Read to the Beat – Rap Workshops for Libraries
The Rap School: Read To The Beat...
...is a high-energy, interactive workshop where young people explore reading, writing and performance through rap.
Aligned with this year’s Summer Reading Challenge theme, the session brings books to life in a creative, engaging and accessible way. Participants can work with any type of text, from novels and poetry to comics, non-fiction and their own ideas, using rhythm and rhyme to explore language and storytelling.
The workshop is designed to support and enhance the Summer Reading Challenge, helping libraries connect reading with creativity
and performance.
The Rap School: Read to the Beat is touring libraries exclusively across the UK for Summer 2026.
In a session participants will...
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Experience a live freestyle rap performance built from their ideas
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Explore rhythm, rhyme and how words come alive with a beat
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Create their own original rap inspired by a favourite book, theme or text
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Perform their work at the end of the session
Why it works...
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Supports reading, writing and oracy
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High engagement across different abilities
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Encourages creativity and self-expression
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Effective at bringing new audiences into library spaces
You're in good hands
Rob Bradley (aka Jack Flash) is a world champion freestyle rapper and the founder of The Rap School. He has delivered hundreds of workshops across the UK, working with schools, libraries, festivals and organisations to engage young people through rap, language and performance.
Recent collaborations with library programmes include Thirsk, Birkenhead, Blackpool and Hull, alongside Huddersfield Literature Festival, Bradford Literature Festival and Newark Book Festival, as well as extensive work in schools across the UK.
