By Ticketlab · Last updated 23 July 2026
Starting a film club, or a small community cinema, is one of the best ways to bring people together around films that commercial multiplexes skip. Across the UK, more than a thousand volunteer-led groups already screen in village halls, museums, pubs, and arts centres.
You do not need a purpose-built cinema. You do need a small team, a legal way to show the film, a venue, and a simple way for guests to buy tickets.
This guide covers the practical steps. For deeper start-up packs and the national network, use Cinema For All; they exist specifically to support community exhibitors. Ticketlab’s role is the ticketing piece: taking payments, issuing tickets, and keeping guest lists tidy on the night.
Most UK community exhibitors fall into one of these shapes:
| Type | Typical pattern |
|---|---|
| Film club / society | Regular programme, often membership or mailing list |
| Community cinema | Public ticketed screenings in a hall or arts centre |
| Pop-up / outdoor | Seasonal or one-off; venue changes |
| School / youth club | Often different licensing (e.g. Into Film); check rules carefully |
| Museum or venue series | High-frequency slots in an existing cultural venue |
Be clear early: are you open to the public with paid tickets, or members-only? That choice affects licensing and how you promote.
Do not run this alone. A committee of three to five people can split:
Write down who owns what before the first screening. Cinema For All’s start-up materials include useful templates for constitutions and roles.
Common venues: village halls, libraries, museums, pubs with a back room, community centres, outdoor spaces in summer.
Checklist:
Start with borrowed or hired projection kit if you are testing demand. Upgrade once the programme is stable.
This is the step people skip, and should not.
Showing a film outside a private home is usually a public performance under UK copyright law. If you charge for tickets or advertise publicly, you almost always need a proper licence from the rights holder or their agent.
For many mainstream and catalogue titles screened by film clubs, that means a Single Title Screening Licence (STSL) via Filmbankmedia (or another authorised licensor for the title). Expect a per-screening fee (often a minimum or a share of box office; check current Filmbankmedia pricing).
Useful references:
Ticketlab does not sell film licences. We only handle event tickets and payments. Budget for the licence and the venue before you announce the date.
Community cinema tickets in the UK often sit around £5 to £12. Price for your audience and your costs (licence + venue + kit).
Avoid cash-only door sales if you can:
No monthly platform fee to list. Booking fees are transparent; use the pricing calculator so you know what a £8 ticket costs your guests (or you, if you absorb fees).
Create your event on Ticketlab · Film club & community cinema ticketing
Say what is on, when, where, price, and the booking link. Do not advertise a title publicly until your licence allows it.
Aftercare: thank guests, ask them to join a mailing list, and date the next screening while energy is high.
Once one night works, plan a short season (monthly is enough). High-frequency programmes (museum slots, weekly clubs) are where organised ticketing saves the most time. That pattern also shows up among Ticketlab’s strongest film and cinema organisers: regular dates, loyal audiences, repeatable setup.
| Resource | Use for |
|---|---|
| Cinema For All | National support, advice, network |
| My Community Cinema | List your screenings for audiences |
| Filmbankmedia STSL | Many film club licences |
| Independent Cinema Office | Licensing advice |
| Ticketlab film & cinema ticketing | Sell tickets for your programme |
| Eventbrite alternative UK | Compare platforms |
Free to create, low fees, built for community programmes and series. Real humans if you need help before doors open.