The Maltings (Berwick) Trust

What The Maltings (Berwick) Trust does

The Maltings (Berwick) Trust is a UK registered charity (No. 701194, founded 1990) operating a multi-venue arts and cultural programme in Berwick-upon-Tweed, North Northumberland. It runs a 96-seat cinema at Berwick Barracks (opened October 2024), the Granary Gallery in a converted 1769 granary for visual arts exhibitions, Maltings at Hide Hill for workshops and youth theatre, and has the Gymnasium Gallery and its flagship Eastern Lane venue in redevelopment (reopening 2027 and 2028 respectively). Programming spans film screenings and event broadcasts (NT Live, Royal Ballet, Royal Northern Sinfonia), exhibitions curated with partners such as the Royal Scottish Academy and The Fleming Collection, theatre productions, school workshops, and an artist residency programme including the Berwick Shines engagement initiative delivered through the Living Barracks Partnership with English Heritage, Berwick Barracks Heritage Trust, Berwick Preservation Trust, KOSB, and Create Berwick.

The organisation's business model is a hybrid non-profit revenue stack: transactional ticket sales across cinema, theatre, exhibitions and workshops (with concession, student, benefit and under-21 pricing layers plus a £1 Capital Development Contribution on live performance tickets); an annual Friends membership programme (£36 individual / £54 joint) providing 20% off screenings; recurring and one-off charitable donations; venue hire subject to charitable alignment; and passive giving via Amazon Smile, Give As You Live, and Easyfundraising. Distribution runs through 24/7 online ticketing (Spektrix-powered), an in-person box office at the Barracks cinema, phone bookings, festival channels (Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival, Berwick Literary Festival), and community outreach. Operations are funded and underwritten by Arts Council England, Northumberland County Council, Berwick Town Council, Berwick Community Trust, and the Borderlands Regional Growth Deal.

The customer base spans the general public and visitors to Berwick, school and youth audiences, artists and creative professionals (including five in-residence studios plus commission programmes), and supporters/patrons (Friends members, donors, volunteers, legacy pledgers). The technology stack is non-proprietary and limited to standard cinema projection, website booking, and Spektrix ticketing — there is no disclosed AI/ML, platform IP, or monetisable data asset; competitive defensibility rests instead on heritage venues, charity status, grant dependency, and a deeply embedded regional partnership ecosystem.

Name

The Maltings (Berwick) Trust

Legal name

The Maltings (Berwick) Trust

Website

https://maltingsberwick.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Maltings (Berwick) Trust is a UK registered charity operating multi-venue arts, cinema, exhibition, and creative-learning programming in Berwick-upon-Tweed, serving local residents, visitors, schools, artists, and supporters via ticket sales, Friends memberships, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts and Cultural Venue Services

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Fringe & Experimental Performing Arts (MPAGABAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Arts & Crafts Workshops (Painting, Pottery, Ceramics, Sculpture) (THAJAKAA)

Keywords

• Arts and culture programming
• Independent cinema screenings
• Visual arts exhibitions
• Community arts workshops
• Artist residency programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Berwick-upon-tweed

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from cinema screenings, live performances, theatre productions, and exhibition admissions. The organization operates a year-round programme with varied ticket pricing including standard, concession, student, and benefit rates.
2. Friends Membership: Annual membership programme offering 20% off film screenings and event broadcasts. Individual membership is £36/year, joint membership for two people at same address is £54/year.
3. Donations: Charitable donations accepted online during booking or as one-off contributions. Additional fundraising supports youth arts, community activity, artists residencies, and schools' projects.
4. Venue Hire: Spaces available for hire including Maltings at Hide Hill and other venues, subject to alignment with charitable objectives and commitment to inclusivity.
5. Retail Shopping Schemes: Support generated through Amazon Smile, Give As You Live, and Easyfundraising when supporters shop through these platforms and select The Maltings as their chosen charity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Maltings (Berwick) Trust operates a year-round cultural programme across multiple venues in Berwick-upon-Tweed, delivering cinema screenings, event broadcasts, visual arts exhibitions, live theatre and music, creative workshops, youth theatre, school programmes, and artist residencies. It sells tickets, Friends memberships, and venue hire, and supplements earned income with charitable donations and grants. Its mission as a registered charity is to provide access to arts and culture for local residents, schools, families, visitors and artists.

Product overview

The Maltings (Berwick) Trust operates a multi-venue cultural programme across Berwick-upon-Tweed, centred on five physical locations: Maltings Cinema at Berwick Barracks (a 96-seat cinema), Granary Gallery (exhibition space), Maltings at Hide Hill (creative workshops), the Gymnasium Gallery (reopening 2027), and Eastern Lane (under redevelopment, reopening 2028). The offering spans film screenings and event broadcasts, visual arts exhibitions, artist residencies, youth theatre, Summer Art Camp, schools programmes, and community engagement through the Berwick Shines initiative. The programme is unified by its charitable mission to bring arts and culture to Berwick, while venues operate semi-independently with their own spaces and activities. The organisation also offers a Friends membership programme providing discounts and early access to events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Maltings Cinema at Berwick Barracks An intimate 96-seat cinema housed within the historic Berwick Barracks Mob Store, offering the latest film releases, special screenings, event broadcasts (including NT Live and Royal Ballet), and curated cinema experiences year-round for local residents and visitors.
• Granary Gallery exhibitions A changing programme of exhibitions in a converted 1769 granary building focused on modern British art and artists inspired by Northumberland and the Scottish Borders, with current and historical visual arts presentations.
• Maltings at Hide Hill workshops and creative learning A creative town-centre space hosting workshops, creative learning activities, small-scale events, community-led projects, Summer Art Camp and youth theatre sessions for all ages.
• Maltings Youth Theatre Fun, dynamic theatre sessions for young people aged 5-7, 8-10, 11-13 and 14+ held at Maltings at Hide Hill, designed to build confidence and spark imagination through creative drama activities.
• Summer Art Camp Holiday workshops for children aged 5-10 years held at Maltings at Hide Hill featuring hands-on creative activities including clay sculpting, kite making, printing and underwater world creation.
• Artist Residencies and Studio Hire Programmes offering artists time, space and support to develop new work in Berwick, including five studios at Berwick Barracks (with waiting list and short-term hire options) and commissions through the Berwick Shines programme.
• Berwick Shines Cultural Engagement Programme The Living Barracks Cultural Engagement programme featuring seven commissioned artists in 2025-2026 creating residencies, commissions and public-facing work exploring the heritage of Berwick Barracks and the town.
• Schools and Young People Programme Educational outreach including school gallery visits, workshops, teacher CPD sessions, Berwick Academy artist residencies and youth theatre, connecting creativity with learning for young people across North Northumberland.
• Baby Cinema Monthly relaxed screenings for parents and carers with babies under 12 months, featuring raised lighting, reduced volume, subtitles and flexible seating to create a baby-friendly cinema experience.
• Teen Screen Exclusive cinema screenings for ages 13-18, programmed by Berwick Academy Young Film Programmers, allowing teenagers to curate and attend screenings designed for their age group.
• Sensory Friendly Screenings Accessible cinema screenings with raised lighting, reduced sound volume, no trailers, subtitles throughout and audience freedom to move and make noise, designed for neurodiverse viewers.
• Live Event Broadcasts Live broadcast screenings of theatre, opera and dance productions from major UK venues including National Theatre and Royal Ballet, shown at Maltings Cinema.
• Friends Annual Membership Annual membership programme offering 20% off film screenings and event broadcasts plus early access to programming news, with individual membership at £36/year or joint membership at £54/year.
• Visual Arts Archive A digital archive documenting exhibitions, artists and projects since 2011, spanning over a decade of programme activity including major exhibitions and artist residencies.
• Venue Hire Spaces available for hire including Maltings at Hide Hill and other venues, subject to alignment with charitable objectives and commitment to inclusivity.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 9,000 people visited exhibition programme at Granary Gallery
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• English HeritagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Living Barracks Partnership. English Heritage manages Berwick Barracks and collaborates on heritage-led cultural engagement programme. The Barracks houses the cinema and is central to the organization's activities.
• Berwick Barracks Heritage TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore partner in Living Barracks Partnership. Leads restoration and renewal of historic Berwick Barracks site as central part of town's social and cultural life. Co-delivers Berwick Shines engagement programme.
• Berwick Preservation TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeritage trust that refurbished the Granary Gallery building (originally Dewar's Lane Granary, dating from 1769) and continues partnership on cultural programming.
• Berwick Film and Media Arts FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual film festival partner for special events and screenings. Collaborates on presenting film programming and festival moments throughout the year.
• Berwick Literary FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual literary festival partner for events and programming. Collaborates on presenting literary events and festival activities.
• Create BerwickcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal creative organization. Supports Maltings at Hide Hill as a Cultural Resource Hub. Part of Living Barracks Partnership. Collaborates on artist-led heritage and creative activity.
• King's Own Scottish Borderers (KOSB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Living Barracks Partnership. Military regiment museum associated with Berwick Barracks. Collaborates on heritage engagement through KOSB archives and museum collections.
• Culture Bridge North EastminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional cultural organization supporting arts and culture development across North East England.
• Into Film FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm education organization providing festival programming and film-related educational resources.
• Newcastle University Centre for Rural EconomyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner providing research and educational collaboration on rural economy and creative industries.
• Newcastle University Institute for Creative Arts PracticeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner supporting creative arts practice and research collaborations.
• Northumberland Arts DevelopmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty arts development organization supporting cultural programming across Northumberland.
• Future Arts CentresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of arts centres collaborating on national initiatives including 'Our Freedom: Then and Now' programme marking 80 years since VE/VJ Day.
• Berwick Record OfficeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal archives partner collaborating on heritage projects including Living Barracks engagement activities.
• North East MuseumsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional museums organization supporting exhibition programming and museum sector collaboration.
• Royal Northern SinfoniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional symphony orchestra presenting annual winter tour concerts at Berwick Parish Church as part of The Maltings programme. Partnership brings classical music to Berwick as annual event.
• The Fleming CollectioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArt collection and organization co-curating Joan Eardley: The Sea at Catterline exhibition. Partnership brings significant Scottish art to The Maltings as part of RSA200 programme.
• Royal Scottish AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Joan Eardley exhibition as part of RSA200: Celebrating Together marking the Academy's 200th anniversary in 2026.
• Allanbank ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal arts organization collaborating on The Big Draw festival workshops and Summer Art Camp programming.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• mac birmingham: A larger Midlands arts centre operated by Birmingham City Council with theatres, cinema, and galleries. Comparable as a multi-disciplinary venue combining cinema, performance, and visual arts, but at a significantly larger scale than Maltings.
• The Lowry: A major arts centre in Salford with two theatres, a gallery, and learning programmes. Comparable multi-venue cultural model with gallery and performance focus, but at substantially larger scale and visitor throughput than Maltings.

Direct peers

• ARC Stockton Arts Centre: A mid-scale arts centre in Stockton-on-Tees operating theatre, cinema, and gallery programming with strong learning and community strands. Comparable multi-disciplinary arts centre model with cinema and education at its core.
• Theatre by the Lake: A producing theatre and arts venue in Keswick, Cumbria offering main house and studio performances plus education and outreach. Comparable as a rural UK cultural venue with a similar mix of producing theatre, learning programmes, and regional audience base.
• South Hill Park Arts Centre: A multi-venue arts centre in Berkshire operating a 200+ seat theatre, cinema, gallery, and creative learning programmes. Comparable multi-disciplinary venue model with cinema, exhibition, and education offerings similar to The Maltings.
• Brewery Arts: A registered charity arts centre in Kendal, Cumbria operating a multi-venue programme including cinema, theatre, gallery, and workshops. Highly comparable to Maltings as a rural/regional UK arts centre with similar scale, venue mix, and community engagement focus.
• Battersea Arts Centre: A registered charity operating multiple performance and participation spaces within a heritage building in South London. Comparable as a heritage-anchored, multi-space arts charity with strong community and artist development programming.
• CAST Doncaster: A performing arts and community venue in Doncaster with a flexible studio and main house, plus learning and participation programmes. Comparable mid-scale regional arts venue with similar programming and audience-development focus.
• The Civic: A Barnsley-based arts centre operated by Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council offering theatre, exhibitions, workshops, and learning programmes. Comparable as a regional UK arts venue combining performance, visual arts, and community engagement.

Regional players

• Junction Goole: A small arts and community venue in the East Riding of Yorkshire presenting theatre, music, film, and workshops. Comparable regional/community arts centre model with similar modest scale and multi-purpose programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/themaltings?lang=en
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCTaJ-p94YWnBNKSI230NoGw
• Facebookfacebook.com/BerwickMaltings
• Instagraminstagram.com/maltingsberwick/?hl=en-gb
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-maltings-berwick

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 The Maltings (Berwick) Trust