A VR rave-up, Black Power and Perfect Shows – there’s lots to Care about in Warwick Arts Centre’s Autumn/Winter Season
From pioneering virtual reality experiences and major new theatre works, to ’80s icons and the comedy stars of tomorrow, there’s plenty to look out forward to in Warwick Arts Centre’s Autumn/Winter 2025-2026 Season.
Having premiered Coventry in 2002, the UK’s biggest immersive VR experience, In Pursuit Of Repetitive Beats, returns to it’s spiritual home from 29 September to 13 October 2025.
Following successful residences in over a dozen countries, including Taiwan, Australia and France, this ground-breaking work – which explores the early days of Acid House – has now been significantly upgraded, allowing groups of four people to share the same virtual world.
The new multiplayer version of In Pursuit Of Repetitive Beats is part of a wider series of activities marking the University of Warwick’s 60th anniversary, with the Coventry arts centre also hosting the Warwick At 60 Talks. Addressing issues around identity and race, and how these affect both individual and collective states of wellbeing and belonging, those in conversation are Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason (21 Oct 2025), Mina Smallman (4 Nov 2025), Gary Younge (6 Nov 2025) and David Olusoga (17 Nov 2025).
At the heart of Warwick Arts Centre’s forthcoming season is Handle With Care!, an uplifting strand of performances and appearances that demonstrate how the arts can offer comfort and support, understanding, and escapism in these unsettled times.
Highlights include Zoo Co and Improbable’s award-winning Perfect Show For Rachel (7-8 Oct 2025), where learning-disabled artist Rachel leads the creation of her ‘perfect show’; the premiere of PlayWell Production’s exciting new 1970s-set musical, Black Power Desk (14 Oct 2025); Koro’s immersive game-theatre show 1884 (14-15 Oct 2025); and Graeae Theatre Company’s tale of resilience, Bad Lads (11-12 Nov 2025).
There’s also The People’s Takeover (29 Nov 2025), which enables local communities to programme and create what they want to see in Warwick Arts Centre’s spaces, and Made In The Midlands (5 Feb 2026) featuring new works by Midlands-based creatives, while the venue’s plush cinema is broadening their accessible film screenings to include audio descriptions, relaxed screenings and Bring Your Own Blanket screenings too.
Further highlights across the autumn/winter season include the first UK solo exhibition from celebrated Japanese ceramic artist Takuro Kuwata: Tea Bowl Punk (31 Oct 2025-15 Mar 2026); Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company’s distinctive take on Shakespeare’s The Tempest, We Caliban (21 Oct 2025); author Kit De Waal (24 Oct 2025); artist/broadcaster Grayson Perry (30 Oct 2025); and wildlife filmmaker Gordon Buchanan (15 Feb 2025).
Leading the music charge are the mesmerising John Grant (13 Oct 2025), ’80s icons Toyah (30 Oct 2025) and Level 42 (16 Nov 2025), contemporary jazz original Theon Cross (22 Oct 2025), ABBA celebration Björn Again (19 Oct 2025), and the Nils Frahm-produced ganavya (5 Oct 2025).
There’s also another laughter-packed comedy programme with Stevie Martin (3 Oct 2025), Omid Djalili (9 Oct 2025), Jack Dee (17 Oct 2025), Chris McCausland (4 Feb 2026), Sara Pascoe (14 Nov 2025), Desiree Burch (13 Feb 2025), and Sue Perkins (14 Mar 2025).
Plus, for younger visitors, colourful adaptations of much-loved picture books The Tiger Who Came To Tea (29 Nov-28 Dec 2025), Ruby’s Worry (1 Feb 2026), and Tales From Acorn Wood (21-22 Feb 2026).
Doreen Foster, Warwick Arts Centre’s Director, said: “After a summer of wonderful film screenings in our cinemas, our performance and gallery spaces open for one of our busiest and most diverse seasons yet.
“There’s all the big names you’d expect to see at Warwick Arts Centre, from Eddie Izzard, Chineke! Orchestra and legendary soul group The Stylistics, to family favourite Nick Cope and the ever unfiltered Miriam Margolyes, as well as our amazing Always Free Foyer programme of workshops and creative sessions.
“But underpinning it all is Handle With Care! – a thought-provoking series of performances, events and activities that provoke and comfort, and help us make sense of the world.”
