Case study

Changes for the Climate at Lime Tree Theatre & Belltable Arts Hub

As Lime Tree Theatre and Belltable Arts Hub marked a decade of growth, the organisation took a moment to look beyond performance metrics and ask a deeper question: how could future success be aligned with environmental responsibility?

Rather than treating sustainability as a single initiative, the team chose to embed climate-conscious thinking into daily operations, audience engagement, and long-term planning. With Ticketsolve supporting ticketing, data, and fundraising, Lime Tree and Belltable focused on practical changes that could deliver lasting impact—without compromising the audience experience.

‍

Setting Green Ambitions Through Practical Action

In 2019, Lime Tree Theatre publicly committed to a two-part sustainability strategy: reducing the organisation’s environmental footprint, and encouraging audiences to make more informed, climate-conscious choices when engaging with the venue.

The team deliberately prioritised areas where change would be both achievable and meaningful. Rather than attempting wholesale transformation, they focused on ticketing, fundraising, and printed materials, areas where behaviour change could be supported through better systems and clearer communication.

This approach allowed sustainability to become part of everyday decision-making, rather than a separate or short-term project.

‍

Using Data to Support Sustainable Decisions

Data plays a central role in how Lime Tree and Belltable evaluate new ideas and assess impact.

Using Ticketsolve’s reporting and analytics, the team examines booking behaviour, sales patterns, and fulfilment choices to inform operational decisions. For example, analysis revealed that over 70% of ticket bookers identified as women aged 35-44, with higher conversion rates and session values than other audience segments. This insight helped shape marketing strategy and communication tone.

Crucially, data also showed that relatively few customers opted for postal ticket delivery. This gave the team confidence that audiences would adapt to a move away from traditional printed tickets, supporting both operational efficiency and environmental goals.

‍

Want to learn more about our platform?

Request a Demo

Reducing Waste Through Digital-First Ticketing and Fundraising

One of the most impactful changes came through the promotion of e-ticketing.

Traditional thermal tickets are not recyclable and contain harmful chemicals. By actively encouraging digital tickets, Lime Tree and Belltable eliminated the printing of more than 10,000 tickets per year. Audiences responded positively, with most presenting tickets on their phones for entry. Where tickets were printed at home, they could be recycled, marking a clear improvement over previous practices.

Alongside this, the organisation introduced a voluntary LED lighting donation campaign through Ticketsolve. Theatre lighting is energy-intensive, and while LED alternatives are far more efficient, the upfront cost is significant. By clearly explaining the purpose of the campaign and offering audiences an easy way to contribute during the booking journey, the team raised 77% of their €20,000 target within three years.

‍

Rethinking Print and Connecting Audiences Digitally

Printed brochures remain important to Lime Tree and Belltable audiences, particularly in driving early ticket sales. Rather than removing print entirely, the team focused on making it more sustainable and more effective.

For their tenth anniversary season, they produced a premium brochure using untreated paper, reduced ink coverage, and carefully considered typography. QR codes were embedded throughout, allowing audiences to move seamlessly from print to live digital content.

These QR codes also provided valuable insight. Using Ticketsolve’s campaign tracking tools, the team could see which brochure distributions led to bookings, donations, or memberships, helping them refine future print runs and reduce unnecessary waste.

‍

Lime Tree Theatre and Belltable Arts Hub demonstrate that meaningful climate action doesn’t require radical overhaul. By using data to guide decisions, adopting digital-first tools where appropriate, and bringing audiences along with them, the organisation has embedded sustainability into everyday practice.

Supported by Ticketsolve, these changes have reduced waste, strengthened fundraising, and aligned operations with long-term values, creating a model for environmental responsibility that is practical, measurable, and built to last.

‍

Let's start something brilliant together

We’d love to show you how we can help you thrive.

Request a demo

No items found.

Download the Case Study

Download now

Explore more Case Studies

Case study

Feb 9, 2026

AI for Operational Efficiency? Exploring the Benefits of Chatbots for Arts and Culture Organisations

Case study

Feb 3, 2026

Enhancing GA4 tracking accuracy for Canterbury Festival

Helping Canterbury Festival to unlock accurate, actionable insights for better campaign decisions.

Case study

Jan 27, 2026

Wild Arts: Bringing Clarity to Complex Fundraising

is case study explores how Wild Arts moved from fragmented spreadsheets to a shared, structured system, bringing clarity to fundraising and helping the whole team work with confidence.