How Bristol Beacon built operational excellence and prepared for growth with Artifax.
Overview
During one of the UK’s largest cultural redevelopment projects, Bristol Beacon reimagined how its teams work together. By partnering with Artifax to redefine workflows and integrate its systems, the venue created a single operational backbone that connects programming, finance, staffing, and reporting — ready to support an unprecedented increase in events when its doors reopen.
The Challenge
Bristol Beacon, a music charity, venue, and education hub managed by Bristol Music Trust, was undertaking a major capital transformation. Its teams promoted events across more than 35 venues in Bristol and Bath, but processes relied on separate tools for scheduling, contracting, and reporting.
With reopening approaching, the organisation needed to modernise: to unify its systems, remove duplication, and prepare for delivering 800 events per year while sustaining an ambitious learning programme reaching over 30,000 young people.
The Solution
Artifax has partnered with Bristol Beacon for over 15 years, first through ArtifaxEventClassic and later via the cloud-based ArtifaxEvent.
Following a review of business processes, Artifax acted as a trusted consultant — helping the team define a standard operating procedure with clear responsibilities and deadlines, and implementing a re-engineered Event Management solution.
Together they:
- Configured Tasks, Alerts, and Reports to follow each stage of an event’s journey.
- Designed bespoke solutions for both artistic and commercial finance.
- Built integrations with Spektrix and Staff Savvy for seamless ticketing and staffing data flow.
- Created branded ArtifaxAgora portals where staff can view events and book spaces online.
- Delivered comprehensive training so every department could work confidently within the new system.
Bespoke analytical and operational reports now give staff a complete, 360-degree view of the organisation — from enquiry to delivery and settlement
The Results
Bristol Beacon now operates from one reliable source of truth. Accurate data powers every step of event management, from the first enquiry through to financial reconciliation.
Information flows automatically between ArtifaxEvent, the box office, finance, and staff scheduling systems, creating real-time visibility for all teams.
Key Outcomes:
- Significant reduction in manual data entry through automation and migration.
- Consistent processes and clear accountability across departments.
- Rich reporting and dashboards offering organisation-wide insight.
- A robust system ready to support the venue’s post-redevelopment growth.
Why It Matters
Bristol Beacon’s long-term partnership with Artifax shows how cultural organizations can future-proof their operations through collaboration and clarity.
By aligning people, processes, and technology, the venue is poised to deliver an extraordinary programme of music and education more efficiently than ever.
See Artifax in Action
Explore how our venue and event management software helps you simplify scheduling, streamline operations, and deliver standout experiences — all in one place.