What Bridport Arts Centre does

Bridport Arts Centre (BAC) is a registered UK charity (Charity No. 1069780, Company No. 3550280) operating a multi-arts venue at 9 South Street, Bridport, Dorset. Founded in 1983, BAC presents a year-round programme spanning theatre (Marlow Theatre), cinema (including Met Opera HD and Exhibition on Screen broadcasts), live music and comedy, visual art exhibitions (Allsop Gallery), family programming, workshops, and community projects, alongside two flagship annual initiatives: the From Page To Screen film festival (curated by Chris Chibnall since at least 2026) and the Bridport Prize international creative writing competition. The venue is staffed by 1–10 employees and supported by a Board of Trustees under Director Claire Tudge, with Zoë Wanamaker CBE serving as Honorary Patron.

Revenue is generated through eight identifiable streams: ticket sales (Spektrix online, phone Box Office at 01308 424204, and walk-in), tiered Supporter memberships with priority booking and 10% discounts, £1 charity voting memberships, one-off and legacy donations (Gift Aid-eligible), venue hire to external promoters, gift vouchers, café operations run by F.east under Claire Wellman, and public grants from Arts Council England, West Dorset District Council, and Dorset Council. Ticket prices span £5 (children) to £16+ (adults) with concessions, under-25 pricing, and supporter discounts applied variably across events.

The technology stack is commodity and vendor-led: Spektrix for ticketing, Wireless Social for guest Wi-Fi, Cookiebot for consent management, Crowdcast for online/livestreamed events, and HelpDesk/LiveChat/ChatBot for customer service. In 2025 the venue building was acquired by Alasdair Warren, owner of The Electric Palace, establishing a new ownership/partnership structure that does not alter BAC's independent charitable operations. Programming partnerships include Akademi (South Asian dance), Ink & Page (writing retreats), Toussaint To Move, Waterstones Bridport (book sales), and Clocktower Records (Punk Bridport series).

Name

Bridport Arts Centre

Legal name

Bridport Arts Centre

Website

https://bridport-arts.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bridport Arts Centre is a registered UK charity and multi-arts venue in Bridport, Dorset, presenting year-round theatre, cinema, music, comedy, exhibitions, and workshops to local audiences, families, and youth, funded via ticket sales, supporter memberships, donations, and Arts Council grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts and Cultural Venue Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Arts venue operations
• Performing arts programming
• Cinema screenings
• Community arts education
• Live music events

Headquarters

HQ city

Bridport

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from tickets for performances, cinema screenings, concerts, workshops, and events. Tickets are sold online via Spektrix, through the Box Office (phone), and at the venue. Prices vary by event with concessions, under-25 pricing, and supporter discounts available.
2. Supporter Memberships: Regular scheduled payments from Supporters and Premium Supporters in exchange for benefits including discounted tickets, priority booking, invitations, and other supporter perks. Supporter terms and conditions govern these arrangements.
3. Charity Membership: Charity membership for £1 provides voting rights to elect trustees at AGM. Members receive notifications about AGMs and Special Meetings.
4. Donations: One-time or multiple donations from donors, including legacy giving through wills. Gift Aid may be claimed on eligible donations.
5. Venue Hire: The Marlow Theatre and other spaces are available for hire by artists, freelancers, hirers, and external event organisers.
6. Café Operations: F.east café operated by external team providing food and beverage services to visitors.
7. Public Funding and Grants: Support from Arts Council England, West Dorset District Council, and other public funders. The centre operates as a registered charity relying on supporters, members, donors, funders, audiences and partners.
8. Gift Vouchers: Gift vouchers available for purchase, subject to expiry dates and specific terms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Bridport Arts Centre operates a multi-arts venue presenting live theatre, cinema screenings, music performances, comedy, visual art exhibitions, and community programmes at its South Street location in Bridport, Dorset. The charity-programmed venue runs its own curated festivals (From Page To Screen) and competitions (Bridport Prize) while also hosting touring productions, opera broadcasts (Met Opera), art-house film series (Exhibition on Screen), and participatory workshops for all ages. Revenue is generated through ticket sales, venue hire, supporter and charity memberships, donations, public grants, and on-site café operations.

Product overview

Bridport Arts Centre is a multi-arts venue and registered charity (Charity No. 1069780) based in Bridport, Dorset, offering a unified programme of live performances, cinema screenings, exhibitions, and educational activities. The venue centres on four core offerings: Theatre (Marlow Theatre productions), Cinema (film screenings including Met Opera broadcasts and Exhibition on Screen series), Music/Gigs (live performances across genres), and The Allsop Gallery (visual art exhibitions). Supporting services include F.east café, venue hire, supporter and charity membership programmes, and an annual film festival (From Page To Screen). The centre also runs participatory programmes including BACstage Youth Theatre, writing retreats, and family workshops, all facilitated through online ticketing via Spektrix.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• From Page To Screen: Annual film festival curated by Chris Chibnall featuring films adapted from books and screenplays
• The Bridport Prize
• BACstage Youth Theatre
• The Allsop Gallery
• Marlow Theatre
• F.east

Products and services

• Live Theatre Performances
• Cinema Screenings
• Live Music and Gigs
• The Allsop Gallery
• From Page To Screen Film Festival
• Bridport Prize
• BACstage Youth Theatre
• Take Part Workshops
• Venue Hire
• Supporter Membership
• Charity Membership
• F.east Café
• Online Community Film Festival

Quantifiable outcome

• From Page To Screen festival achieved highest ticket sales with over 3,000 tickets (vs ~2,000 average), with 30% first-time visitors and nearly 10% under-25 attendance
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Chris ChibnallcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026Sunday Times bestselling author and screenwriter (Broadchurch, Doctor Who) serves as curator for the From Page To Screen film festival, selecting films and bringing high-profile industry connections including Hollywood editors, directors, and BAFTA-winning filmmakers to the festival.
• F.eastcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Café operator running F.east café at Bridport Arts Centre. Operated by Claire Wellman and team, providing food and beverage services to venue visitors.
• Clocktower RecordsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal record store collaborating with BAC on Punk Bridport programming, including events like Nasty Fishmonger + Pussyliquor and Good Vibrations film screening.
• Ink & PageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWriting programme organisation partnering with BAC to host Urban Writing Retreats, providing facilitation and expertise for creative writing workshops.
• AkademiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth Asian dance organisation producing Plastic Drastic Fantastic for family audiences. Akademi has been the beating heart of South Asian dance in the UK since 1979.
• Waterstones BridportminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal bookshop partnering for author events. Example: Pop-up book stall at Chris Chibnall book launch for The Parkwood Murders.
• SpektrixcoreTechnology or IntegrationTicketing system platform used for online booking, box office operations, and ticket management. Integrated into BAC website for event booking.
• Exhibition on ScreenminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCinema content provider for Exhibition on Screen series including Monet, James McNeill Whistler, and Renoir & Love screenings at BAC.
• Met OperaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMetropolitan Opera Live in HD broadcasts shown at BAC cinemas worldwide, including productions like Così fan Tutte, La Fanciulla del West, and Samson et Dalila.
• Toussaint To MoveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward-winning interdisciplinary performer Akeim Toussaint Buck's company presenting dance work Windows of Displacement at BAC.
• Our Stories: Queer in the CountrysideminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLGBTQIA+ arts programme running May-August 2025 at BAC featuring artists, performers, and workshops for the local community.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Salisbury Arts Centre (Salisbury Playhouse): Regional multi-arts venue in Wiltshire presenting theatre, film, music, exhibitions and participatory work; comparable programming scope, charity/community model and South of England catchment.
• The Electric Palace (Bridport): Community arts/cinema venue in Bridport owned by Alasdair Warren, who also acquired the BAC building in 2025; it operates overlapping cinema/live-event programming in the same town and is directly tied to BAC through shared ownership.
• The Core at Corby Cube: Regional multi-arts venue combining a theatre, cinema and gallery in a single building with participatory and education programmes; structurally close to BAC's venue configuration and charity status.
• CAST (Cornwall): Cornwall-based multi-arts venue delivering theatre, music, comedy, film and community programmes in a regional setting; comparable scale, mission and South West/regional reach.
• Dorchester Arts: Small Dorset-based arts charity presenting theatre, music, comedy, exhibitions and workshops to a local audience; structurally comparable multi-arts venue and registered charity serving the same South West region.
• Farnham Maltings: South of England charitable arts venue presenting theatre, music, comedy, festivals, exhibitions and participatory programmes; comparable multi-arts focus and small-team operating model.
• mac birmingham (Midlands Arts Centre): Charity-run multi-arts venue in Birmingham combining theatre, cinema, galleries, music and participatory programmes; a strong analogue for BAC's mixed-presenter model and education/youth focus.
• The Albany (Deptford): Charity-run community arts centre presenting theatre, music, spoken word, comedy and participatory programmes with strong youth engagement; overlapping presenter/community model and breadth of programming.
• Lighthouse Arts Centre (Poole): Multi-arts venue in Poole, Dorset offering theatre, cinema, music, comedy, and visual arts to a similar South West catchment; comparable scale and programming mix make it a direct regional peer.

Others

• Arts Council England (NPO network): Primary funder of BAC and the broader National Portfolio of UK arts venues; included as an ecosystem peer given the direct financial and policy relationship that shapes BAC's operating environment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BridportArts
• YouTubeyoutube.com/BridportAC
• Facebookfacebook.com/bridportartscentre
• Instagraminstagram.com/bridportarts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bridport-arts-centre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Bridport Arts Centre