De La Warr Pavilion

What De La Warr Pavilion does

De La Warr Pavilion (DLWP) is a UK charitable trust (The De La Warr Pavilion Charitable Trust; Charity No. 1065586) operating since 1935 as a regional arts and culture centre from a Grade I listed modernist building in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex. Its programme spans contemporary art exhibitions (rotating ground and first-floor galleries with a free-admission core offering), live music, comedy and theatrical performances in a 1,000+ seat auditorium and outdoor terrace, alongside a learning and youth development division (school and college visits, Talent Accelerator, Blueprint, Creative Sidley, Young Music Promoters, Young Creatives Collective). Ancillary on-site operations include a café/bar/kitchen, a retail shop (in-venue and shop.dlwp.com), artist studio space (Beeching Road Studios / Flatland Projects) and venue hire for film, photography and corporate events. Technical footprint is anchored in the heritage fabric of the Mendelsohn and Chermayeff building, recently augmented by a first-of-its-kind-in-the-UK 144-panel lightweight rooftop solar installation (Absolar/GoodWe) delivering 77.7kWp capacity (~20% of annual electricity demand, 71,570 kWh/year, 18 t CO2 saved annually).

DLWP makes money through a hybrid non-profit model with roughly £3m of earned income per annum layered onto approximately £1m of recurring public funding from Rother District Council and Arts Council England, plus ad-hoc grants (e.g. £19.192m UK Levelling Up Fund, National Lottery Heritage Fund, Henry Moore Foundation, Art Fund). Earned streams include ticket sales (events ranging free to £150+), annual membership and a £250+ patron subscription tier (10% shop/café discount, presale and exclusive events), café and shop retail, and venue hire for filming and corporate use. Customers are highly diversified across general cultural visitors, families, young people aged 14–21, art patrons, local community (including Sidley, a top-1% most deprived UK ward), schools and commercial hirers. Distribution is omnichannel: own box office (online/telephone/in-person), third-party ticket platforms such as Ticketmaster, e-commerce storefront, on-site retail and food services.

The trust currently employs 51–100 staff directly and supports around 120 local jobs, and is executing a £23.4m 'An Icon for Everyone' transformation project (largely funded by the 2023 Levelling Up round) to refurbish the auditorium and galleries, improve accessibility, add community and learning facilities and pursue net-carbon-neutral operations. It is led by Director and Chief Executive Steward Drew, with Ned McConnell as Head of Visual Arts and João Conceição as Curator, and is governance-stewarded by a board of trustees.

Name

De La Warr Pavilion

Legal name

The De La Warr Pavilion Charitable Trust

Website

https://dlwp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

De La Warr Pavilion is a charitable trust operating since 1935 from a Grade I listed modernist building in Bexhill-on-Sea, UK, delivering contemporary art exhibitions, live music and comedy, learning programmes and youth development, supported by ticket sales, membership, café, shop and public funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts and Cultural Venue Services

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Venue Tours & Premium Hospitality Packages (Backstage, VIP, Suites) (THAJAFAL)

Keywords

• Contemporary art exhibitions
• Live music venue
• Arts education programs
• Cultural venue hire
• Community arts centre

Headquarters

HQ city

Bexhill

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from selling tickets to live music events, comedy shows, theatrical performances, and concerts. Tickets range from free events to premium priced shows up to £50+.
2. Membership & Patron Programs: Annual membership programs offering 10% discount at shop and café, presale access to events, and exclusive patron experiences. Patrons program starts from £250 annually.
3. Café Bar & Kitchen: On-site café bar and kitchen offering food and beverages, with seasonal menus featuring seaside dining. Members receive 10% discount.
4. Retail Shop: On-site and online shop selling artwork, books, ceramics, greeting cards, stationery, and locally crafted items. Members receive 10% discount.
5. Venue Hire: Hiring out spaces for film and photography shoots, corporate events, private functions, and conferences.
6. Public Funding: Regular funding from Rother District Council and Arts Council England for arts, culture and entertainment services (approximately £1m per year). Additional project funding including £17m Levelling Up Fund for transformation project.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

De La Warr Pavilion is a Grade I listed modernist arts and cultural centre that operates a year-round programme of contemporary art exhibitions, live music and comedy performances, theatre and family events, café and retail services, and learning and youth development programmes. It earns income through ticket sales, venue hire, café, shop, memberships, and public funding, while delivering community regeneration activities through the £23.4m 'An Icon for Everyone' transformation project supported by the UK Levelling Up Fund.

Product overview

De La Warr Pavilion is a Grade I listed modernist arts and culture centre in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, established in 1935. It operates as a single unified venue offering an integrated programme of contemporary visual art exhibitions, live music and comedy performances, educational workshops, youth development initiatives, café and retail services, and venue hire. The organisation functions as a charitable trust and delivers its activities through various interconnected programmes including exhibitions, live events, learning activities, youth schemes, and commercial services (café, shop, membership).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Exhibitions Programme Rotating contemporary art exhibitions across ground and first floor galleries, featuring established and emerging artists (e.g., Tschabalala Self: Seated, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye Curates). Main exhibitions are free to attend.
• Live Music & Comedy Events Ticketed concerts and comedy performances in the Auditorium, foyer and outdoor terrace featuring international, national, and local artists. Example acts include Death Cab For Cutie, Belle & Sebastian, Hothouse Flowers, Mac DeMarco, and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Tickets range from free events to £50+ for premium concerts.
• Café Bar & Kitchen On-site seaside dining facility offering seasonal menus, freshly prepared food and beverages, picnic boxes, and outdoor terrace dining. Open daily. Members receive 10% discount.
• DLWP Shop Online and on-site retail outlet selling illustrated cards, postcards, stationery, books, handcrafted local ceramics, gifts, gift vouchers and art supplies. Members receive 10% discount.
• Membership & Patron Programmes Annual membership offering 10% discount at shop and café, presale access to events, and exclusive member events. Patron programme starts from £250 annually with additional benefits including exclusive visits and experiences.
• Venue Hire Rental of DLWP's Grade I listed modernist spaces for film and photography shoots, corporate events, conferences, and private functions.
• Learning Programme Educational offerings including school and educational group visits, college and university sessions, work experiences, learning resources, and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion through Creativity initiatives.
• Beeching Road Studios / Flatland Projects Artist studios and creative workspace facilities (Flatland Projects and Flatland Futures) supporting local artists and creative practitioners.

Quantifiable outcome

• Generating £3m per annum from activities
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• Rother District CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Rother District Council led the £19.192m Levelling Up Fund bid and secured funding for community, creativity and skills in Bexhill. The Council is providing £17m to DLWP for transformation project 'An Icon For Everyone' and £2m to Sidley community hub. Partnership addresses deprivation in top 1% most deprived areas of UK.
• Heart of Sidley (Big Local)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Community-led partnership receiving £2m from Levelling Up Fund to develop community hub at Sidley Recreation Ground. Partnership aims to connect Sidley with DLWP and town centre, providing skills and employment opportunities for one of UK's most deprived wards.
• AbsolarstrategicTechnology or IntegrationCommercial solar specialist installed 144 lightweight solar panels across Auditorium roof - first UK installation of this specific panel type. System creates 77.7kWp capacity meeting 20% of annual electricity needs.
• Hayward Gallery Touring / Southbank CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExhibition partnership presenting 'To Improvise A Mountain: Lynette Yiadom-Boakye Curates' as Hayward Gallery Touring exhibition. Yiadom-Boakye is one of foremost painters of her generation.
• Royal Philharmonic OrchestracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRPO presenting 'Bexhill's Big Summer Sounds' festival at DLWP (27 June - 4 July 2026) featuring orchestral performances including Symphonic Groove, ABBAphonic, and classical concerts.
• Crosstown ConcertsstrategicChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConcert promoter bringing major acts to DLWP including Death Cab For Cutie, Belle & Sebastian, Heaven 17, and Hothouse Flowers.
• Music's Not DeadstrategicChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal music promoter presenting events including Ady Johnson, Poor Performer, Tony Fletcher book launch, and other indie/music events in the foyer.
• BadgerstrategicGTM or Marketing PartnerNot-for-profit music community based at The Source Park in Hastings mentoring and funding young artists and promoters. Curating 'Summer Series' of free outdoor terrace events through Advanced Promoter Programme.
• Avant ArtecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned Tschabalala Self's 'Seated' sculpture for DLWP Lawns (2022-present). Tschabalala Self also selected for 2026 Fourth Plinth commission.
• Factum ArtecoreTechnology or IntegrationProduced Tschabalala Self's 'Seated' sculpture installation at DLWP.
• Pilar Corrias GallerystrategicGTM or Marketing PartnerLondon gallery providing support for Tschabalala Self 'Seated' presentation at DLWP.
• ZEROHstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtist collective (Daniel Hardiker and Neil Hetherington) partnering with DLWP for 'MASS' sculpture and 3D art event (16 August) as part of Bexhill Art Weekender. Also founded Bottle Alley Art Market (BAAM) in Hastings.
• Bexhill CollegeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal college partnering on Sunset Screenings outdoor cinema events.
• Gaby Hardwicke SolicitorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal law firm sponsoring Sunset Screenings outdoor cinema events.
• Galloways AccountingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal accounting firm sponsoring Sunset Screenings outdoor cinema events.
• Revolver Record FairsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRecord fair promoter hosting annual Bexhill Record Fair at DLWP with 40+ tables of vinyl.
• Come As You Are CICminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity organization working to increase inclusion and access for families, supporting Relaxed Morning Exhibition Visits.
• East Sussex Astronomical SocietyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnering on Solar Eclipse Watch event (12 August 2026) with telescopes and expert guidance.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Tate Liverpool: Regional Tate gallery offering free exhibitions, learning, and retail. Comparable product set (gallery exhibitions, learning, retail, café) but anchored by the Tate brand and a larger portfolio; competes for headline contemporary artists.
• Royal Albert Hall: London flagship concert hall hosting Royal Philharmonic, orchestral, and headline acts. Comparable ticketed live-music model and Royal Philharmonic partnership overlap; competing for touring orchestral and popular music acts.
• Barbican Centre: Major London arts centre covering visual arts, theatre, cinema, concerts, and learning. Overlaps on ticketed live events and exhibitions but operates at significantly greater scale and central-London catchment; competes for the same touring artists.

Direct peers

• Sage Gateshead: Iconic modern architecture concert/arts venue in the North East hosting live music, learning programmes, and venue hire. Directly comparable on auditorium-based ticketed events, learning, and public-funding-backed operating model.
• MK Gallery: Milton Keynes contemporary art gallery with exhibitions, cinema, learning, café and shop. Similar UK regional arts-centre operating model with mixed revenue (grants, tickets, retail, venue hire).
• Firstsite (Colchester): Regional contemporary art gallery in Essex operating free exhibitions, learning programmes, café, and shop in a landmark modern building. Closely comparable scale, regional-gallery operating model, and public funding reliance.
• Southbank Centre / Hayward Gallery: London arts complex operating exhibitions (Hayward Gallery Touring — direct DLWP partner), live music, learning, and venue hire. Comparable product mix; larger scale and central-London catchment, but overlapping supplier relationships (e.g., Lynette Yiadom-Boakye curation).
• Turner Contemporary: Margate-based contemporary art gallery in a coastal heritage setting. Closest direct peer: similar free-admission exhibitions, learning programmes, café/shop, and reliance on Arts Council funding as a regional cultural anchor in a deprived seaside town.
• The Hepworth Wakefield: Regional art gallery operating free exhibitions, learning programmes, café and shop from a flagship contemporary building in a northern UK city. Comparable operating model, scale, and reliance on public funding and visitor spend.

Emerging players

• Komedia Brighton: Brighton live entertainment and comedy venue with comparable ticketed-event programming, café/bar, and learning/community work. Smaller, more niche focus on comedy and live music; partial overlap on South East England catchment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dlwp
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzbizOw08dVyAns_sKJ6xVQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/dlwp35
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/de-la-warr-pavilion
• Instagraminstagram.com/delawarr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 De La Warr Pavilion