The Slough Arts Festival will go ahead as planned this April after securing a new venue following a sudden cancellation at its usual site in Slough, Berkshire.
The event will now take place at St George’s School in Ascot from 7th April 2026 to 11th April 2026. Organisers confirmed that all competition entries will proceed without any changes to the existing timetable or performance times.
This announcement follows a period of uncertainty for hundreds of young performers and their families after the original venue, Churchmead School in Datchet, withdrew at short notice. The festival is run by the Slough Arts Festival Committee, a registered charity that has been hosting the stage dancing competition since 1941.
Students from local groups like The Dance Academy and Muse School of Dance have spent months preparing for the competition, which welcomes performers up to the age of 21. Although the 2026 event is not a qualifying heat for the All England Dance national competition, it remains an important annual fixture for the community.
The new site on Wells Lane in Ascot offers performing arts facilities including a 300-seat theatre and a dance studio. Organisers expressed gratitude for finding a replacement that allows the 85-year-old tradition to continue without interruption.
