Culture Spark brings live theatre to communities across Chichester District

Over 450 young people and adults enjoyed watching a performance of 'That Pesky Rat' thanks to the Culture Spark project over the past month. The initiative aimed to provide young people with the chance to watch live theatre and understand how this can be a fun and creative way to learn.

The show, which launched at Chichester Festival Theatre's, The Nest, explores themes of kindness, belonging and empathy through a funny, touching tale of a street rat searching for a home.

Performances were held at five local schools — Tangmere Academy, Petworth Primary, Portfield Academy, St Joseph's School, and Jessie Younghusband School — with two further performances with the Think 18 Charity and at Chichester Canal Trust.

"I'm so pleased that the Culture Spark project has been able to offer so many people the chance to experience this meaningful story," says Cllr John Cross, Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Place at Chichester District Council. "The play fostered empathy and understanding, and it was great to see so many young people connect with it. For many, this was their first experience of live theatre, offering a fun and imaginative way to learn. The free public performance at the Canal Trust was also a resounding success, bringing together communities from across the district."

Culture Spark is a creative partnership between Chichester District Council, Chichester Festival Theatre and Pallant House Gallery, with funding from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

John adds: "The Culture Spark programme is a fantastic way for us to showcase the incredibly talented artists in our district, and this mini-tour provided the perfect showcase as all the actors are alumni of Chichester Festival Youth Theatre. It's also a way of making the creative arts more accessible to audiences and giving people new experiences. As part of Culture Spark's aim to support creativity and connection across the district, we're also planning an art and music project with Pallant House Gallery, so keep an eye out for updates!"

A teacher at the Jessie Younghusband school says: "I wanted to thank you and the cast for a superb performance this afternoon — the children were completely enthralled throughout and really loved it. We feel very fortunate to have been involved and delighted that our children have had the chance to experience live theatre."

People can stay up to date with events and activities across the district by visiting the council's What's On calendar and signing up to the initiatives+ email newsletter.

Date of Release: 3 October 2025                             

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