts and culture sector in the district both now and in the future.”

The Beacon continues to promote initiatives that support the health and wellbeing of users, with the focus on ‘It’s Your Beacon’ so residents can make the community centre a place that works for them and meets the needs of its users.

The Culture, Heritage, and Creative Industries plans are a long-term vision for the council’s ambition for the arts and culture sector in the Vale and will focus work to be undertaken from 2026-2030.

The strategy will incorporate work being carried out by South Oxfordshire District Council and Cornerstone Arts Centre.