Martyn's Law for arts centres

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 is not in force yet. The SIA expects it to come into force in spring 2027 and will confirm the date. Here is how it applies to an arts centre: how to count your capacity, which tier you fall into, and what has to be in place.

Counting capacity

The figure that decides the tier is the greatest number of people it is reasonable to expect to be present at the same time, from time to time, including staff. For an arts centre that means the number across the whole building at once: main hall, studio, cafe, gallery and foyer on the busiest night. Figures vary a lot between arts centres, so work out your own. Below 200 the Act does not apply. 200 to 799 is standard tier. 800 and over is enhanced tier.

Which tier

An arts centre where 200 to 799 people can reasonably be expected at once across all its spaces is standard tier. Where 800 or more can be expected, it is enhanced tier, with further duties including a written document sent to the SIA.

What a standard tier arts centre must have

Once the Act is in force, notify the SIA of the premises and the responsible person through the SIA's online portal. Anyone already responsible on the start date has three months. Have public protection procedures in place, so far as reasonably practicable, for four situations: evacuation (getting people out), invacuation (bringing people in and keeping them inside), lockdown (securing the premises) and communication (telling people what to do). Staff who have a role in them need to know what it is. No equipment, no searches and no security staff are required at this tier. The SIA can impose a penalty of up to £10,000, and up to £500 a day if a compliance notice is not met.

What that looks like in an arts centre

An arts centre runs several spaces with different crowds at once, a gig in the hall, a class upstairs, families in the cafe. The pack's procedures cover the whole building, with a zone leader for each space, so the duty manager has one plan and each space knows its part.

Staff turnover is high and casual, so the staff briefing and training record are designed to be run at induction and repeated as often as you need, with the register as the evidence.

If the combined capacity is near 800 the capacity assessment is the document that decides the tier, and it is worth doing carefully: the enhanced tier brings extra duties, a written document for the regulator and penalties of up to £18 million or 5 per cent of worldwide revenue, whichever is higher.