Chris
5/14/2025 8:32:03 AM
4 mins read
Ticket sales at shows in council-run arts centres are rocketing - with the added income helping offset the costs of providing a wide-ranging and popular programme of events.
Key figures being presented to the Culture and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee at South Kesteven District Council on Thursday (15th) show events at Grantham Arts Centre, Stamford Arts Centre and Bourne Corn Exchange continue to flourish.
The combination of a strong programme of events in each venue, together with effective marketing, resulted in increased ticket sales for 2024-25, compared with the previous financial year.
Room hire income across all three venues is also performing well and showing an increase in income from the previous financial year.
Ticket figures for SKDC-hosted events*, 2024-25:
Grantham Guildhall Arts Centre – 17,368 tickets; (16,554 for 2023-24)
Stamford Arts Centre – 9,817 tickets; (7,716 for 2023-24)
Stamford Cinema – 24,889 tickets; (20,737 for 2023-24)
Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, Cllr Paul Stokes, who is also Deputy Leader of the Council, said: "This is great news and shows that we are providing the entertainment people want to come and see - and we continue to do so in our 2025-26 programme.
"It's worth noting that the cost of running the centres and providing all of this entertainment still far outweighs the income, and we work hard to bring great value for money at the arts centres themselves, Bourne Corn Exchange and through our outreach and community projects.
"The overall ticket sales surplus on events we hosted ourselves reached £180,643, which is welcome news.
"Much of the total is down to our incredibly successful pantomimes where in Grantham Aladdin achieved ticket sales totalling over £150,000 across five weeks. In Stamford, Mother Goose sold £25,903-worth of tickets for its 12-show run."
The council’s Corporate Plan contains a commitment to deliver and facilitate a sustainable leisure and cultural offer and to celebrate and promote the strong heritage and rich culture of South Kesteven.
Both Stamford and Grantham arts centres offer a well-rounded theatre programme that includes arts centre programmed events and externally hired performances, such as music and talks, or week-long residencies by local amateur theatre companies. Both also offer spaces for hire, including historical ballrooms.
Highlights across both venues include a touring Pride and Prejudice production, children's workshop The Wonderdome, Sherlock Holmes: The Last Act, Frankenstein with local theatre company Lamphouse Theatre from Peterborough and The Little Prince, programmed consecutive dates across Stamford and Grantham Guildhall Arts Centres.
Harry Hill Live proved to be the standout booking in Grantham, selling out months before the performance date, while shows including Tina Live, Abba Sensation and Paul Jones far exceeded ticket sale predictions.
In Stamford, jazz concerts sell out every month after a refreshed marketing strategy, while USA vocalist Dean Friedman sold out in May 2024 and Poet Laureate Simon Armitage exceeded expected sales in June 2024.
Bourne Corn Exchange is a community facility which can host SKDC-programmed events, as well as parties, celebrations and meetings.
It has had particular success with music events, a highlight from last year being Ultra 90s vs 2000s, which was programmed on a split and sold over £4000 in ticket sales.
For more information about upcoming performances and activities at the Arts Centres, visit the What’s On guides and latest new season brochures available at www.guildhallartscentre.com and www.stamfordartscentre.com. Bourne details at www.bournecornexchange.com.
*Figures do not include events where the venue is hired by promotors who then sell their own tickets.
