At Brewery Arts, we want to make sure our supporters have the best possible experience with us. Over the past few weeks, we’ve been chatting with some of our Brewery Members. This is our chat with local novelist and member Angela Joyce.
What do you enjoy most about being a Brewery Arts Member?
I really like coming to creative activity, supporting the arts. It’s a very big thing for me. That’s one reason that encouraged us to move to Kendal, because it has an arts centre, and we knew it a bit. I feel I don’t use the Brewery Arts enough, because I’m very busy, but… the main things I use are the cinema, because I’m a big fan of films and I also am coming to the music sessions on Tuesday because I play in the Lakeland Fiddlers. I sometimes come to Verbalise, I’ve taken part and hope to continue.
So that’s a great thing. I think, you’ve got a really good range of things, and you’re trying to appeal to wide range of people, which is obviously good.
Do you use your membership discounts?
Yeah for the cinema, so that’s cheaper. I’ve not done the 241 yet. I go away quite a bit .
Do you receive the membership newsletters, okay?
Yes the email. I do quite like the paper brochure because sometimes I don’t want to go online, so I must admit, I do sometimes take it with me or pick it up in a cafe. Browsing is good, I think the design’s really nice as well.
Does the cinema section list all the films? No but there is a sheet that comes out every week with the cinema listings… you can pick that up at the box office. Oh, that’s interesting.
Can I talk about the films a bit more? One thing I’ve suddenly wondered is, how do you actually choose which ones to show it? Who selects them? Oh, is it, like, a package for all arts centres in the UK?
Chris Ashton, our Film Programmer, is always up to date with the latest releases and industry developments, with strong connections across the film world. He curates our entire cinema programme, from blockbuster releases and Stage on Screen productions to Cinema Rewind classics and one-off documentary screenings with live Q&As. Creating such a varied and engaging programme takes a huge amount of organisation, planning and industry knowledge.
That must be huge fun. Because obviously, you have lots of the newest ones, but then you also have, you know, classic ones that come back like we came to see Jaws.
I studied languages, and I really like to see foreign films. I’d love it if maybe you have more. One very obscure thing, I do, is I’m learning Greek, and it’d be brilliant if there was a Greek film on now and then. I know that might be too specialists, but, I mean, there’s some very good directors, like Costa Gavras. He did the film called Zed, which is quite famous. And so that would be one request for me.
Have you tried anything new because you are a member?
The only thing that was fun the other night, after seeing a film here with a friend, we stumbled upon the pub quiz. That was really fun. We weren’t actually registered for it but we were still answering questions.
This may not be relevant to put down in your notes, but I’ve got a disabled son. It’s been very difficult for us, me and my husband. Although he lives in his own flat, and he’s really liking it, we still have to do a lot for him. So this takes, like, a lot of time and just coming here a bit more, it does kind of suit my energy. I want to do it. He’s great guy but that is one big aspect.
Does he ever come to Brewery Arts? Yes, occasionally he quite likes music. He comes to the Summer Sundays outside. He comes to the occasional film, usually children’s films, because he’s quite childlike, in a way. And he has to wear ear defenders because he find music and films very loud.
Do you know about the Relaxed Screenings?. You’ll find them on the website. Yeah, I think so. I’ve seen that. Can people in wheelchairs get into the cinema?
Yes, there’s a ramp that goes from the from the arch and they can just go up the ramp from the outside. There’s a lift as well.
Oh, that’s excellent, because he knows some people in wheelchairs. We want them to be able to do as much as he can.
Are there any changes you’d like to see to the membership? I don’t think so, really. Maybe… more foreign language films. I do like classical music quite a lot so maybe a music quartet.
There have been some films that have a live piano score
Oh, yes, I’ve loved that. You should keep doing that.
One thing I find is, I can’t go out lots late at night. I get extremely exhausted. So it’s good that you have some films earlier, like 5 or around then.
Would you recommend membership to anybody else? Well people tend to grumble about stuff but I think we are really lucky to have an arts centre. I mean, just have a look through the programme and the staff are very nice. The food is good as well. Sometimes I’ll have visitors to Kendal and we’ll eat here.
That’s fabulous and I hope you use your membership discount?. 10% off being a member, but also, if you bring in people, it’s for up to six people, so it’s worthwhile. You just show your membership card or digital membership card, if you’ve got a digital one.
Thank you to Angela for taking part in this interview.
Also, thank you to all our Brewery Arts Members. Having a strong membership means we can continue to deliver a varied and exciting programme of live and cinema events and community workshops. We strive to improve our offer and ensure we deliver in terms of artistic quality and value. In the above interview, we mentioned cinema discounts.
You too can enjoy these offers and support the Brewery Arts by signing up for our membership here.
