Plymouth Arts Cinema

What Plymouth Arts Cinema does

Plymouth Arts Cinema is a registered charity (No. 800664) and the only independent cinema operating in Plymouth and the geographic stretch between Torbay and Falmouth in South West England. Established in 1947 as Plymouth Arts Centre, the organisation relocated in early 2019 to a custom-built 118-seat auditorium on the Arts University Plymouth campus at Tavistock Place. It serves film enthusiasts, families with young children, students, older adults (including dementia patients and their carers), and neurodivergent audiences through a curated programme of world cinema, arthouse films, classics, and mainstream fare, supplemented by specialised screenings (Bringing in Baby, Relaxed, Dementia Friendly), filmmaker Q&As, and live events. The core technology is a single physical auditorium with hearing loop and accessibility features, supported by a WordPress-based website for online booking (with a £1.50 transaction fee waived for members), weekly email newsletter, and social channels on Instagram, Facebook, and Letterboxd.

The cinema operates a diversified, charity-based revenue model combining transactional ticket sales (£5.00–£9.50 across standard, matinee, and concession tiers), three-tier annual memberships (Supporter £15, Friend £35–£45, Champion £300–£400, sponsored by Plymouth Gin), on-site café-bar sales, gift vouchers, donations and legacies, corporate sponsorship, and grant funding. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: Director and Film Programmer Anna Navas curates the slate, and the venue runs regular talks with internationally renowned filmmakers (e.g., Ben Wheatley, Roger Deakins, Mia Bays), local filmmaker showcases, and partner-led events with organisations such as Plymouth Community Pride, LUSH Plymouth, Theatre Royal Plymouth, The Box, and Take A Part.

The organisation is funded in part by grants including a £150,000 award from the BFI Audience Projects Fund (announced April 2026 for a three-year term), Arts University Plymouth, Plymouth City Council, Garfield Weston Foundation, and BFI Film Hub South West. It is governed by a board of trustees chaired by Paul Brookes (formerly Programme Director and Interim CEO of The Box Plymouth), supported by a small paid staff team of approximately nine individuals plus long-tenured volunteers. The cinema has won Muddy Stilettos Devon Best Arts, Culture and Theatre 2026 and holds a national reputation as a champion of gender equality in film through early adoption of the F-Rating and Reclaim the Frame initiatives.

Name

Plymouth Arts Cinema

Legal name

Plymouth Arts Cinema

Website

https://plymouthartscinema.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Plymouth Arts Cinema is a registered charity operating the only independent cinema in Plymouth, UK. It runs a 118-seat venue at Arts University Plymouth, screening arthouse, world cinema, and mainstream films through inclusive programmes for diverse audiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Cinema

NAICS

Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins) (512131), Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent & Art-house Cinemas (MPADAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community & Cultural Screenings (Museums, Cultural Centers) (MPADAKAH), Programming, Booking & Repertory Exhibition Services (MPADAKAL), Cinema Concessions & On-site F&B Operations (MPADAKAN)

Keywords

• Independent cinema screenings
• Arthouse film programming
• Inclusive cinema events
• Cinema membership schemes
• Not-for-profit cinema

Headquarters

HQ city

Plymouth

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from standard, matinee, and discounted cinema tickets across all screenings including special events, Q&As, and live shows.
2. Membership Subscriptions: Three-tier annual membership: Supporter (£15), Friend (£35 single/£45 double), and Champion (£300 single/£400 duo). Includes benefits like free tickets, discounts, priority booking, and free Plymouth Gin & Tonic.
3. Café-Bar Sales: On-site café-bar serving cinema snacks, hot and cold drinks. Open during screenings and events.
4. Gift Vouchers: Electronic and printed gift vouchers redeemable for tickets, memberships, and café-bar purchases.
5. Donations and Legacies: One-time and regular donations, seat dedications (£200 for five years), and legacy gifts through wills. Registered charity No. 800664, eligible for Gift Aid.
6. Corporate Sponsorship: Sponsorship packages for family events, film seasons, and general cinema operations. Includes corporate events, bar discounts, digital recognition, logo placement, trailer acknowledgment, and seat plaques.
7. Grant Funding: Funding from BFI Audience Projects Fund (£150,000 awarded April 2026 for three years), Arts University Plymouth, Plymouth City Council, Garfield Weston Foundation, and BFI Film Hub South West.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Plymouth Arts Cinema operates a 118-seat independent cinema screening world cinema, arthouse films, classics, and mainstream fare, accompanied by a three-tier membership programme, gift vouchers, and an on-site café-bar. The cinema also delivers inclusive screening formats including Bringing in Baby, Relaxed (autism-friendly), and Dementia Friendly sessions, and hosts filmmaker Q&As and special events. The operation is structured as a registered charity, generating revenue from ticket sales, memberships, donations, café-bar sales, corporate sponsorship, and grants.

Product overview

Plymouth Arts Cinema is Plymouth's only independent cinema, operating as a not-for-profit charitable organisation since 1947. The cinema moved to Arts University Plymouth's campus in 2019, featuring a custom-built 118-seat auditorium. The core product is cinema screenings offering world cinema, arthouse films, mainstream fare, and classics. The cinema provides specialised programming including Bringing in Baby screenings for parents with infants, Relaxed Screenings for neurodivergent audiences, and family-friendly Summer Holiday Cinema events. Additional revenue streams include a three-tier Membership Program (Supporter, Friend, Champion), Gift Vouchers, Seat Dedication plaques, Corporate Sponsorship packages, and Donations. The cinema also hosts occasional special events such as live magic shows and creative workshops like the LUSH Bath-Bomb Making Family Workshops. Downloadable monthly film guides in multiple formats complement the programme.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Dementia Friendly and Relaxed Screenings provide accessible cinema for underserved populations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Arts University PlymouthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution for Plymouth Arts Cinema. Located at main campus on Tavistock Place. Partnership enables cinema's custom-built 118-seat facility and provides institutional stability. Previously Plymouth College of Art.
• The Box (Plymouth)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunder and partner organisation. Also collaborator on Beyond the Page event series.
• Chris Kallis SolicitorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor providing financial support. Sponsors Summer Holiday Cinema events and family-friendly screenings. Quote: 'We are really proud to support PAC – which is one of the great remaining cultural institutions in Plymouth'.
• Plymouth GinminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsors Plymouth Arts Cinema's Membership Scheme. Each annual membership includes a free Gin and Tonic (or soft drink).
• LUSH PlymouthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummer collaboration for family workshops. PAC and LUSH Plymouth join forces for Bath-Bomb Making workshops tied to blockbuster screenings (£7.50 per child). First collaboration in 2026.
• Take A PartminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity arts organisation collaborator for Q&A events. Co-hosted 'There Is No New Water - Toolkit For Ocean Citizen Action' project screening with Jo In The Water documentary.
• Plymouth Community PrideminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for LGBTQ+ screening events. Collaborated on Lesbian Space Princess screening for Plymouth Pride.
• Plymouth City BusminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for Summer Holiday Cinema events alongside Chris Kallis Solicitors.
• Theatre Royal PlymouthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborator on Silent Cinema Season events.
• Sappho PlymouthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner for LGBTQ+ film events and Plymouth Pride screenings.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights1 record

Direct peers

• Watershed: Independent cinema and cultural centre in Bristol showing world cinema, arthouse, and independent film. Closely comparable as a UK regional independent cinema with a curated programme, café-bar, events programme, and educational/community outreach.
• Broadway Cinema (Nottingham): Not-for-profit independent cinema and arts centre in Nottingham with three screens, café-bar, and creative participation programmes. Comparable as a registered charitable independent cinema combining curated film programming with broader cultural and educational activities.
• Showroom Cinema: Independent cinema and creative workspace in Sheffield, also part of the BFI Film Audience Network. Comparable as a regionally significant independent cinema with curated arthouse programming and community-focused events in a mid-sized UK city.
• Phoenix Cinema: Long-running independent community cinema in East Finchley, London. Comparable as a community-led independent cinema offering curated arthouse, world cinema, and family/repertory programming with active supporter base.
• Hebden Bridge Picture House: Independent community cinema in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire. Comparable as a small-scale independent/community cinema with curated programming, membership scheme, and reliance on community support and grant funding.
• HOME: Manchester arts centre with two cinemas showing arthouse, world, and independent film, plus theatre and gallery programming. Comparable as a curated UK independent cinema with strong programming brand and active community/specialist screening calendar.
• The Lexi Cinema: Small independent community cinema in West London operating as a social enterprise. Comparable as a small-footprint independent cinema with strong community mission, fundraising dependency, and curated arthouse programme.
• Exeter Phoenix: Regional arts centre in Exeter with two cinema screens showing arthouse, world, and mainstream independent film. Comparable as a South West independent/arthouse cinema venue combining cinema with live events, workshops, and community programming.
• Chapter Arts Centre: Cardiff-based arts centre combining arthouse cinema with theatre, exhibitions, and community workshops. Comparable as a not-for-profit cultural venue operating a curated cinema programme alongside broader community engagement activity.
• Cambridge Arts Picturehouse: Picturehouse-operated independent cinema showing curated arthouse, world cinema, and mainstream independent releases. Comparable in scale and as a single-screen independent cinema with an events/QA-led programming approach and active membership base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/plymartscinema
• Instagraminstagram.com/plymartscinema
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/plymouth-arts-cinema

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Plymouth Arts Cinema