The MAC
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersBelfast, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
The MAC firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The MAC
- Legal name
- The MAC (Metropolitan Arts Centre) Trading Co Limited
- Website
- https://themaclive.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The MAC industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts Venue
- NAICS
- Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)
Keywords
Where The MAC is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Belfast
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The MAC business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from theatre shows, exhibitions, and performances. Tickets priced £15-£31.50 plus booking fees. £1.50 booking fee per ticket (waived for in-person, free events, school groups, community groups, personal assistants, and 16-25 members).
- Venue Hire: The MAC building is available for hire for events, conferences, and private functions through hirethemac.com.
- Café Bar: On-site Café Bar serving food and beverages to visitors.
- Donations: Charitable donations from supporters to support the MAC's mission of accessibility and arts programming.
- Memberships: 16-25 free membership scheme offering £5 tickets to young people. Other membership tiers available.
- School Programs: Paid school visits including guided gallery tours (£3-4 per pupil), theatre tickets (£9-10 per ticket), and creative workshops.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Theatre Tickets |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Premium/Premium Seating |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | 16-25 Membership |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Community Group Rates |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | School Group Rates |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Concession Pricing |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Booking Fee |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Exhibition Entry |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Ballet Gala of Stars |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
The MAC product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The MAC (Metropolitan Arts Centre) operates a multi-disciplinary arts venue in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter featuring two theatres (Downstairs and Upstairs), gallery spaces, and a Café Bar. It sells live theatre tickets, hosts rotating visual art exhibitions, and runs educational and community arts programmes including school visits, family shows, and creative workshops. Supporting offerings include venue hire for corporate and private events and on-site food and beverage service.
Product overview
The MAC (Metropolitan Arts Centre) is a single arts venue in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter offering a diverse cultural programme. The core offering comprises art exhibitions across multiple gallery spaces, live theatre productions in two theatres (Downstairs and Upstairs), and a family programme including an annual Christmas show. Supporting offerings include Creative Learning programmes for schools with transport subsidies, Artist Development initiatives with studio spaces and residencies, venue hire services, and an on-site Cafe Bar. The MAC operates accessibility services including an Access Register with complimentary carer tickets, hearing loops, and captioned/signed performances. Ticketing includes a 16-25 membership scheme offering £5 tickets and community group rates.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 30,000 school children have visited the MAC for educational programmes
Companies that use The MAC
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
The MAC technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
The MAC partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- fonaCABminorSponsor of Passport to the MAC transport subsidy scheme, covering up to £350 of bus transport costs for schools attending Christmas shows.
- AccessAbleminorAccessibility information provider - The MAC's entry on AccessAble website provides detailed accessibility information for visitors.
- Kids in MuseumsminorCharity partner supporting family-friendly museum programming and initiatives.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The MAC competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Ark Dublin: The Ark is a dedicated children and young people's arts venue in Dublin with curated theatre, exhibitions, and creative learning programmes. Directly comparable to The MAC's Creative Learning and Family Programme streams in audience, pricing model, and educationally aligned mission.
- ICC Belfast (Waterfront Hall): ICC Belfast operates the city's largest conference and events complex and competes with The MAC's venue-hire business for conferences, banquets, and corporate functions. It is comparable as a public-purpose venue trading in Belfast, with overlapping customer base in the corporate and conference market.
- Grand Opera House Belfast: Grand Opera House Belfast is a heritage receiving house and major commercial theatre in Belfast that competes with The MAC for touring shows, family programming, and ticket-buying audiences. Both venues offer multi-tiered ticket pricing, accessible facilities, and school group rates, making them head-to-head for discretionary arts spend in the city.
- Black Box Belfast: Black Box Belfast is an independent arts and live music venue located in the same Cathedral Quarter as The MAC, presenting theatre, music, comedy, and festivals. It is directly comparable for grassroots programming, venue hire for private/corporate events, and capturing the same local audience pool The MAC targets.
- Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich: Cultúrlann is a Belfast-based Irish-language arts and cultural centre that offers theatre, exhibitions, music, and community programming. It competes with The MAC for Belfast arts audiences and school outreach, and shares the charity/nonprofit operating model funded by Arts Council and public grants.
- Lyric Theatre Belfast: Lyric Theatre Belfast is the city's principal producing theatre and a direct competitor for Belfast theatre audiences, schools, and corporate venue hire. It is comparable in mission-driven positioning, programming mix, and reliance on public funding/charitable income, making it the closest functional peer to The MAC.
- Project Arts Centre (Dublin): Project Arts Centre is a multidisciplinary presenting arts venue in Dublin covering theatre, visual art, live music, and emerging artist development. Closely comparable in scale, programming breadth, accessibility commitments, and charity-funded operating model to The MAC's combined theatre/gallery/community offering.
Broad incumbents
- National Theatre (UK): The National Theatre operates a multi-stage venue with a wide-ranging producing and receiving programme plus extensive Learning and education activity, mirroring The MAC's theatre/learning/accessibility combination. It is comparable in mission but operates at much greater national scale.
- Tate Liverpool: Tate Liverpool is a regional gallery within the national Tate network presenting major exhibitions, learning programmes, and venue hire. Comparable to The MAC's exhibition and creative-learning offering, though operating at significantly larger scale and as a unit of a broader museum operator.
- Southbank Centre: Southbank Centre is a multi-venue arts complex in London offering theatre, exhibitions, music, dance, festivals, and food/beverage. It is broadly comparable to The MAC's multi-disciplinary venue model, accessible programming, and venue-hire business, but at substantially larger scale with national reach.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The MAC social profiles
Digital presenceThe MAC financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The MAC leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The MAC funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The MAC M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The MAC
What does The MAC do?
The MAC (Metropolitan Arts Centre) operates a multi-disciplinary arts venue in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter featuring two theatres (Downstairs and Upstairs), gallery spaces, and a Café Bar. It sells live theatre tickets, hosts rotating visual art exhibitions, and runs educational and community arts programmes including school visits, family shows, and creative workshops. Supporting offerings include venue hire for corporate and private events and on-site food and beverage service.
Is The MAC a public or private company?
The MAC is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The MAC founded?
The MAC was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The MAC based?
The MAC is headquartered in Belfast, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The MAC make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are venue Hire, café Bar, donations, memberships and school Programs.
Who are The MAC's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Ark Dublin, ICC Belfast (Waterfront Hall), Grand Opera House Belfast, Black Box Belfast, Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich, Lyric Theatre Belfast and Project Arts Centre (Dublin). Broad incumbents are National Theatre (UK), Tate Liverpool and Southbank Centre.
Does The MAC have an API?
No public API is recorded for The MAC.
What industry is The MAC in?
The MAC's product category is Performing Arts Venue. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAM, Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking), with a secondary code of THAHAAAG, Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums). Its NAICS code is 711 and its SIC code is 7900.