Contracts, IP & rights
Venue hire & operating agreements
A venue is only as well run as its agreements. Whether you hire out your space by the day or take on a whole building to run, the terms decide who is responsible when something goes wrong. We draft and review both, for venue owners and the people who run them.
Who this is for
Theatres, halls, arts centres and cultural spaces that hire out to promoters, companies and the public; organisations taking on a venue to operate, often one owned by a council or a trust; and local authorities deciding how their venues are run and by whom.
If a building and its bookings are part of your world, this page is for you.
At a glance
- Hire terms you can use again and again
- Operating and management agreements
- Insurance, cancellation and liability made clear
- Council venues: procurement and FOI handled too
How we help
We prepare venue hire agreements and standard hire terms that are clear about what causes disputes: responsibilities and liabilities, insurance, cancellation, technical and staffing arrangements, damage, and who carries which risk.
We also draft and negotiate operating and management agreements for organisations running a venue for its owner, covering the term, each side’s obligations, income and cost sharing, maintenance, reporting, and what happens at the end. For council-owned venues, we bring in the public-sector side, including procurement and freedom of information.
Talk to us
Not sure where to start? Book an online appointment and we will point you to the right help.
Email hello@proartsplus.co.uk or call 0330 127 1414 during office hours.
How it works
- Understand
We learn how your venue runs. - Allocate
We work out who carries which responsibility and risk. - Draft
We prepare the hire terms or operating agreement. - Agree
We negotiate it and see it signed.
Agreements that fit real operations keep the relationship stable for its whole life, not just the day it is signed.
Why ProArtsPlus
We act for venue owners and operators, including councils, so we understand both sides of these agreements and where their interests meet and diverge.
Frequently asked questions
What should a venue hire agreement cover?
Responsibilities, liabilities and insurance, cancellation and payment, technical and staffing arrangements, and what happens if something is damaged or goes wrong. We make sure yours covers the points that lead to arguments.
What is a venue operating agreement?
The agreement under which one organisation runs a venue for its owner, setting out the term, each side’s obligations, how income and costs are shared, and what happens at the end.
We run a council-owned venue. Is there anything extra to consider?
Yes. Public procurement rules may affect how the arrangement is set up, and your agreement will often require you to help the council with freedom of information requests. We handle these alongside the operating agreement.
Can you produce reusable hire terms for us?
Yes. Most venues hire out repeatedly, so a solid set of standard terms saves time and protects you every time.
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Not sure where to start?
Tell us what you are dealing with and we will point you to the right help.