Curzon Community Cinema

Clevedon's original Curzon Cinema opened in April 1912 with a special show to raise money for the survivors and relatives of that month’s Titanic disaster. It has entertained the community ever since and thanks to National Lottery funding its rich history has been brought to life with a living history exhibition.

Curzon Director Gareth Negus said: “Restoring the Curzon has always been about more than repairing the building, we wanted to open up the heritage of the Curzon to our visitors; including not only the physical building but its social history, and what it has meant to the people of Clevedon over the past century. Even some of our regular customers were unaware until now that there is more to the Curzon than the box office and the auditorium.”

Lottery funding has been used to transform the foyer with film posters, memorabilia and a dressing up box with fashions worn by film stars through the ages. An illustrated timeline tracks Curzon’s own story along with key dates from wider cinema and world history. There is an also an area to watch projectors dating back to 1906 and examine strips of film.

After years of decline, the funding has enabled key areas of the cinema to be repaired and refurbished to ensure it maintains its place in the heart of the community. It has also meant that young people are able to get involved in a number of learning activities or the cinema’s film club.

The Curzon Cinema was a finalist in the 2012 National Lottery Awards.