Bray 2026

Storytelling in Bray is a "community activation" that celebrates the distinctive creative heritage of our Thames-side village. Bray has long been associated with excellence in the arts of narrative, whether through film and music, food or the spoken word, and this gathering brings those traditions into focus.

Bray is a small village with an outsized cultural reputation. It is widely recognised for its concentration of world-class restaurants. Establishments such as The Fat Duck and The Waterside Inn have earned international acclaim, including multiple Michelin stars, and have helped establish the village as a destination for culinary innovation and refinement. In Bray, food itself becomes a form of storytelling; carefully constructed experiences that engage the senses and leave a lasting impression.

The village’s creative legacy extends well beyond the table. Bray Film Studios, located nearby at Water Oakley, holds a significant place in British film history. From the early 1950s the studios became the base for Hammer Film Productions, the company responsible for a distinctive run of Gothic horror and fantasy films that reached audiences worldwide. Productions associated with the site include “The Curse of Frankenstein”, “Dracula” and “The Mummy”, many featuring the celebrated actors Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. In later decades the studios continued to contribute to notable film projects, among them “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and the superb model work for Ridley Scott’s classic “Alien”, as well as a rehearsal space for the likes of Led Zeppelin, Queen, David Bowie, Pink Floyd, Genesis and Radiohead.

After periods of quieter activity, Bray Studios has returned to prominence in recent years. It has hosted major television and film productions and, following its acquisition by Amazon MGM Studios, remains an active centre of screen storytelling. Current plans for the site reflect ongoing investment in its future as a once more world-class working studio and an iconic community asset.

Our celebration of Storytelling in Bray draws these strands together, recognising that narrative has taken many forms in this place; on screen, at the table, and in live performance. It offers an opportunity to acknowledge the area’s contribution to the creative industries while creating space for contemporary storytelling in a setting that has long valued pure imagination, artistry and craft.

The result is a celebration rooted in local history, but always open to new voices and new stories: "That's edutainment!" 🧡

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