Stag Community Arts Centre

The Stag Community Arts Centre, commonly known as The Stag Sevenoaks, is a theatre and arts centre in Sevenoaks, Kent, England. It occupies the shell of a building originally opened on 22 August 1936 as the Majestic Cinema. The venue's exterior remains close to its original cinema appearance, but its interior has been adapted into a multi-faceted arts complex that now operates as a charity. The Stag's programme spans live theatre, cinema and special events. Its facilities include a theatre auditorium, two digital cinema screens, and an alternative performance and conferencing facility. The venue presents a mixed programme of film releases, live shows, pantomime and community events; its website lists categories such as Screen, Stage, Special Events and Pantomime, and titles ranging from family films to live music tributes and dance festivals. According to the venue's own account, the conversion of the former cinema into a community arts centre was driven by the local thespian Margaret Durdant-Hollamby. The Stag describes itself as having been at the heart of the Sevenoaks community for decades, with more than 5,700 people visiting each month, making it a notable performance venue in Kent. As a charity-run community venue rather than a commercial chain, The Stag combines cinema exhibition, live performance and private/corporate hire. Its corporate page indicates it offers facilities for business and conferencing use alongside its public arts programme. The organisation is locally focused, serving Sevenoaks and the surrounding Kent area.

The building that now houses The Stag Community Arts Centre first opened its doors on 22 August 1936 as the Majestic Cinema. For decades it served Sevenoaks as a cinema, and its exterior shell has survived largely intact, so that the present venue still resembles the original picture house. In the later 20th century the former cinema was adapted into a community arts centre. According to the venue's own history, the transformation was driven by the local thespian Margaret Durdant-Hollamby. The redeveloped building became a multi-faceted arts venue incorporating a theatre, two digital cinema screens, and an alternative performance and conferencing facility. It now operates as a charity. The Stag describes itself as having been at the heart of the Sevenoaks community for decades, continuing to serve audiences of all ages. Its own figures state that more than 5,700 people visit each month, positioning it as a leading performance venue in Kent. In the 2010s and 2020s the venue continued to programme a broad mix of cinema releases, live theatre, music, dance and seasonal pantomime, while also marketing its spaces for corporate and conference use. Its website presents a rolling schedule of film screenings and live events, including family titles, literary adaptations, live music tribute shows and community festivals such as the Sevenoaks Dance Festival.

• 1936

  The building opens on 22 August 1936 as the Majestic Cinema.

• The former cinema is converted into a community arts centre, a transformation attributed to local thespian Margaret Durdant-Hollamby.

• The Stag operates as a charity with a theatre, two digital cinema screens and an alternative performance and conferencing facility.

A charity-run community arts centre and cinema at the heart of Sevenoaks, Kent, combining film, live performance and conferencing in a historic 1936 cinema building.

• Theatre auditorium

• Two digital cinema screens

• Alternative performance and conferencing facility

• Pantomime

• Live music and tribute shows

• Dance festivals

1. 1The Stag Sevenoaks official websitestagsevenoaks.co.uk
2. 2About Us - The Stag Sevenoaksstagsevenoaks.co.uk
3. 3Corporate - The Stag Sevenoaksstagsevenoaks.co.uk
4. 4Film - The Stag Sevenoaksstagsevenoaks.co.uk
5. 5Stag Community Arts Centre - Wikidatawikidata.org