Brighton & Hove packs a ridiculous amount of entertainment into a relatively small city. Big touring names regularly land at the iconic Brighton Centre & Brighton Dome, while smaller venues keep the calendar busy with live music, comedy, cabaret, theatre & emerging talent worth catching early.
Historic theatres & concert halls sit alongside independent cinemas, pub stages, comedy rooms, LGBTQIA+ venues, community spaces & night clubs that will keep you dancing into the early hours.
That mix is what makes going out in Brighton so good. You can book a major show months ahead, stumble across a gig in a pub back room or catch a comedian testing new material.
Headline shows, grassroots gigs & late-night venues, all packed into one compact city.
Touring productions, dance, spoken word & experimental theatre run throughout the year, while Brighton Fringe turns pubs, studios & unexpected hidden rooms into performance spaces every May.
Brighton’s cinema offering has a bit more personality than just the latest blockbuster. The iconic Duke of York’s brings the history, while independent screenings, cult films & multiplex releases offer movie buffs plenty of choice.
Brighton’s nightlife is spread across a few very different pockets of the city. The seafront, city centre and Kemptown each have their own mix of clubs, DJ nights, queer events & late-night venues.
Brighton’s entertainment scene shifts depending on where you spend your evening. North Laine is strong on grassroots gigs & independent venues, Kemptown brings cabaret & LGBTQIA+ nightlife, while the seafront is packed with clubs, live music & bigger events. Explore some of Brighton & Hove’s most popular neighbourhoods to find more venues, upcoming events & ideas for where to head this weekend.
Stand-up, drag & cabaret turn up in more places than you might expect in Brighton. Pubs, clubs & performance spaces regularly host touring acts, local comedians, drag shows & work-in-progress nights.
There’s a reason bands keep adding Brighton to their tour dates. The city has a dense mix of grassroots music venues, pub stages & larger spaces for established acts.
What’s on brings together gigs, comedy, theatre, club nights, cabaret, screenings & other events happening across Brighton & Hove’s most popular venues, including plenty of ideas for those last-minute “what are we actually doing tonight?” conversations.
Brighton’s community spaces do a lot more than host meetings. They’re used for workshops, local theatre, support groups, cultural events, classes & the kind of neighbourhood activities that rarely make the tourist guides.
Brighton works well for conferences because the city centre is compact and easy to get around. Large venues, galleries & smaller event spaces give organisers plenty of options without sending delegates miles across town.
Find answers to the questions people ask most before visiting Brighton’s entertainment venues.
If you’re after top entertainment venues in Brighton, start with the big names like Brighton Centre, Brighton Dome and Theatre Royal. They host everything from arena gigs to dance, theatre and comedy. Want something with a bit more edge? Try Komedia, The Old Market or Ironworks Studios.
Brighton gigs are everywhere. On any given night, you’ll find live music at pubs dotted around Brighton & Hove. If you’re a last-minute personality type, a quick search for “gigs in Brighton tonight” won’t let you down, or visit our What’s on for upcoming events tonight, this weekend & this month.
Duke of York’s Picturehouse proudly holds the title of the UK’s oldest working cinema, opened in September 1910. Located at Preston Circus in Brighton, slink back into red velvet seats and watch classic indie gems, cult classics and modern released. It’s one of Brighton’s hidden gems with lots of original character – bonus points for spotting the iconic striped legs on the roof.
Yes, and there are loads of venues for hire in Brighton & Hove. Unique event spaces from pubs to iconic venues, offer exclusive use spaces for planning a private gig, party or creative showcase with flexible hire options.
There’s always something happening. Theatre Royal and Brighton Dome are great for touring shows and big productions. Komedia serves up comedy, cabaret and fringe theatre. For something offbeat, check out What’s on to discover smaller local venues and upstairs rooms for unexpected theatre shows.
The largest indoor concert and events venue in Brighton is The Brighton Centre. Right on the seafront, it pulls in major tours and big-name acts and hold up to 5,000 people. If it’s a household name and they’re in town, chances are they’re playing here.
Most of Brighton’s venues offer good accessibility. Brighton Dome, Theatre Royal and Brighton Centre all have options for step-free access, accessible toilets and reserved seating. Take a look at Brighton Spotlight and filter via accessible venues. It’s always worth dropping the venue a quick message for peace of mind before turning up.
If you’re a venue based in Brighton & Hove, we’d love to showcase you in The Brighton Spotlight. We offer Spotlights for music venues, comedy clubs, concert halls and conference or performance space.
Visit Join the Spotlight and select either Grow or Discover to be featured in prime position on this page. For even more visibility for your venue, take a look at Advertising options and we can discuss your best option for maximum exposure.
