Brewery Arts Centre

The Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal is the main focus of Kendal’s arts and entertainment scene.

The converted brewery offers a number of performance venues, a 2-screen cinema, several restaurants and bars, plus galleries, studios and meeting rooms.

Venues

There are 2 main performance venues at the Brewery Arts Centre; the Malt Room and the Theatre. Seating plans for both and detailed events listings are available on the official website.

Malt Room

The Malt Room is a flexible venue with a dance floor and private bar. It can accommodate up to 300 people.

Shows scheduled for 2011 include Justin Moorhouse, Jason Byrne, Half Man Half Biscuit, Raghu Dixt, Tigerstyle, Julie Fowlis, Midge Ure, and Kate Walsh.

Theatre

This raked auditorium can accommodate 260.

Performances in 2011 include Charlie Boorman, A Man of No Importance (Kendal College), and the Sound of Music (Queen Katherine School).

Cinema

The Brewery Arts Centre boasts the only cinema in Kendal. The 2-screen cinema shows the latest releases. Screen 1 can seat 192 guests while Screen 2 can accommodate 115.

The Reel Deal on Tuesdays offers cinemagoers a movie and pizza for £10 while on Mondays all cinema tickets are just £4.50. There are also special screenings for children and parents plus Silver Screenings in the afternoon with free tea and biscuits for seniors.

For cinema listings and film times visit the official website.

Events

The centre hosts several major events throughout the year such as the Kendal Mountain Festival and Kendal Mintfest/Lakes Alive.

Booking

Tickets for all shows and films can be booked online on the official website or by calling the box office on 01539 725133.

They can also be purchased in person at the ticket office. Opening hours are noon to 8.30 pm Monday to Wednesday, 10 am – 8.30 pm Thursday to Saturday, and 2 pm to 8.30 pm on Sunday.

Restaurants and Bars

The centre has a good selection of places to eat and drink. The Grain Store Restaurant offers a modern British menu and is an excellent choice for a pre-theatre dinner.

Vats Bar serves a good selection of bottled and cask ales, wines, and spirits. It is also known for its excellent pizzas.

The Warehouse Café functions as an arts café in the daytime and an art house cinema/live venue in the evening. Complimentary wireless internet access is available.

The Intro Café is a kid-friendly café with a play area for children and newspapers and magazines for parents.

Adult Education Courses

The centre offers a wide range of adult education courses. All fees are subsidised by Cumbria County Council and reduced fees are available for seniors, unemployed etc.

The courses offered cover a wide range of topics and activities including arts and crafts (sculpture, drawing, jewellery making, pottery, painting etc.), languages (all levels – French, German, Spanish, Italian), health (yoga, Pilates), and music (singing, guitar, piano etc).

Location

The Brewery Arts Centre is located on Highgate in Kendal town centre. It’s accessed via a small arch under the Kendal Youth Hostel.

There is limited pay and display car parking behind the centre (60 cars).