We're marking a milestone thanks to our loyal Sunderland customers
A Sunderland organisation is celebrating a major milestone — and it’s all thanks to its loyal customers.
Culture Quarter – which operates The Fire Station, The Engine Room, The Dun Cow and Arts North Studios – launched its membership scheme in August 2025, and four months on has now reached 100 members.
The membership was built using feedback from a public consultation with their customers, where more than 600 visitors shared whether they were interested in a membership, and what perks they wanted.
In response, the team behind The Fire Station, The Engine Room and The Dun Cow built a scheme designed around exactly that feedback.
Since launch, members have enjoyed exclusive events, fan experiences and food and drink offers across Culture Quarter sites — with the 100th member marking a real moment of momentum for the scheme.
The scheme offers two annual tiers, designed to reward regular visitors with early ticket access, exclusive experiences and food and drink discounts across Culture Quarter venues including The Fire Station, The Engine Room and The Dun Cow.
“What makes this scheme different is how genuinely audience-led it is,” said Andrew Dipper, Sales and Marketing Director at Culture Quarter.
“74 percent of the customers we spoke to felt a membership would encourage them to attend more events, and we’re already seeing that happen with record attendances and sales in the last year.”
Since launch, members have taken part in sold-out behind-the-scenes tours, enjoyed early access to tickets and unlocked perks that go beyond performances — helping them feel more connected to Sunderland’s cultural scene as a whole.
“We love meeting our members and hearing how passionate they are about our venue and about culture here in Sunderland,” says Andrew. “So we’re delighted to be able to give them something back as a thank you for their support.”
Michael Linsley, the Culture Quarter’s 100th member, said: “I wanted to become a member to ensure I got tickets through the pre-sale scheme, which is one of the advantages of becoming a member, and that guarantees you get a ticket for the really popular shows.
“I really like coming to The Fire Station. It makes you really proud of something that’s really good happening in Sunderland.”
To find out more and become part of the next 100 members, visit thefirestation.org.uk/memberships or culturequarter.com/memberships, or call The Fire Station on 0191 570 0007.