2025 is our 30th anniversary!
Celebrate with us throughout the year with our 30th anniversary events…
30th Anniversary Summer Film Festival – from July 18th
Anniversary Party! – Saturday 11th October
30th Anniversary Raffle – to be drawn mid October
With 30 prizes for our 30 years including a private film screening with dinner for two from Wild Zucchinis, a house concert from At The Drop of Another Hippopotamus, bespoke glass art, a voucher for The Kirkstile + a case of beer and many more! Raffle entry is £5 either online or through our box office.
Seller registration is now open for our Autumn 2025 Cockfrock event. This ever popular sale of pre-loved ladies fashions and accessories is the biggest pop up sale of it’s kind in the North West! For more information on being a seller with Cockfrock click here.
The Kirkgate Centre is an entertainment and cultural venue at the heart of the lively community of Cockermouth, Cumbria.
We celebrate our local talent and heritage, and bring top quality professional entertainment to our town and many other communities across the area to the west of the Lake District National Park.
Whether you enjoy films on a big screen, live music, theatre, exhibitions, shows for children and families or community events, Kirkgate has something for everyone. Our quirky character makes us a special venue for weddings, parties, festivals and conferences.
Our mission:
“Creative talent is valued, developed, and supported with opportunities for all to actively engage with and enjoy the arts, our local heritage and community life”
Our values:
Commitment – Our staff and volunteers are dedicated to delivering our mission.
Inclusion – We aim to make art, heritage, and culture accessible to all our communities.
Sustainability – We aim to ensure that the organisation is secure for future generations from both financial and environmental perspective.
Nurturing – We aim to provide an environment that encourages growth, development of skills confidence and enjoyment for all.
WHAT’S ON
30th Anniversary Film Festival: Snack Shack (15) + Q&A
8th August 2025 7:00pm (Doors open at 6:00 pm)
Kirkgate Centre
2024 Snack Shack (15) A rare chance to see a film which grossed less than $500,000. Nebraska City, summer of 1991. Inseparable best friends AJ (Conor Sherry, "Are You Afraid of the Dark?," "The Terminal List") and Moose (Gabriel LaBelle, "The Fabelmans") seize the opportunity to run the local pool's rundown snack shack. Dreaming of striking it rich, things take ...Crafts@Kirkgate: Block Printing Family Workshop
9th August 2025 10:00am
Kirkgate Centre
Join Market Place Print Studio for a vibrant, family-friendly workshop exploring the playful technique of Block Printing. There are two times available, 10am or midday, and the sessions run for approximately and hour and a half. We will explore colour, pattern-making, tessellation and repetition through the prism of block printing using lino and rubber stamps. You will learn how to ...Crafts@Kirkgate: Block Printing Family Workshop
9th August 2025 12:00pm
Kirkgate Centre
Join Market Place Print Studio for a vibrant, family-friendly workshop exploring the playful technique of Block Printing. There are two times available, 10am or midday, and the sessions run for approximately and hour and a half. We will explore colour, pattern-making, tessellation and repetition through the prism of block printing using lino and rubber stamps. You will learn how to ...The Sunday Session
10th August 2025 2:00pm (Doors open at 1:45 pm)
Kirkgate Centre
Are you a musician, looking for a place to test out your tunes? Do you sing/play and would love to meet up with other musicians to have a bit of a jam? Our open mic night has evolved! We're starting a new approach, to cater for all, with our Sunday Sessions. Come down for a listen, or bring an instrument ...