Meet the team bringing Paignton Picture House back to life

As we work towards reopening Paignton Picture House in Spring 2027, we’re delighted to welcome two new faces to the team: Claire Horrocks, our new Cinema Director, and Ben Turner, our new Outreach & Audience Development Manager.

Between them, Claire and Ben bring decades of experience across film, festivals, the arts and community engagement. They’re joining us at an exciting moment as we prepare to bring this extraordinary heritage cinema back to life and make it a place for the whole community.

Meet Claire Horrocks, Cinema Director

Claire has nearly 20 years’ experience in film exhibition, programming and festivals. Most recently, she was Film Programmer at Exeter Phoenix, where she helped launch Studio 74, Exeter’s only independent cinema.

Her work has included producing Two Short Nights Film Festival, Exeter’s annual outdoor festival Big Screen in the Park and specialist film seasons, including Scandifilm. She has also managed Devon Film Office, supported emerging filmmakers and executive-produced more than 100 regional short films.

Claire said:

“It is a privilege to lead the team who will [re]open Paignton Picture House and bring this beautiful heritage cinema back to life. There is so much to look forward to, but welcoming the community back into this space will be a big moment. What better way to connect Torbay with heritage and culture than through the magic of cinema?”

With experience spanning programming, exhibition, filmmaking and audience development, Claire will help shape the cinema’s programme and future as we get closer to reopening.

Meet Ben Turner, Outreach & Audience Development Manager

Ben has spent more than 25 years working with communities and bringing people together through the arts, often in public spaces and unexpected places.

His experience includes working with Walk the Plank, Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester International Festival, Buxton Opera House, Handmade Productions, Oily Cart and Manchester Mega Mela. Across a wide range of art forms, including film, he has created collaborative, storytelling-led events with seldom-heard communities and people new to the arts.

New to Paignton – and cinema! – Ben is looking forward to discovering the stories, people and characters that make the town unique.

Ben said:

“Having first visited Torbay on foot walking the coast path it’s great to be part of Paignton Picture House at this exciting time in its journey: it’s a beautiful building in a beautiful bay. As well as the blockbuster strands that are known and familiar, it will be great to find out more about the nooks and crannies, the strange and unexpected, that surprise and delight as well as bring us together.”

Ben will help us build relationships across the community, develop new audiences and ensure the Picture House reflects the people and stories of Torbay.

Please feel free to reach out to Claire or Ben via email, they would be happy to hear from you. claire.horrocks@paigntonpicturehouse.org / ben.turner@paigntonpicturehouse.org

A cinema for everyone

As our attention turns to reopening, our programme of activity will soon start to come together. Our welcoming and accessible heritage cinema will be home to the best new releases, independent films, family-friendly and classic cinema. Documentaries and discussions about cinema will also feature, sitting alongside filmmaker Q&As and collaborative partnership events.  

While Paignton Picture House will, of course, be a place to see great films, we want it to be much more than that. We want it to be somewhere people meet, discover something unexpected, share stories, make things happen and see themselves reflected on screen and in the life of the building.

There’s still plenty to do before the doors open again in Spring 2027, and we’re thrilled to have Claire and Ben on board as we take the next steps.

Made possible by National Lottery players

We’re grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund for making Ben’s role possible.

Using money raised by National Lottery players, The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that connect people and communities with the UK’s heritage. Its support for Paignton Picture House – Audience Development, Outreach and Inclusion is helping us move beyond the capital restoration project towards a thriving, sustainable cinema.

Thanks to National Lottery players, we can work towards a Picture House that belongs to, and is shaped by, its community.