What Phoenix does

Phoenix (legal entity Leicester Arts Centre Ltd) is a registered charity and private limited company operating Leicester's independent cinema and arts centre from a single venue at 4 Midland Street, Leicester. Established in the 1980s (firmographic founding year stated as 1987) and operating as a four-screen cinema since the Phoenix 2020 expansion completed in January 2023, the venue combines independent and international film programming, a contemporary art and digital culture gallery, café bar, learning/education courses, accessibility provisions (audio described, autism friendly, relaxed environment screenings), and venue hire services.

The organisation employs 101–250 staff and serves multiple customer segments including general film enthusiasts, young people and families (ages 9–21), university students, accessibility audiences, and art and culture enthusiasts. The business model blends direct-to-consumer earned revenue — ticket sales, MyPhoenix membership subscriptions, café/bar food and beverage, courses, gift vouchers, and venue hire — with significant public and charitable grant funding from Arts Council England (National Portfolio Organisation), BFI National Lottery, Leicester City Council, Garfield Weston Foundation, and Foyle Foundation. Cumulative grant funding tied to the Phoenix 2020 expansion exceeds £5.5 million. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via online, phone, and in-person box office with community partnerships and content marketing (newsletter, social, podcast, blog). No proprietary technology is disclosed; the operation runs on standard cinema ticketing and website infrastructure.

Phoenix operates on a five-day schedule since April 2025 (closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays). Recent leadership transition saw Co-CEO Ros Hill depart after 21 years in May 2026, leaving Sarah Vallance as the remaining Co-CEO. The organisation holds the 2024 ProCon Leicestershire Award for Medium to Large Non-Residential Scheme of the Year and is GDPR compliant.

Name

Phoenix

Legal name

Leicester Arts Centre Ltd

Website

https://phoenix.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Phoenix (Leicester Arts Centre Ltd) is a registered charity operating Leicester's only four-screen independent cinema and arts centre, offering film programming, contemporary art exhibitions, a café bar, learning courses, and venue hire to local general public, families, students, and accessibility audiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Cinema & Arts Centre

NAICS

Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins) (512131), Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent & Art-house Cinemas (MPADAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Screenings & Venue Rentals (Corporate, Parties) (MPADAKAJ), Alternative Content Exhibition (Live Broadcasts, Concert Films, Sports, Opera) (MPADAKAG), Campus & Educational Screenings (Universities, Schools) (MPADAKAI)

Keywords

• Independent cinema screenings
• Art exhibitions programming
• Film education courses
• Cinema venue hire
• Accessible cinema programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Leicester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: One-time ticket purchases for cinema screenings, NT Live broadcasts, and special events. Standard ticket pricing with member discounts and young member pricing (£6.25 for ages 16-24).
2. MyPhoenix Membership: Loyalty and membership program offering discounts, waived admin fees, and exclusive benefits to drive repeat attendance.
3. Café Bar: Food and beverage sales including Café Bar, The Nest, wine tasting events, and Sunday Jazz sessions.
4. Venue Hire: Meeting room hire, studio hire, and private screenings for external bookings.
5. Courses and Learning: Short courses, workshops, film camps for young filmmakers, and educational programs with fees ranging from £20 to £195.
6. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations and Phoenix 2020 fundraising campaign for expansion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Phoenix operates Leicester's only independent four-screen cinema, screening a curated mix of international, art-house, and mainstream films alongside NT Live, opera, and ballet broadcasts. The venue also runs a contemporary art and digital culture exhibition programme, a café bar, short courses and film camps, an Access Cinema programme for disabled audiences, and venue hire for meetings and private screenings. A MyPhoenix membership scheme underpins repeat attendance.

Product overview

Phoenix is Leicester's independent cinema and arts centre, operating as a single unified venue with multiple interconnected offerings. The core products are Phoenix Cinema (four-screen independent cinema) and the Art & Digital Culture Programme (exhibitions and events). Supporting offerings include Café Bar, Learning & Education (short courses, film camps), Access Cinema (accessibility features), Venue Hire, MyPhoenix Membership loyalty scheme, PLATFORM Programme for creatives, Gift Vouchers, and Phoenix Podcast. The venue also screens Stage On Screen content including NT Live, Royal Ballet, and Metropolitan Opera broadcasts. Phoenix 2020 expansion added two screens, larger gallery, and expanded Café Bar.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Phoenix Cinema (Independent Cinema)

Quantifiable outcome

• Phoenix 2020 expansion completed, adding 2 additional cinema screens, larger gallery, and improved Café Bar
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered secondary and minor.

• De Montfort UniversitysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner supporting Phoenix's art and digital culture programme. Provides academic collaboration and student engagement opportunities. Partners on exhibitions and cultural programming.
• UK Green Film FestivalsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhoenix hosts UK Green Film Festival screenings with Pay-What-You-Can pricing for environmental documentaries. Partnership brings curated environmental film content to Phoenix audiences.
• Gelato VillageminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLeicester gelato shop partnered with Phoenix for special Cinema Paradiso screening event featuring gelato bundles. Cross-promotional partnership for mutual benefit.
• InspirateminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Inspirate for An Indian Summer programme featuring South Asian cultural content including Cactus Pears screening.
• Two QueensminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGallery collaboration with Two Queens for I Push my Fingers into my Phone's Eyes exhibition - curated exhibition partnership.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• HOME Manchester: Manchester arts centre combining independent cinema with contemporary art exhibitions, theatre, and learning programmes. Strong direct comparison: similar multi-product cultural venue model with venue hire, café bar, and educational strands.
• Everyman Cinemas: UK boutique cinema chain operating premium independent and arthouse programming in multiple locations. Directly comparable to Phoenix as an independent cinema operator emphasising curated film selection, food/beverage service, and differentiated cinema experience.
• Broadway Cinema (Nottingham): Nottingham independent cinema and arts centre operating a multi-screen arthouse/exhibition model. Closest geographic analogue in the East Midlands with similar charity structure, mixed programming, and grant-funding mix.
• Picturehouse Cinemas: UK's largest independent cinema chain with arthouse, world cinema, and event cinema focus. Direct comparison to Phoenix on exhibition programming and premium cinema positioning, though at substantially greater scale.
• The Lexi Cinema: Small London independent cinema operated as a social enterprise/community cinema with charitable remit. Comparable as a single-site independent cinema combining curated programming with educational and community programming.
• Curzon Cinemas: UK independent cinema group with venues focused on arthouse, world cinema, and event cinema (NT Live-style). Closely matches Phoenix's exhibition programming mix, alternative content offerings, and membership programmes.
• Watershed Bristol: Bristol cultural cinema and media centre showing independent film alongside digital culture programming and creative sector support. Matches Phoenix's combination of cinema, digital culture, café, and educational/coworking offerings.
• The Prince Charles Cinema: Central London independent cinema known for repertory, cult, and alternative programming. Comparable as a curated independent cinema relying on differentiated content mix and loyal community of cinephile attendees.

Others

• Independent Cinema Office (ICO): UK-wide membership body supporting independent cinemas with programming, marketing, audience development, and training. Adjacent peer: Phoenix is a member/beneficiary of ICO services as a UK independent exhibitor.

Broad incumbents

• BFI Southbank (BFI National Archive): National cinema venue operated by the British Film Institute, screening curated film programming with major archive resources. Indirectly comparable as a UK independent/arthouse exhibition venue with similar accessibility and educational programming — and significant overlap as a BFI funding partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PhoenixLeic
• Facebookfacebook.com/phoenixleic

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Phoenix