Jelly: Making Space for Art

Jelly: Making Space for Art opened at the Welcome Gallery, Reading Museum on Tuesday 22 September, and it's staying put until Saturday 20 February. It's an exhibition about Jelly, the arts organisation that's spent more than 30 years helping shape Reading's creative landscape.

If you've lived here a while, you've probably come across their work without even realising it. Jelly is a charity that's built its reputation on opening doors for emerging artists and helping communities get stuck into contemporary art. They're often billed as the town's most inventive arts organisation, and a good part of that comes from where they work: they don't just stick to studios and galleries, but bring art into unexpected places like high streets, empty shops and community spaces. Over three decades, they've supported artists, championed new ideas and kept contemporary art moving through the town.

The exhibition tells that story by drawing on artworks, photographs, archive material and personal stories. It's as much about the people, projects and partnerships behind the scenes as it is about the art itself, so it gives you a proper look at how one of Reading's most influential arts organisations has actually operated from the inside.

It's free, drop-in access, so you can just wander in whenever suits you. The Welcome Gallery is inside the Reading Museum, and the show runs from 22 September right through to 20 February, giving you plenty of time to catch it.