What Brewery Art Centre does

Brewery Art Centre (legally Kendal Brewery Arts Centre Trust Limited) is a registered charity operating a multi-venue arts centre in Kendal, Cumbria, UK, founded in 1974. It runs a three-screen cinema, a 260-seat Theatre, a 300-capacity Malt Room, a Warehouse, Creative Studios, a Print Room, a Darkroom, and a Bar & Restaurant, hosting cinema, live music, theatre and dance, comedy, family entertainment, exhibitions, festivals (including the internationally renowned Kendal Mountain Festival), and a year-round Creative Learning programme delivered on-site and across South Cumbria schools. The venue serves local residents, tourists visiting the Lake District, creative learners of all ages, young people, corporate venue-hire clients and local businesses, reaching over 100,000 visitors on-site and 60,000+ cinema customers annually, with a cumulative 1m+ people reached through community and school programmes over the past decade.

Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of ticket sales (cinema from £6.88 under-14 to £87.50 VIP), venue hire (theatre from £129/hour), Bar & Restaurant F&B, advertising (cinema annual packages from £1,959; digital screen from £99/month), memberships (individual £40/year, Business Club, Print Room, Darkroom) and gift vouchers, supplemented by donations and grant funding from Arts Council England, Westmorland and Furness Council, Kendal Town Council, BFI Film Audience Network and Youth Music. Over 85% of income is self-generated through these commercial activities and fundraising. Operational technology is standard for the sector: Spektrix for ticketing, ResDiary for restaurant bookings, Nimbus Disability Access Card for accessible seating, and what3words for location, with no proprietary AI or platform technology.

The organisation is governed by a Board of Trustees, operates a wholly-owned catering subsidiary (The Kendal Catering Company Limited), and employs 51–100 staff. Headcount has not been disclosed as growing, and revenue is not publicly reported. The business is currently navigating a leadership transition following the announced departure of CEO Miriam Randall to Awen Cultural Trust, which creates near-term execution risk but does not affect the underlying venue, programme or partnership assets.

Name

Brewery Art Centre

Legal name

Kendal Brewery Arts Centre Trust Limited

Website

https://breweryarts.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Brewery Art Centre is a registered charity operating a multi-venue cinema, theatre, live music, creative learning and hospitality complex in Kendal, Cumbria, serving local residents, Lake District visitors, schools and corporate clients with diversified ticket, venue-hire, F&B and advertising revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Centre

NAICS

Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH)

Keywords

• Arts centre
• Independent cinema
• Live performance venue
• Creative learning workshops
• Venue hire

Headquarters

HQ city

Kendal

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from cinema tickets, live event tickets, theatre performances, comedy shows, and other performances. Ticket prices range from £6.88 (under 14 cinema) to £87.50 (VIP meet & greet).
2. Memberships: Annual membership at £40/year providing discounts on tickets, cinema, food, and priority booking for Creative Learning courses.
3. Food & Beverage: Bar & Restaurant service generating revenue from dining (Tuesday-Saturday, 4-8pm) and drinks. Food served 4-8pm Tue-Sat with locally sourced, seasonal produce.
4. Venue Hire: Rental income from hiring spaces including Theatre (up to 260 capacity), Malt Room (up to 300), Cinema (172), Warehouse, Bar & Restaurant, and Creative Spaces. Hourly rates from £46-£129.
5. Cinema Advertising: Advertising shown before films in cinema. Annual packages £1,959, seasonal packages £549. Website sponsorship pages available from £999/year for music/comedy sections.
6. Donations & Fundraising: As a registered charity, Brewery Arts relies on donations, regular giving, and fundraising activities. Over 85% of income from fundraising, ticket sales, and commercial activities.
7. Digital Screen Advertising: Advertising on Bar & Restaurant digital screen from £99/month, reaching audiences at one of Kendal's busiest cultural venues.
8. Business Club: Corporate membership offering staff rewards and incentives while supporting community arts programme.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Brewery Art Centre operates a multi-venue arts centre in Kendal, Cumbria, programming a year-round schedule of independent and mainstream cinema screenings, live music, theatre, dance, comedy, spoken word, family entertainment, visual exhibitions, and festivals. The centre also delivers creative learning courses and workshops (including print room and darkroom access), a licensed bar and restaurant, gift voucher sales, and venue hire for private and corporate events. Membership schemes — both individual and a corporate Business Club — plus cinema and digital screen advertising round out the commercial offering.

Product overview

Brewery Arts operates as a multi-venue arts centre offering a unified programme of cultural experiences. The core offering comprises cinema (three screens with accessible options), live music, theatre and dance performances, comedy, family entertainment, and rotating visual art exhibitions. These are supported by Creative Learning courses spanning visual arts, photography, printmaking, darkroom, languages, and performing arts, plus food and beverage service through the Bar & Restaurant. The organisation also offers venue hire across multiple spaces (Theatre, Malt Room, Cinema, Warehouse, Screen Three, Creative Studios) for private and corporate events. Additional revenue streams include memberships (individual and Business Club), cinema and digital screen advertising, and gift vouchers. The venue hosts the Kendal Mountain Festival and seasonal festivals including Summer Sundays. All ticketing is managed through the Spektrix platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cinema A year-round programme of independent and mainstream film screenings operated within the venue's on-site cinema, serving 60,000+ cinema customers per year. Sold via the venue website, telephone box office, and walk-in box office.
• Live Music A year-round programme of live music performances and concerts across genres, hosted in the venue's performance spaces. Ticketed events promoted via the website and box office.
• Theatre and Dance Programme of touring and in-house theatre productions and dance performances staged for general audiences, families, and school groups.
• Comedy and Spoken Word Programme of stand-up comedy and spoken word/literary events hosted at the venue, including touring comedians and locally curated nights.
• Family Entertainment Family-focused entertainment programme including children's theatre, kids' films, and weekend daytime events designed for households with young children.
• Exhibitions Visual arts exhibition programme presented in the venue's gallery spaces, featuring regional, national, and community artists.
• Festivals Periodic festival programming combining multiple art forms (music, comedy, film, family content) over dedicated event windows.
• Creative Learning Programme of adult creative courses and workshops covering printmaking, photography, and other visual arts disciplines, with dedicated facilities including a print room and darkroom. Funded in part by Youth Music and other partners.
• Print Room Membership / Access Membership and access scheme providing use of the centre's print room facilities for practicing printmakers and creative learners.
• Darkroom Access Membership and access scheme providing use of the centre's darkroom facilities for film photographers and creative learners.
• Bar and Restaurant On-site licensed bar and restaurant service offering food, drink, and pre/post-show hospitality to event attendees and walk-in customers. Operated through the wholly-owned subsidiary The Kendal Catering Company Limited.
• Venue Hire Hire of the centre's performance spaces, meeting rooms, and event areas for corporate, private, and community events including conferences, weddings, and parties.
• Brewery Arts Membership (Individuals) Annual individual membership programme priced at £40 per year, offering members ticketing and hospitality benefits at the centre.
• Business Club Membership Corporate membership scheme aimed at local and regional businesses, providing hospitality, brand association, and event benefits.
• Cinema Advertising Pre-show advertising slots sold to local and regional businesses, delivered to the 60,000+ annual cinema audience across scheduled screens.
• Digital Screen Advertising Digital screen advertising placed on display screens within the venue, sold on seasonal and annual packages to local advertisers.
• Gift Vouchers Stored-value gift vouchers redeemable across cinema tickets, live events, creative learning courses, and bar/restaurant purchases.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million people reached in past 10 years across venue, schools, and disadvantaged communities
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• BFI Film Audience NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBritish Film Institute network supporting film exhibition and audience development at Brewery Arts cinema.
• Kendal Mountain FestivalflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternationally renowned festival hosted at Brewery Arts annually, bringing major cultural events and visitors to Kendal.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/breweryarts
• Instagraminstagram.com/breweryarts
• Xx.com/BACKendal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Brewery Art Centre