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  1. Updates on Upcoming Events at Exeter Phoenix

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    Situation Updates: Exeter Phoenix

    Lockdown Update: Wed 3 Nov

    With the recent announcement of a second lockdown, we are having to postpone our activity and will close the building from Thu 5 Nov.

    We loved welcoming you back for the socially-distanced events we were able to host, and we want to thank each and every one of you who visited us since our reopening for being so respectful of the rules that we had in place. We are certainly going to miss you over the next four weeks, but look forward to welcoming you back once more.

    Read more about what this lockdown means for you as a ticket holder and what you can do to support Exeter Phoenix here >>

    Studio 74 Update: Tue 29 Sep

    A little over six months ago, we switched off the Studio 74 projector and along with every other cinema in the UK, our screen went dark. In the absence of cinemas, Exeter Phoenix remained present in the form of our virtual cinema programme and our Front Room Phoenix shenanigans. It has been an incredible and fascinating journey in the evolution of cinemas and relationships with our audiences. We thank you all from the bottom from  our hearts for your continued support and engagement with Exeter Phoenix while our doors were closed. 

    And now… we’re delighted to welcome you back for the big screen experience. With a collection of big screen exclusives and unique cinematic opportunities, we have never been more ready to welcome you back! 

    We understand not everyone is ready to join us back in the cinema, so we will continue to provide you with some of the best Virtual Cinema opportunities. We will be here for you when you feel ready to return. We will keep the conversations going and keep the home of Exeter’s independent cinema warm and welcoming. For without our audience we are nothing… and oh we have missed you.

    To read the full update click here >>

    Reopening Update: Wed 12 Aug

    Exeter Phoenix has begun to re-open to the public. Whilst a full re-opening is still some way off, there is plenty to celebrate….

    CAFÉ BAR TERRACE NOW OPEN

    Our outdoor Café Bar Terrace has had a summer makeover and we are now delighted to welcome you in for coffees, light bites and drinks – with full table service provided, plus shade from the sun! Find our opening hours here >>

    On Thursdays, we are hosting a weekly quiz. You can expect to see more socially-distanced events and activity coming to the terrace soon. Keep an eye on our What’s On page and social media for more info.

    We are taking part in the Eat Out To Help Out scheme, giving you 50% or £10 off your bill Monday-Wednesday. Find more information here >> 

    Alongside this, we have launched our own Dining Club, giving you the opportunity to enjoy a three-course themed dining experience for just £7.50. Meals include a Japanese themed dinner and a Southern American Fiesta theme. 

    Opening times and more information can be found here >>

    INTRODUCING OUR SECRET GARDEN

    At the weekend we opened our Secret Garden for our first al fresco gig in this new space. 

    It is also available to hire. If you are looking for a safe, outdoor space for a socially-distanced event, meeting or family gathering, you can find out more about it here >>

    Keep an eye on our website and social media for event updates. 

    AUDITORIUM, CINEMA, GALLERIES AND STUDIOS

    The next stage in our phased reopening will be to open up parts of the building in the autumn . We are currently working hard to ensure that these spaces will be able to open in a safe and responsible way for both customers and staff. 

    Re-opening dates for these are still to be confirmed – please look out for further updates. Postponed indoor events are continuing to be rescheduled. If you have a ticket for an affected event our box office team will be in touch, if they have not already. 

    ONLINE ACTIVITY

    During our temporary closure, our Front Room Phoenix programme has been dedicated to beaming activity straight to your sofa. We have loved sharing these events with you and this will continue whilst we work on our phased re-opening. You can find out more about our virtual cinema, live streamed events and more here >>

    FROM ALL AT EXETER PHOENIX

    Thank you for all of your support during this time. Exeter Phoenix could not be here without the wonderful community around us. We look forward to welcoming you back in person soon and thank you for your ongoing support and understanding.

    Update: Thu 30 July

    We will be taking part in the government’s Eat Out To Help Out scheme. Find out more here >>

    Whilst our building remains closed, our Café Bar terrace is open and we look forward to welcoming you back at these revised opening times:

    Tuesday, Wednesday: 10am-3pm
    Thursday: 10am-10pm
    Friday, Saturday: 10am-11pm
    Opening hours are subject to change

    We will keep you updated with plans to open more areas of the building soon. 

    Update: Thu 16 July

    We are delighted to announce that we are taking the first steps towards reopening Exeter Phoenix. Our Café Bar terrace is now open for food, coffees and drinks! Find out what measures and house rules we have in place to keep customers and staff safe at this time here >>

    Join us on the terrace at these temporary opening times: 

    Tuesday, Wednesday: 10am-3pm
    Thursday: 10am-10pm
    Friday, Saturday: 10am-11pm
    Opening hours are subject to change

    You can find our summer menu here >> 

    We will be taking part in the government’s Eat Out To Help Out scheme, meaning 50% off food and non-alcoholic drinks (including coffees!) up to a value of £10 per person, valid Mon-Wed throughout August.

    This is the first step in our phased reopening plans. The rest of the building remaining closed to the public, so there is still a long way to go! Please consider supporting Exeter Phoenix through this time by donating to our Coronavirus Impact fund here >>

    Update: Thu 2 July

    With some lockdown measures being eased, some of you have been asking if we will be open this weekend.

    We are not going to be re-opening just yet, but rest assured that we are working hard behind the scenes on a phased reopening plan. We’ll share details of this later in the month, so keep your eyes peeled for that! We are really looking forward to welcoming you back, a little further down the line.

     
    We have taken on board the responses and comments from the recent customer survey we posted. From all of the team here, we’d like to say a huge thank you for all the kind words, messages of support and generous donations at this time. It means a lot, and we can’t wait to see you all again in the near future.
     

    Update: Thu 2 April

    In response to the developing coronavirus situation in the UK, Exeter Phoenix is temporarily closed. The majority of events taking place until at least the end of April will be rescheduled, and we will review these measures on a month-by-month basis. Our box office team will be getting in touch with all ticket holders for affected events to advise you on your options. Please bear in mind that a small number of staff are working through an unprecedented volume of enquiries  so will take a little longer than usual. 

    Whilst we can’t currently host our usual array of events in the building, we are not letting that get in the way of our commitment to bring culture and creativity to the community. Join us on facebook, twitter and instagram where we’ll be sharing a range of creative events and activities to keep you entertained and connected during this time. 

    Whilst we hope to be back with some fresh creative projects in the near future, we are having to pause most of our activity for the time being. We look to returning to our role of the beating cultural heart of the city as soon as the situation allows. 

    We wouldn’t be here without you, our wonderful community. We want to say a huge, heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported us through this, and we have been overwhelmed by the response from you all. If you are in a position to be able to help support Exeter Phoenix through this time, either through buying a gift card or ticket for a future event, making a donation, or anything else, we would be eternally grateful. There are several ways you can support us outlined here here >>

    Older Updates

    Update: March 2020

    In response to the developing coronavirus situation in the UK, Exeter Phoenix is temporarily closed to the public. We are following government advice and acting in the best interests of our visitors and staff. This is an unprecedented and rapidly changing situation, and we will post any amends and updates as soon as we have them.

    This is a temporary measure and we are taking this on a month-by-month basis. Events taking place until the end of April are now postponed, and we will review May events once things are a little clearer.

    Unprecedented closures like this with no confirmed government support will be hugely damaging for charities like Exeter Phoenix and many other sectors. Whilst we will endeavour to reschedule all activity where possible and organising refunds if this is not, if you are in a position to be able to consider donating some or all of your ticket price back to us you will be ensuring creativity can continue to thrive in Exeter when we reopen our doors.

    Over the rest of this week our box office team will be getting in touch with all ticket holders for events that have been affected. Our administration team will be getting in touch with any hirers, promoters or other building users with updates and information.

    We wouldn’t be here without you our lovely community, and the community is going to be important in these upcoming times.

    Exeter is already starting to mobilise on this so if you are in a position to help or need help yourself you can get involved in a group such as this Facebook Community. We’ll be sharing more initiatives like this as we find them.

    We have put several plans in place in the best interest of our staff and customers:      

    Hand sanitiser is available throughout the building for staff and the public.

    We have increased general cleaning of the building, paying attention to high-traffic areas and have increased the cleaning of regularly touched surfaces, such as counter tops and door handles.

    Our self-serve water station has been removed – please ask a member of staff if you require water.  

    Our menus have been laminated so they can be cleaned between sittings.

    Card payments are preferable at this time, but we understand not all customers are able to pay by card. You will see our staff wash hands after each cash transaction.

    For ease of mind, our film screenings will now have unreserved seating and a reduced capacity so that customers can spread out and leave spaces between seats.

    Staff are encouraged to follow government advice and to stay home if they display any coronavirus symptoms.

    Hand washing advice is displayed in all our toilets.

    Mon 16 Mar: Following current advice, we are currently remaining open and taking further precautions to ensure community, customer, and staff safety. We advise all visitors to the building to clean hands regularly with soap and hot water where possible, and have various hand sanitiser stations across the building to aid in maintaining individual hygiene. We are also increasing regular cleaning across the building, paying particular attention to our high traffic areas.

    In the event of cancelled events, we will contact ticket holders and will reschedule dates wherever we can. If you are unable to make rescheduled dates, we will offer a credit note or refund for cancelled events. We appreciate this is a difficult time for everyone but if you are in a position to help, please consider making a donation of your ticket price, rather than asking for a refund. 

    We would be hugely grateful, as this will ensure great art and culture can continue to be brought to Exeter Phoenix. Thank you for your support.

    Fri 13 Mar: As I am sure you can imagine, we have had several questions and inquiries about events due to the current situation with coronavirus. Please be assured that we are closely monitoring the situation and will take all appropriate action to ensure the safety of customers, staff and our community. We are responding to this developing situation in line with the latest government public health guidance.

    As it stands, events are going ahead as planned. If this situation changes, we will make an announcement and notify ticket holders directly if there are any changes to upcoming events.

    In the face of this unprecedented situation, we are working hard to ensure we are prepared for every eventuality and as a charity, we thank you for your patience and understanding. Please rest assured we will update you as soon as we have any news or information.

    Latest updates on events

    4:05pm | Mon 16 Mar: Andy And The Odd Socks (Wed 15 Apr) has been postponed.

    2:07pm | Mon 16 Mar: Photography For Beginners (Mon 16 Mar) and Introduction to Composition For Photography (Tue 17 Mar) have both been postponed.

    12:00pm | Mon 16 Mar: Hayseed Dixie are postponing their tour date at Exeter Phoenix which was scheduled for Wed 1 Apr. Read the full statement from the band regarding ticket holders and refunds here >>

    11:10am | Mon 16 Mar: As a precautionary measure, Fougou Music have made the unfortunate decision to cancel Ibou Tall and Jazzmates on Wed 25 Mar. Refunds will be sent in due course to ticket holders.

    12:30pm | Fri 13 Mar: Due to concern and restrictions on international travel, the Q&A with director Maeda Tetsu will no longer be taking place at our screening of A Banana? At This Time Of Night? As it stands, all other events at Exeter Phoenix  are going ahead as planned. Please be assured that we are closely monitoring the situation and will take all appropriate action to ensure the safety of customers, staff and our community.

    11:45am | Fri 13 Mar: As a precautionary measure for his own personal health concerns Lee Scratch Perry is postponing his current Tour. The Exeter Phoenix date has been moved to 9th October –  all tickets remain valid, however refunds are also available from the point of purchase for customers unable to make the new date.

    As it stands, all other events at Exeter Phoenix  are going ahead as planned. Please be assured that we are closely monitoring the situation and will take all appropriate action to ensure the safety of customers, staff and our community. We are responding to this developing situation in line with the latest government public health guidance.

  2. Meet Our Associate Artists Of 2020

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    We're delighted to be introducing the first of our associate artists of 2020 and our first ever artist in residence! Each year we select up to six artists across a variety of artistic disciplines and develop a bespoke package of support which might include training, mentoring, access to rehearsal space and at least one opportunity to present work in our main programme.

    Our Live Programme Coordinator Naomi shares her thoughts on the trio of talent that are joining us over the coming months and years.

    "We’re incredibly excited to welcome a new cohort of Associate Artists at Exeter Phoenix this year, including the addition of a new Artist in Residence scheme. We will be trialling this with Lucy over the next three years, so they can forge new links with key practitioners in our creative community and develop their creative practice in depth.

    This longer term residency is also designed to aid Lucy in their development and growth of Documental Theatre Company, through providing peer support, mentoring and stability, whilst also providing plenty opportunity to workshop news ideas and showcase this to our audience members."

    CHARICE BHARDWAJ | Associate Artist

    Charice Bhardwaj is an emerging theatre maker, performer and poet based in Exeter. She graduated from the University of Exeter in Drama in 2019, where she discovered an appetite for smashing the daily with the anarchic, and devising work which is playfully political. Charice recently began her MA in Theatre Practice there and she is doing practice-led, interdisciplinary research into spirituality, South Asian performance traditions, physical theatre and comedy.

    Charice has had the pleasure of collaborating with Quirk Theatre, Dreadnought South West, community arts group Cafe Theatre Company, and spoken-word platform Spork! which she regularly hosts.

    Charice is committed to nurturing the arts in the South West, and she hopes to continue supporting under-represented communities there. She is thrilled to be supported by the Exeter Phoenix as Associate Artist and she looks forward to connecting with more artists in the city.

    LUCY BELL | Artist In Residence

    Lucy Bell is a Devon-based playwright and theatre maker. She is interested in using humour to dramatise the struggles of life’s caretakers, from parents in recovery (SCORE) and teenage dads (PULLING OUT) to special needs families (LAMINATED).

    She co-founded Documental Theatre in 2014 and Lucy/Documental Theatre have won the Ronald Duncan Playwriting Award and Toast of Plymouth Fringe Award, touring work to prisons and universities as well as Battersea Arts Centre and the Southbank Centre.

    Lucy is an alumna of Soho Theatre Writers Lab, an attached writer at Bristol Old Vic through the 2018/19 Open Session and has written and/or directed for Theatre West, Villages in Action, Part Exchange Co and Theatre Royal Plymouth. Documental Theatre will be supported by the Northcott Futures Producer Programme in 2020.

    KAY CROOK | Associate Artist

    /chhayacollective | @chhayacollective

    Dance artist, Kay Crook, formed Chhaya Collective in 2013 as a platform for cross-cultural performance projects between South West England and Southern India. Chhaya creates and tours work in the UK and internationally, previously collaborating with artists in Germany, Portugal, North Cyprus and India. Chhaya’s biggest cross-continent collaborative project allowed thirty dance artists in Devon and Bangalore to create, teach and perform together through live streaming technology, in partnership with Shoonya (India) and Exeter Phoenix (UK).

    Chhaya Collective's Chhaya Youth Dance Company was established in 2015 and supported by Dance in Devon and Exeter Phoenix. Chhaya Youth is a contemporary dance company for young dancers aged 13-21 years, with weekly training sessions at Exeter Phoenix, professional development opportunities, workshops and performances.

    Find out more about our Associate Artist scheme here >>

  3. Film In Review: Parasite

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    FILM IN REVIEW: Parasite

    We are pleased to introduce our new resident film writer, Jim Norman, who will be bringing you insightful previews of upcoming films at Studio 74. Alongside his existing blog, On Film, these new articles will delve into the programme of our independent cinema to offer new perspectives. 

    Parasite proves that great cinema is not reliant on language, and that a master at work is exceptional regardless of subtitles. Writer/director Bong Joon-Ho has created an intermingling satire that intrinsically weaves character, theme and plot into a product of such poignancy and beauty that it is putting the seemingly derogatory title of ‘an international picture’ to shame.

    I went into this film having avoided all trailers and synopses, and I can honestly say that this lack of insight makes for the best viewing experience. In its most basic form, the film follows an unemployed family who become increasingly interested in a rich yet naïve family, and work to become involved in their daily lives.

    “Dripping in a comical cultural relevance”

    Themes of capitalism and class boundaries cast a satirical shadow over the entire picture, allowing it to blossom into an excellently orchestrated masterpiece. It pays tribute to Hitchcock and Kubrick in its setting and slowly unravelling plot; its visuals are pleasingly in the perfectionist realm of Wes Anderson without ever becoming tiresome; its dialogue and development is dripping in a comical cultural relevance which reminded me of the work of Jordan Peele and Inside Number 9 at its best. It is, to put it simply, brilliant at everything that it does.

    One need only take a glance at the film’s IMDB page to imagine the strain that the writer in charge of designating Parasite its genre classification must have been under. The website settles for ‘Comedy, Crime, Drama’, whilst others have turned to ‘Black Comedy’ and ‘Thriller’. The best part is that all of the above are correct.

    Bong Joon-Ho’s playful experimentation with genre ensures that every twist and turn, of which there are many, is just as unexpected as the last. I laughed, I was shocked, I was amazed. Parasite takes all that you thought you knew about cinema and rewrites it to create a world in which the poor feed off the rich and sending a text message is the equivalent of holding a hostage.

    “Every twist and turn, of which there are many, is just as unexpected as the last”

    The phrase, ‘this is so metaphorical’, is recurrent throughout the picture, a nudging reminder of the filmmaker’s agency to tell a story that has bite. It is a satire which exposes and enforces questions of class through precise detailing and poetic imagery. Levels play an important role in the film’s navigation of this topic – with the ascension or descension of stairs playing so intrinsically into the portraits of each character. Song Kang-Ho’s performance as the struggling father, Kim Ki-taek, only serves to push this message further, with the frequent collaborator of Bong showing a fragility and self-consciousness that is rarely seen in similar figures.

    Parasite impresses with both its clear references and its innate originality. It is blocked as if it were a stage play but put together in a manner that is wholly cinematic and exemplifies a master director at his best. It interweaves family and class war with a refreshing uniqueness that forces us to question, when everyone is feeding off of everyone else, who is the real parasite?

    Parasite heads to Exeter Phoenix’s solar-powered cinema Studio 74 from Fri 28 Feb. Find out more about the film and pick up tickets here >>

  4. Film In Review: Talking About Trees

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    FILM IN REVIEW: Talking About Trees

    We are pleased to introduce our new resident film writer, Jim Norman, who will be bringing you insightful previews of upcoming films at Studio 74. Alongside his existing blog, On Film, these new articles will delve into the programme of our independent cinema to offer new perspectives. 

    ‘Once upon a time in the land of cinema’, sings one of the four elderly members of the Sudanese Film Group about whom this documentary follows. Director Suhaib Gasmelbari here pays a fitting tribute not only to the groups’ rich filmmaking past, but also to the state of Sudan in the present. It is a simple film which follows the group’s desire to reopen a cinema and once again bring film back into Sudan, yet it packs a powerful punch. Through beautifully patient cinematography, Gasmelbari is able to provide an intimate look into the minds of the four Sudanese filmmakers and tell a tale that exemplifies perseverance in the face of adversity.

    “A fitting tribute not only to the group’s rich filmmaking past, but also to the state of Sudan in the present.”

    It is these central figures that hold the entire project together. I struggle to recall a more visceral example of perseverance than that which is seen between the four elderly filmmakers striving to bring the joys of cinema back to their community. These lives are partly captured through displays of the filmmakers’ previous works yet Talking about Trees prefers to hold focus on the present; the past is there to be remembered, not relived. There is a keen reliance on the spoken word, with the four men turning to old letters and pictures in order to provoke discussions about a simpler time.

    This conviviality is charming to watch, immediately drawing the audience in through the men’s touching fondness for one another and allowing the film to take its natural course without needing to wait for us to catch up.

    “I struggle to recall a more visceral example of perseverance than that which is seen between the four elderly filmmakers striving to bring the joys of cinema back to their community.”

    Alongside these conversations sits moments of comfortable silence. The film possesses a quiet patience in its cinematography that provides it with the ability to simply watch life go by in order to tell its story. One scene captures two of the men being forced to manually hold up their projection screen in order to stop it blowing away and ending one of their local screening sessions. This image of determination is what firmly roots the film as a modern-day necessity. Whilst background newsreels show a dictatorship in full force, the foreground is occupied by examples of passion and community spirit.

    Reflecting on his country’s dictatorship, Manar, a member of the film group, poetically notes that ‘talking about trees is almost a crime because it implies silence about so many horrors.’ In focussing on cinema, a topic that many would seek to deem insignificant when positioned amidst stories of the state of Sudan, Gasmelbari is effectively ‘talking about trees’. What this small subject matter demonstrates is the impact of the seemingly trivial. The film does not need to provide an in-depth analysis on the country’s dictatorship; on its oppression under the weight of colonialism; nor on its political and social injustices, for all of these themes are made visible through the lives of real people.

    Talking about Trees is not wholly about cinema, nor is it wholly about Sudan. It is a showcase of a group of driven individuals who will seemingly do anything to achieve their dream of bringing cinema to the masses. It is both informative and touching, allowing the audience 93 minutes in the company of a group of genuine heroes.“

    Talking About Trees is screening at Exeter Phoenix’s solar-powered cinema Studio 74 on Sun 16 & Tue 19 Feb. Find out more about the film and pick up tickets here >>

  5. Film In Review: 1917

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    Film In Review: 1917

    We are pleased to introduce our new resident film writer, Jim Norman, who will be bringing you insightful previews of upcoming films at Studio 74. Alongside his existing blog, On Film, these new articles will delve into the programme of our independent cinema to offer new perspectives. 

    Sam Mendes’ war epic is a superb achievement in visual storytelling. Working closely with cinematographer Roger Deakins, Mendes reupholsters the war genre by employing a ‘one shot’ structure to a conventional narrative. By providing no visible cuts, 1917 ensures that we are at the soldiers’ side every step of their journey. Saving Private Ryan’s plot meets Gravity levels of immersion, metaphorically providing the audience with a helmet and rifle and sending them out into no-man’s land.

    “Saving Private Ryan’s plot meets Gravity levels of immersion”

    The story – just one of the ten Oscar nominations that the film has received – follows two young Lance Corporals, Schofield (George MacKay) and Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman), as they embark on a seemingly impossible mission across enemy lines to deliver a message. The message has the potential to save the life of Blake’s brother, one of the 1,600 British soldiers who will be walking into a trap if the two should fail their mission. Mendes’ film is a race against time, in which we are painfully aware of the ticking clock that hangs over the battlefield.

    This is a simple story from objective to objective, with the path between the two a cacophony of bombshells, snipers and corpses. A spattering of famous faces provide a ‘best of British’ progression from point A to point B, marked by constant reminders of death at every turn.

    “Deakins’ cinematography is truly the star of the picture”

    Deakins’ cinematography is truly the star of the picture, acting not so much as the icing on the cake, but as the base ingredients without which the cake would fail to rise. The ‘single shot’ format works perfectly for this narrative in which time is so crucially of the essence. We are the third member of the assignment, provided with no information past that which is given to Schofield and Blake – the former’s all-out performance situates MacKay as one of the industry’s most promising young actors.

    On top of providing a certain breathlessness to do-or-die situations, the long take also adds an element of beauty to the harsh environment of war. I found one of the most immersive takes coming not from the explosions and sprints, but rather from a moment in which the narrative pauses to show the troops gathered in song. This musical interlude is so much more than a pause in the action; it momentarily takes us away from the battlefield and into the collective arms of the soldiers, a chilling reminder that the young men were not disposable pawns, but real people with real lives.

    The film is further heightened by an epic rising score from Thomas Newman, whose grandiose accompaniments provide a fitting sense of scale to the operation at hand and a feeling of closeted anguish in the film’s humane moments.

    “A culmination of the shot, performances and score result in a film that is purely cinematic and is hugely benefitted by being watched on a big screen with powerful sound”

    A culmination of the shot, performances and score result in a film that is purely cinematic and is hugely benefitted by being watched on a big screen with powerful sound. As a story of individual masculine heroism, it will undoubtedly succeed at the Academy Awards, and whilst the long take fails to provide a fresh take on the war, its epic scope and proportion succeeds in pulling the audience in and refusing to let them go.

    1917 is screening at Exeter Phoenix’s solar-powered cinema Studio 74 until Thu 6 Feb. Find out more about the film and pick up tickets here >>

  6. Introducing Studio 74’s resident film writer

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    Introducing Studio 74’s Resident Film Writer

    We are pleased to introduce our new resident film writer, Jim Norman, who will be bringing you insightful previews of upcoming films at Studio 74. Alongside his existing blog, On Film, these new articles will delve into the programme of our independent cinema to offer new perspectives. 

    Follow the links below to see Jim’s reviews and keep your eyes peeled for more reviews soon.

    Film In Review: 1917 | READ HERE >>

    Film In Review: Taking About Trees | READ HERE >>

    Film In Review: Parasite | READ HERE >>

  7. Oscar Nominees 2020

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    OSCAR NOMINEES 2020

    Moments ago, The Academy announced the nominees for the 92nd Academy Awards to take place Sun 9 Feb. Now that the anticipation, joy and shock at surprising snubs has worn off, we’ve been able to round up the nominees that have been screened at our solar-powered independent cinema Studio 74.

    See the full list of upcoming nominees below, we’ll update this page with links to purchase tickets once all films are listed online!

    UPCOMING FILMS AT STUDIO 74

    1917

    • Best Picture
    • Directing – Sam Mendes
    • Original Screenplay – Sam Mendes & Krysty Wilson-Cairns
    • Production Design
    • Cinematography – Roger Deakins
    • Visual Effects
    • Sound Mixing
    • Sound Editing
    • Original Score – Thomas Newman
    • Makeup & Hairstyling

    PARASITE (COMING SOON)

    • Best Picture
    • Directing – Bong Joon Ho
    • Original Screenplay – Bong Joon Ho & Jin Won Han
    • International Feature Film
    • Production Design
    • Film Editing – Jimno Yang

    LITTLE WOMEN

    • Best Picture
    • Actress in a leading role – Saoirse Ronan
    • Actress in a supporting role – Florence Pugh
    • Adapted Screenplay – Greta Gerwig
    • Costume Design
    • Original Score – Alexandre Desplat

    JOJO RABBIT

    • Best Picture
    • Actress in a supporting role – Scarlett Johansson
    • Adapted screenplay – Taika Waititi
    • Production Design
    • Film Editing – Tom Eagles
    • Costume Design

    KNIVES OUT

    • Original Screenplay – Rian Johnson

    THE LIGHTHOUSE (COMING SOON)

    • Cinematography – Jarin Blaschke

    NOMINATED FILMS PREVIOUSLY SHOWN AT STUDIO 74

    PAIN & GLORY

    • Actor in a leading role – Antonio Banderas
    • International Feature Film

    Once Upon A time in Hollywood

    • Best Picture
    • Actor in a leading role – Leonardo DiCaprio
    • Actor in a supporting role – Brad Pitt
    • Directing – Quentin Tarantino
    • Original Screenplay – Quentin Tarantino
    • Production Design
    • Cinematography – Robert Richardson
    • Costume Design
    • Sound Mixing
    • Sound Editing

    JOKER

    • Best Picture
    • Actor in a leading role – Joaquin Phoenix
    • Directing – Todd Phillips
    • Adapted Screenplay – Todd Phillips & Scott Silver
    • Film Editing – Jeff Groth
    • Cinematography – Lawrence Sher
    • Costume Design
    • Sound Mixing
    • Sound Editing
    • Original Score – Hildur Guðnadóttir
    • Makeup & Hairstyling

    The Two Popes

    • Actor in a leading role – Jonathan Pryce
    • Actor in a supporting role – Anthony Hopkins
    • Adapted Screenplay – Anthony McCarten

    Judy

    • Actress in a leading role – Renée Zellweger
    • Makeup & Hairstyling

    The Irishman

    • Best Picture
    • Actor in a supporting role – Al Pacino 
    • Actor in a supporting role – Joe Pesci
    • Directing – Martin Scorsese
    • Adapted Screenplay – Steven Zaillian
    • Production Design
    • Film Editing – Thelma Schoonmaker
    • Cinematography – Rodrigo Prieto
    • Visual Effects
    • Costume Design

    Honeyland

    • International Feature Film
    • Documentary Feature

    Le Mans ’66

    • Best Picture
    • Film Editing – Andrew Buckland & Michael McCusker
    • Sound Mixing
    • Sound Editing

    Ad Astra

    • Sound Mixing

    For Sama

    • Documentary Feature

    Rocketman

    • Original Song – ‘(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again’

  8. BAFTA Nominees 2020

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    BAFTA Nominees 2020

    Earlier today, BAFTA announced the nominees for the EE British Academy Film Awards in 2020. We’re delighted to say that the majority of the nominated films have been screened at our solar-powered cinema Studio 74 over the past few months!

    A personal highlight for us is the South West smash BAIT which had several sold out screenings with us and is now nominated for Outstanding British Film & Outstanding Debut!

    See the full list of upcoming nominees below, we’ll update this page with links to purchase tickets once all films are listed online!

    Upcoming Films at Studio 74

    1917

    • Best Film 
    • Outstanding British Film
    • Best Director (Sam Mendes)
    • Original Music
    • Cinematography
    • Production Design
    • Make up and hair
    • Sound
    • Special Visual Effects

    PARASITE (COMING SOON)

    • Best Film 
    • Best Director (Bong Joon-Ho)
    • Film not in the English language
    • Original Screenplay 

    PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE

    • Film not in the English language

    BAIT

    • Outstanding British film
    • Outstanding Debut by a British writer, director or producer

    LITTLE WOMEN

    • Leading Actress (Saoirse Ronan) 
    • Supporting Actress (Florence Pugh) 
    • Adapted Screenplay
    • Original Music
    • Costume Design

    JOJO RABBIT

    • Supporting Actress (Scarlett Johansson) 
    • Adapted Screenplay
    • Original Music
    • Costume Design
    • Editing 
    • Production Design

    KNIVES OUT

    • Original Screenplay 

    LE MANS 66

    • Cinematography
    • Editing 
    • Sound

    THE LIGHTHOUSE (COMING SOON)

    • Cinematography

    THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD (COMING SOON)

    • Best Casting

    Nominated Films Previously Shown at Studio 74

    THE IRISHMAN

    • Best film 
    • Supporting actor (Al Pacino)
    • Supporting actor (Joe Pesci)
    • Best director (Martin Scorsese)
    • Adapted screenplay
    • Cinematography
    • Costume design
    • Editing 
    • Production design
    • Special visual effects

    JOKER

    • Best film 
    • Leading actor (Joaquin Phoenix) 
    • Best director (Todd Phillips)
    • Adapted screenplay
    • Original music
    • Cinematography
    • Editing 
    • Production design
    • Make up and hair
    • Sound
    • Best casting

    ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD

    • Best film 
    • Leading actor (Leonardo DiCaprio)
    • Supporting actress (Margot Robbie) 
    • Supporting actor (Brad Pitt)
    • Best director (Quentin Tarantino)
    • Original screenplay 
    • Costume design
    • Editing 
    • Production design
    • Best casting

    FOR SAMA

    • Outstanding British film
    • Outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer
    • Film not in the English language
    • Best documentary

    ROCKETMAN

    • Outstanding British film
    • Leading actor (Taron Egerton) 
    • Make up and hair

    SORRY WE MISSED YOU

    • Outstanding British film

    THE TWO POPES

    • Outstanding British film
    • Leading actor (Jonathan Pryce) 
    • Supporting actor (Anthony Hopkins)
    • Adapted screenplay
    • Best casting

    WILD ROSE

    • Leading actress (Jessie Buckley)

    JUDY

    • Leading actress (Renée Zellweger) 
    • Costume design
    • Make up and hair

    MAIDEN

    • Outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer

    THE FAREWELL

    • Film not in the English language

    APOLLO 11

    • Best documentary

    DIEGO MARADONNA

    • Best documentary

    BOOKSMART

    • Original screenplay

  9. Your Favourite Arts Venue Just Got Greener!

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    Your Favourite Arts Venue Just Got Greener!

    In 2015, Exeter Phoenix made history by opening Studio 74 – the first solar-powered cinema in the region. Now, thanks to the success of a recent Crowdfunder project, the arts venue is on the way to establishing a solar-powered auditorium as well.

    This week Exeter Phoenix beat its Crowdfunder target of £3,000 to raise money towards creating a solar-powered auditorium in the venue. The money raised will go towards changing the theatre lights to LED lights. Moving from incandescent lighting to LED will mean a significant drop in the amount of energy used by the venue each day. For example if eight of our most powerful lights were replaced with LED, the energy consumed by them would be covered more than three times over by the solar panels.

    Speaking about the project, Laura Cameron Long said: ‘We take our environmental impact very seriously, and are always looking for innovative solutions that will benefit our planet. We’re proud to be paving the way for a greener future for the arts in Exeter and beyond. None of this would be possible without our community’s support.’

    Whilst this is a phenomenal step in the right direction, there are still a lot of green initiatives the venue is looking to implement. If you missed out on your chance to support the Crowdfunder, there is a special Green Donations page here >>

    THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS

    A huge thank you to you, our wonderful supporters. We very literally couldn’t be doing this without you.

    • John Cowen
    • Jordan Thomas
    • Dettie Ellerby
    • Thomas Ryan Gunning 
    • Ashley Dashwood
    • Steven Keightley 
    • Simon Forty
    • Mbooker
    • Nick Ireland
    • Tom Willcocks
    • Stuart Bellworth
    • Anna Ruth Peel-Cusson
    • David Hatton
    • Quentin Tailford
    • Naomi Sargeant 
    • Roger Harbord
    • T Harron
    • Ian Farnfield
    • Tim Abrahams
    • Angie Gill
    • Rachel Dobbs
    • Tom Gibbs
    • Caroline Winyard
    • Deborah Barringer
    • Andy Gilbert
    • Martin Weiler
    • Amanda S
    • Mary Peat
    • Lindsey & Chris Thomas 
    • Chris Rice
    • Carolyn Southcott
    • Elaine Evans
    • George Goodwin
    • Lisa Alberici
    • Melissa Mitcheson
    • Aengus Little
    • Simeon Costello
    • Sarah Mills
    • Chris Wright
    • Mary Costello
    • Will Braithwaite
    • Benjamin Conibear
    • Tom Milburn
    • Sarah Johnson
    • Saara Ord

    Donated but don’t see your name here? Please email us at marketing@exeterphoenix.org.uk if you would like to be included on the supporters page. 

    Image Credit: LOWPROFILE

  10. Exeter Phoenix Festivities

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    Exeter Phoenix Festivities

    Get Festive At Exeter Phoenix

    The mulled cider is flowing, Secret Santa is underway, and it’s almost time to crack open the mince pies. There’s no denying it – Christmas is well and truly upon us! We’d love to invite you to come and share some of your festivities with us, whether it’s for a family Christmas show, a classic film, a spot of independent gift buying, or a warming drink (or two!) 

    …And once it’s all over, come and party into the new year with us!

    Cultural Gifts

    Every day in December, we’re giving away treats with our advent calendar. Head over to our Facebook page to find out more.

    Looking for a special gift for someone? Why not treat them to a couple of tickets to one of our upcoming gigs, or the chance to get creative with a place on one of our upcoming workshops. Not sure what they’ll like? Pick up a gift voucher and give them the gift of choice!

    Want to go the extra mile? Adopt A Seat in our auditorium, and personalise a message for a gift plaque on the back of one of our auditorium seats, a certificate, a photo, a bespoke enamel badge, and recognition on our website.

    Festive Events

    Our independent cinema, Studio 74, is home to some of our favourite ever Christmas films. Catch ELF on the big screen – there’s a free candy cane with every ticket! THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL returns in what is becoming quite the Christmas tradition! And what Christmas season would be complete without IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE?

    Additional events happening this festive season include:

    • The Steampunk Yule Ball returns on Sat 14 Dec, promising a sell-out night of interstellar performances, cosmic tunes and out of this world costumes!
    • Quirk Theatre are returning to Exeter Phoenix this festive season with The Velveteen Rabbit, a fantastic and magical theatre show for all ages! From Sun 15 Dec, join Alice and the Velveteen Rabbit for a heart warming adventure all about growing up, moving on and not letting go.
    • This NYE, we’re celebrating 20 years of Exeter Phoenix so get ready to Party Like It’s 1999! Think The Matrix, Spice Girls and the bygone age of dial-up internet as we celebrate the turn of the millennium with Stars In Their Eyes Karaoke, cabaret, a cheesy silent disco, immersive décor, walkabout performers and hidden surprises!

  11. Get Festive At Exeter Phoenix

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    The mulled cider is following, Secret Santa is underway, and it’s almost time to crack open the mince pies. There’s no denying it – Christmas is well and truly upon us! We’d love to invite you to come and share some of your festivities with us, whether it’s for a family Christmas show, a classic film, a spot of independent gift buying, or a warming drink (or two!) …And once it’s all over, come and party into the new year with us! 

    Cultural Gifts

    Every day in December, we’re giving away treats with our advent calendar. Head over to our Facebook page to find out more. 

    Looking for a special gift for someone? Why not treat them to a couple of tickets to one of our upcoming gigs, or the chance to get creative with a place on one of our upcoming workshops. Not sure what they’ll like? Pick up a gift voucher and give them the gift of choice! 

    Want to go the extra mile? Adopt A Seat in our auditorium, and personalise a message for a gift plaque on the back of one of our auditorium seats, a certificate, a photo, a bespoke enamel badge, and recognition on our website. 

    Festive Events

    Our independent cinema, Studio 74, is home to some of our favourite ever Christmas films. Catch Elf on the big screen – there’s a free candy cane with every ticket! The Muppet Christmas Carol returns to our screen in what is becoming quite the Christmas tradition! And what Christmas season would be complete without It’s A Wonderful Life? 

    For theatre fun for all the family look no further than Quirk Theatre’s The Velveteen Rabbit. Expect a magical portrayal of growing up, moving on and not letting go by Quirk theatre, full of heart hilarity and a sprinkling of the miraculous.

    The Steampunk Yule Ball returns, promising a sell-out night of some of the best costumes you’ll see all year! But hurry, tickets are going fast. 

    Party Like It’s 1999, as we turn back the clock for another NYE extravaganza. …Only this time, we have a problem. The building has been overrun by 90s hackers and infected with the pesky millennium bug! Think The Matrix, Spice Girls and the bygone days of dial-up as we celebrate the turn of the year with Stars In Their Eyes karaoke, cabaret, a cheesy silent disco, and more. Plus, an incredible line-up featuring Two Many T’s, TwoGood, Dayton, Extra Medium, Fizzy Gillespie and more. 

  12. Help Make Exeter Phoenix Greener

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    HELP MAKE EXETER PHOENIX GREENER

    This morning, we have unveiled exciting plans for creating a solar-powered auditorium, paving a greener future for the arts in Exeter. 

    If we can raise £3,000 by Mon 16 Dec, the M&S Energy Community Fund could grant the venue the additional funds needed to replace the existing auditorium lights with a greener LED lighting system. These would be powered by the existing solar panels on the venue’s roof, creating the city’s first solar-powered auditorium. 

    Speaking about the project, Laura Cameron-Long (Fundraising & Development Manager) said ‘The auditorium hosts hundreds of gigs, theatre, comedy and dance events throughout the year, and our current lights use a huge amount of energy. This would be a huge step towards reducing our impact on the environment and our planet.’ 

    This innovative approach to finding green solutions in the arts is nothing new for Exeter Phoenix. Back in 2015 we made history by opening Studio 74, the first solar-powered cinema in the region, which was also made possible thanks to the M&S Energy Community Fund.

    To be in with a chance of winning the M&S fund and making the solar-powered auditorium project a reality, Exeter Phoenix’s Crowdfunder page needs to have the most supporters out of all the short-listed projects. You can show your support to a greener future by voting for the project here >>

    There are plenty of rewards – including event tickets, a private cinema screening for you and friends, and even having the venue named after you! 

    Laura Cameron-Long added ‘Whether you can donate £1 or £1,000, every donation will help get us closer to this target, so thank you for being a part of Exeter Phoenix’s future.’

    Help us reach our Crowdfunder goal of £3000 so that we can replace our theatre lights with low energy LED ones, making Exeter Phoenix cleaner, greener and a better place for you all to have fun in!

    Find out more here >>

    Thank You To Our Supporters

    A huge thank you to you, our wonderful supporters. We very literally couldn’t be doing this without you.

    • John Cowen
    • Jordan Thomas
    • Dettie Ellerby
    • Thomas Ryan Gunning 
    • Ashley Dashwood
    • Steven Keightley 
    • Simon Forty
    • Mbooker
    • Nick Ireland
    • Tom Willcocks
    • Stuart Bellworth
    • Anna Ruth Peel-Cusson
    • David Hatton
    • Quentin Tailford
    • Naomi Sargeant 
    • Roger Harbord
    • T Harron
    • Ian Farnfield
    • Tim Abrahams
    • Angie Gill
    • Rachel Dobbs
    • Tom Gibbs
    • Caroline Winyard
    • Deborah Barringer
    • Andy Gilbert
    • Martin Weiler
    • Amanda S
    • Mary Peat
    • Lindsey & Chris Thomas 
    • Chris Rice
    • Carolyn Southcott
    • Elaine Evans
    • George Goodwin
    • Lisa Alberici
    • Melissa Mitcheson
    • Aengus Little
    • Simeon Costello
    • Sarah Mills
    • Chris Wright
    • Mary Costello
    • Will Braithwaite
    • Benjamin Conibear
    • Tom Milburn
    • Sarah Johnson

  13. A New Animated Film Sheds Light On A Heroic Local History Story

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    A new animated film sheds light on a heroic local history story

    We are delighted to have partnered on a fascinating project with leading local arts organisation, Double Elephant Print Workshop. The project has seen the creation of a new animated film commemorating the bravery of a World War Two hero pigeon known as Mary of Exeter.

    The film has been created by young people from the local area, and directed by members of Exeter Phoenix’s youth arts group, Freefall. The project was made possible by National Lottery players through a grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

    The short film celebrates the largely forgotten tale of Mary, a brave bird who flew for the National Pigeon Service and was housed in the pigeon loft of boot maker Cecil Brewer on West Street in Exeter.

    Mary of Exeter was a carrier pigeon who flew many military missions during World War II, transporting important messages across the English Channel back to her loft off Fore Street. She was awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal for Gallantry (often called the Victoria Cross for animals) in November 1945 for showing endurance despite being seriously injured during three of her missions. She is commemorated in various locations around the city, and buried in the PDSA’s animal cemetery in Ilford alongside 12 other recipients of the Dickin medal.

    Double Elephant have spent two years working with local youth groups and partner organisations Exeter Phoenix and Exeter Civic Society to bring Mary’s story to life. The resulting animated film will premiere on the Sunday 10th November from 2-4pm at the AWEsome Art Space, Paris Street, Exeter, alongside an exhibition of research and images uncovered over the course of the project and the making of the film.

    The film will also be shown at Two Short Nights film festival which takes place at Exeter Phoenix’s independent, solar-powered cinema Studio 74 from the 27th to the 29th November.

    The project was supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to encourage young people in the city to learn about their local heritage. They have researched how pigeons were vital to the war effort and how their WWII contemporaries fared during the war. They have interviewed relatives of Cecil Brewer, local pigeon racers and residents of Exeter who were alive during the time Mary was in active service. The young people and additional volunteers have spent hundreds of hours animating thousands of frames to tell Mary’s heroic story.

    The launch of Mary of Exeter will be held on Sunday 10th November at 2pm at the AWESOME Art Space, Paris Street, Exeter. The exhibition and film are open to the public for free with 40s themed refreshments and music on offer too. 

    The exhibition will be open from Friday 8 – Friday 15 November inclusive, from 10am – 5pm. 

    Two Short Nights film festival is at Exeter Phoenix from 27th to the 29th November 2019. Our film will premiere on Friday 29 November at 5pm. Tickets are available from the Exeter Phoenix Box Office.

  14. Two Short Nights Brings Sustainability to Studio 74

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    Two Short Nights Brings Sustainability to Studio 74

    The programme has now been announced for Exeter Phoenix’s short film festival, Two Short Nights. The 18th annual festival of short film will take place 27-29th November at Exeter Phoenix’s independent cinema, Studio 74. The newly announced programme places a diverse range of must-see films from around the world alongside emerging local filmmaking talent.

    Taking inspiration from global concerns, this year’s festival will explore the theme of sustainability and our environment. Aptly, the festival takes place at Exeter Phoenix’s solar-powered cinema, Studio 74. Since opening in 2015, Studio 74 has been paving a greener future for arts in the city and has generated enough energy to screen over 4000 films by solar power.

    Programme highlights include an exploration of the boundaries of our existence with shorts collection No Man’s Land, featuring the poignant short Hymn Of Hate, which is set at The Somme during the spring of 1916 and stars Russell Tovey. The Documentary Strand spans a range of topics ranging from agricultural slavery, marine litter, ice cream vans and Exeter Bus Station’s redevelopment. Another must-see festival pick is Defining Moments, a collection of shorts exploring turning points in life that define how our fate will pan out.

    Alongside film screenings, the festival also offers a vast array of filmmaking talks and events from industry professionals and local filmmaking talent. Highlights include a live pitch for the South West Documentary Commission – think Dragon’s Den meets filmmaking – and will be followed by a separate event featuring top documentary shorts from around the globe. Thursday’s programme will see a special talk from Julian Hector, who is head of the BBC Natural History unit, and responsible for such programmes as Blue Planet II. A panel of industry professionals will be chairing a roundtable session exploring sustainable filmmaking. Local Talent will be on display with a special screening on Friday 29th November, plus the opportunity to see the results of the 48 Hour Film Challenge.

    Tickets for Two Short Nights can be booked here >>

    Individual events (from £5), day tickets cost £12, and a festival pass is £35.

    The full programme and ticket information is available at www.twoshortnights.com or from Exeter Phoenix’s box office.

  15. BEHIND THE SCENES ON ‘THE BLACK MIRROR OF DANCE’

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    Behind The Scenes on ‘The Black Mirror of Dance’

    Do you use a mobile phone or computer every day? How much personal data do you give away each day to navigate your digital life? Could you unplug, even if you wanted to?  Digital dance company Pell Ensemble invites you into the world of EPOQ: A live gaming experience where your choices become data, uploaded to shape a new human being.

    Upon entering the space for their show Upload/Unplug, you will meet David. From the safety of your seat, through a custom built app, your every tap, swipe and swirl will inform who David becomes… But at what cost – will your data be put to good use? And what happens to it once the experience is over?

    Ahead of Upload/Unplug coming here on Tuesday 5 November, we spoke to the company about the making of the show.

    Read on to find out more, or book your tickets here >>

    Where did the inspiration come from for Upload/Unplug? 

    In 2014 we had the opportunity, by invitation from Arbeit Gallery, to take an on-stage work, collaborate with a walking app creator and turn it into a roaming performance that encouraged the audience to find and interact with different aspects of the performance via their mobile phones. This got me thinking about how we could create an interactive performance for theatre using mobile devices.

    While discussing this with a creative coder they had a filter on their browser which showed how many data companies at one time were following our every tap and click, collecting and possibly selling and using our data in ways we had no idea about. This became our jumping off point.  

    How did you decide who to work with on this production, and how did you all work together to create it?

    I knew from the beginning that I wanted to work with dancer David Ogle, he has a keen understanding of technology and is a great collaborator. He also has the ability to conceptualise all the various elements that would be happening in the space, like the projections and audience interactions, even when in the rehearsal studio they are often not there. Some of the collaborators, like incredibly creative composer Ehud Freedman, Photographer Mira Loew and Animator David Altweger, I had had conversations with about working together in the past and this felt like the right project.

    The fantastic dramaturge Adam Peck came as a recommendation from another company. I didn’t previously know a lot of Creative techs so expanded my network through a combination of word of mouth, social media, attending events etc.

    Simon Haenngi from Visual Pilots is the one that really brought the tech and functionality together, a hard worker and great Digital Project Manager. My producer at the time, Jih Wen Yeh really brought it together by finding partners that would support this experimental work and go on this journey with us.  

    How do you think people will feel after seeing Upload/Unplug?

    It has been great to see the work connect to people in different ways over the last 3 years. When we started exploring this topic in 2016 data was not something that was discussed or considered. Black Mirror was only just appearing on everyone’s radar (after Netflix picked it up in 2015), the Cambridge Analytica scandal and GDPR had not yet happened. So at first we got a lot of ‘So What?’ type reactions! Now, audiences feel the conflict in the work as they are asking themselves the same questions.

    The performance is a space for the audience to explore their own individual, aswell as larger societies’ relationship with data, privacy and being human. People will each feel something different as their relationship to each of those three things is individual, I’m more interested in asking the questions, and the questions it brings up.

    What inspires you to work with dance and technology?

    Part of it may come from growing up in a home where my father was a pastor and my mother was a chemical engineer; there was a collision of the spiritual and scientific, of the abstract and concrete, of the heart and mind. Much like this, human movement and digital seem to fit on opposite sides of a coin, and can either be explored in conflict or used to complement each other.

    I am interested in the power and relevance of digital and dance, and how we accommodate the fear and hope we have around technology and its impacts on our future as humans.

    Upload/Unplug takes place at Exeter Phoenix on Tue 5 Nov. Find out more about the performance and book tickets here >>

     

    UPLOAD/UNPLUG TRAILER from Rebecca on Vimeo.

  16. Gender diversity takes centre stage in Exeter

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    Gender Diversity Takes Centre Stage In Exeter

    This November, city-centre arts venue Exeter Phoenix presents a festival that celebrates and interrogates issues around gender identity. Come As You Are Festival sees a weekend of theatre, discussion, poetry, questions, comedy and much more that will take over the venue from Saturday 16th – Sunday 17th November.

    The festival will launch with a free Panel Discussion exploring issues of the local trans, non-binary and gender queer community. Saturday’s activities will continue two new works in progress at the pay-what-you-decide Come As You Are Scratch Night, and culminate in a special LGBTQ+ edition of Spork!, Exeter’s spoken-word extravaganza.

    Sunday afternoon offers a one-man comedy show Man Standing challenging themes of masculinity and the male body. The day’s second show is experimental performance of Breaking Up With JK Rowling which will see on-stage tattoo artistry amidst a deconstruction and examination of themes from Harry Potter. The festival comes to a close with A Haunted Existence – a thought provoking show from Tom Marshman, based of true events of a spiralling ‘witch hunt’ that began when a 17-year-old man was accsed of making ‘improper advances’ towards another man on a train between Exeter and Bristol in the early 1950s. The show weaves together history and hearsay to highlight the stigma, heartbreak and turmoil in Britian’s recent, shameful past.

    Expect more questions than answers in a one-of-a-kind festival presented by Exeter Phoenix in partnership with Camden People’s Theatre. Tickets and full information can be found on the Come As You Are section of the website here or by calling the box office on 01392 667080. You can also save £6 on tickets when you book for three or more events at once.

  17. We Challenge You To Create A Film In Just 48 Hours

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    We Challenge You To Create A Film In Just 48 Hours

    Two Short Nights Film Festival returns to Exeter Phoenix this winter, bringing with it the famous 48 Hour Film Challenge. From first-time filmmakers to seasoned professionals, this inspiring (and free!) challenge sees teams from across the region compete to be crowned the Best 48 Hour Film at the annual short film festival.

    No previous filmmaking experience is needed – just a good imagination and competitive spirit! Teams will be given a theme, a prop and a line of dialogue before setting off on their mission to test their creativity. Registration for the challenge closes on Wednesday 30th October, and the challenge itself will take place from Friday 1st – Sunday 3rd November. Successfully submitted films will be screened at Two Short Nights Film Festival, Exeter Phoenix’s annual celebration of all things short film, which takes place 27th – 29th November. Completed films will be in with a chance of winning a festival award.

    If you think you and your team could plan, shoot and edit a film in just 48 hours, you can sign up for free. Teams can be any size but must include someone who is over 18.

    Sign up for the 48 Hour Film Challenge before Wednesday 30th October Here >>

    You can see examples of previous 48 Hour Challenge winners’ films here >>

  18. Winners of Exeter’s Contemporary Open Art Award Announced

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    Winners of Exeter’s Contemporary Open Art Award Announced

    An exclusive awards ceremony and exhibition opening at Exeter Phoenix last night saw SW based Dinu Li announced as the winner of the prestigious £1000 Overall Award for Exeter Contemporary Open 2019 for his featured moving image work, Nation Family.

    The second award of the evening – the £500 Additional Award – went to artist Mahali O’Hare. Speaking at the event, O’Hare said ‘It’s a lovely shock to win this award’.

    The final award of the competition is the Audience Choice Award, which will be voted for by visitors and announced at the end of the exhibition.

    Selected works of the competition winners is presented alongside pieces from thirteen other shortlisted artists in a free-entry exhibition in the gallery spaces at Exeter Phoenix from 20 September to 10 November 2019. As well as the winners, this year’s selected artists are Iain Andrews, Amanda Benson, Sara Berman, Jack Bodimeade, Harriet Bowman, Patrick Brandon, Michael Calver, Grant Foster, Alia Hamaoui, Jeb Haward, Harley Kuyck-Cohen, John Lawrence and Molly Thomson. This shortlist includes artists working across painting, sculpture, photography and video, resulting in an exhibition that forms a highlight of the South West’s cultural calendar.

    This year’s fifteen finalists were selected from hundreds of entries by a judging panel comprised of critic, writer and teacher Sacha Craddock, Turner Prize nominated artist Mark Titchner and Exeter Phoenix’s curator Matt Burrows.

    Exeter Contemporary Open provides an important and prestigious national platform for established and emerging visual artists. This is made possible by the support of long-time sponsor Haines Watts Chartered Accountants.

    To find out more, visit www.exetercontemporaryopen.com or visit the exhibition for free at Exeter Phoenix from 10am-5.30pm every day until Sun 10 Nov.

  19. Exhibition Call Out – Creative Youth Network

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    Creative Youth Network, Exeter Phoenix and Somerset Arts Works are looking for 3 visual artists aged 16 – 25, ideally one from each city / area to exhibit work over three months – a month in each place – from January – April 2020.

    This is an opportunity for emerging young artists to exhibit work and tour it across the South West region. It’ll help develop networks and professional relationships with curators and programmes from the South West and show work to a regional audience.

    Other support provided

    As well as exhibiting your work across the region and developing your networks, this opportunity will promote you as an artists’ in the region and market your work. Creative Youth Network can support you in pricing your work, enabling you to sell it through the exhibitions and learn about negotiating a percentage with the galleries. You’ll be given travel expenses to visit and meet with all of the galleries / organisations and meet with the other artists exhibiting.

    Criteria to apply

    • You must be aged 16 – 25 and live in either Bristol, Somerset or Exeter
    • You must have existing work or be willing to make new work with the resources that you have (there’s no commission new work)
    • Your work must be ready and available from the end of December until the end of March 2020 for exhibition
    • You must be willing for your work to be transported and exhibited in three different galleries
    • Your work must be suitable for galleries that exhibit 2D work – installations and sculptures are welcomed but will be decided on depending on the spaces available – see below images of the gallery spaces and use the information provided to judge whether your work is suitable

    Applications are encouraged from

    • artists of colour
    • those struggling, and / or facing barriers to developing professional practice
    • those not in education, employment or training.

    How to apply

    Applications are welcomed in multiple formats but must include: a short statement / introduction to who you are, tell us why you’re applying, and provide examples of your work. Feel free to send your application in written form, film or audio recording depending on what you’re comfortable with. The deadline for application is the 4th October 2019. Please send your application via email to Emily.bull@creativeyouthnetwork.org.uk

     

  20. £5 Cinema All Summer Long At Studio 74

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    Save a fortune on cinema tickets (and sun cream) with £5 cinema tickets in Studio 74!

    All summer long, we’ll be selling tickets for each screening for just £5 (plus free air con with every ticket!). There will be a limited number of £5 tickets available (20 per screening), so early booking is advised. 

    Want to spend the summer solstice with some spooky Scandinavians? Give Midsommar a go! Hankering for a literary love story? We suggest a viewing of Vita & Virginia. Needing something to ‘fill the Fleabag-shaped hole in your heart‘ (Esquire)? How about the honest and edgy tale of female friendship Animals.

    This is just the tip of the cinematic-iceberg as we have great features populating Exeter’s only truly independent cinema all month long!

    …Did we mention we have aircon!?

    Find our full programme of films here >> 

    (Valid for all our August films excluding: Big Screen In The Park screenings and Breakwater)

  21. Big Screen In The Park Is Four Weeks Away!

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    Big Screen In The Park Is Four Weeks Away!

    There are four weeks to go until we kick off Big Screen In The Park so here are four reasons as to why you should come along for a rare cinematic celebration this August.

    • Our selection of films is incredible! Want something to sing along to on a hot Summer’s night? Boom, you’ve got Bohemian Rhapsody. Family fun with a prehistoric edge? Duh, Jurassic Park! Wanting something with some indie flair? We’re sure Little Miss Sunshine or Pan’s Labyrinth will do ya’ right!
    • Turn this unique outdoor film experience into a premier evening with the option of deckchairs and picnics to add a little bit of cinematic je ne sais quoi.
    • Alongside the screenings we will be hosting a cacophony of cinematic stupidity including Drag Queen Bingo, Analogue Karaoke and Fancy Dress so you can live out your Freddie Mercury or Frank-N-Furter fantasies!
    • We’ve been hosting Exeter’s favourite outdoor cinema event for over two decades and have been picked as ‘one of the best outdoor cinemas‘ by The Guardian, so you know you’re in safe hands with us and guaranteed an unforgettable evening of movie magic.

    As we countdown the days we’ll be posting more about Big Screen In The Park over on the Facebook event (including giveaways!). Stay up to date here >>

    FLASH SALE!

    From 12pm Fri 5 Jul – 9am Mon 8 Jul we’re having a flash sale of 2 Big Screen tickets for £12! If you don’t want to miss out on this deal act fast and pick up your tickets here >>