Cinema & Theatre Curtains: Blackout and M1

Three demands for a performance venue

A curtain for a performance venue or cinema meets three needs at once. Blackout, to achieve the darkness needed for projection. Acoustics, to control sound and reverberation. And fire safety, because these places are ERP type L (France's public-access building category for performance venues) subject to reaction-to-fire requirements. Neglecting just one of these points compromises operation.

Complete blackout, the condition for the picture

On a screen, the slightest stray light degrades the contrast and washes out the image. A projection room therefore aims for complete darkness: a dense, covering curtain, with no leak at the sides or the top, that plunges the room into darkness. For walls and openings, blackout is often combined with a fire rating, a subject covered in our article on the flame-retardant blackout curtain.

The acoustics of the room

The curtain also acts on sound. A heavy, thick textile, such as velvet, absorbs part of the reflections and reduces reverberation, which clarifies the sound. Hung on the walls, these curtains can modulate the acoustics depending on whether they are open or closed. The exact performance depends on the fabric and the surface treated, to be defined according to the room.

The fire rating in ERP type L

Performance venues and cinemas are ERP type L, subject to fire regulations. Several reaction-to-fire requirements apply, depending on the element:

Stages and platforms: curtains classified M1 (the French reaction-to-fire classification), whatever the surface area.

Projection screen: M3 material minimum, with M1-classified borders.

Partition elements: M3 minimum.

Enclosed staircases M1, circulation areas and rooms over 50 m² M2 (rules common to all public-access buildings).

The exact classification depends on the space concerned and remains validated by the safety commission or the building's inspection office. Our guide on the fire rating of curtains in public-access buildings sets out the framework, and our guide to the M1 and M2 standards explains the classifications.

From the specification to the quote

For a venue, these curtains are not ordered in a standard size. Kurtens produces to specification: blackout, acoustic treatment, large height and fire rating are defined according to your spaces and your constraints. The M1 classification is available on request. Each project starts with a discussion of your needs, followed by a quote. Set out your installation on our professional curtain quote page.

Frequently asked questions

What fire rating for the curtains of a performance venue?

M1 on stages and platforms, M2 in circulation areas and rooms over 50 m², projection screen M3 with M1 borders. The exact classification depends on the space and is validated by the safety commission.

Do a cinema's curtains have to be blackout?

Yes. Picture quality demands complete darkness, so a dense, covering curtain, with no light leak at the sides or the top.

Does a curtain improve the acoustics of a room?

Yes. A heavy textile, such as velvet, absorbs part of the reflections and reduces reverberation. The effect depends on the fabric and the surface treated.

Does Kurtens supply M1-classified curtains?

Yes, on request, built into the project specification.

How do you get a quote to equip a venue?

By setting out your spaces and constraints on the professional curtain quote page. Each project is studied to measure.

To equip a cinema or performance venue, with blackout, acoustics and fire rating to your specification, request a professional curtain quote.