STARTING from this week you will have the chance to get free tickets for gigs and concerts at Bridgwater Arts Centre, which is starting a new campaign to get more bums on seats and encourage people to book early.

Last year centre staff did not know whether they could stay open from month to month after losing their £80-£100k of funding.

But now they have proved they can. Employee Kate Goodale said: “Through small funding from the town council and the Fairfield Charity trust in 2013, the BAC has managed to employ one part-time member of staff and the volunteers have been incredibly hard working and still are.

“They built up confidence through last year that they could keep the doors open without the core funding.”

The next three concerts, which are part of the Come back 2 BAC campaign, feature singer songwriter Louise Jordan, folk musicians Kevin Dempsey and Rosie Carson and guitarist Richard Durrant.

Kate said: “We are moving onwards and upwards - we are enterprising our aims and will prove that our centre is still, after all these years, an absolute pillar of the community.”

She added: “We plan to have a new and exciting programme of events for 2013, which really caters for all of Bridgwater, young and old.

“We are developing our workshops, well being groups and social clubs as well as diversifying our music, theatre and films.

“We are also going to be putting on a lot more bands for the younger generation of Bridgwater.

Just watch this space, it's really going to hot up over the year!”

For dates and times of events visit www.bridgwaterartscentre.co.uk