Free cinema and theatre layout blocks for AutoCAD (DWG): seating, stage, screens, projection rooms

About the sizes

Cinema and theatre equipment is not standardised, so the blocks use the sizes suppliers commonly list: cinema seats 550 mm and recliners 700 mm wide, a seat pitch of 520 to 560 mm in the rows, a wheelchair space of 900 x 1400 mm, proscenium openings of 9 and 12 m, a stage deck panel of 2440 x 1220 mm, a 10 x 3 m orchestra pit, screens from 4 to 18 m. Check them against your supplier's data sheets before you order.

The blocks are our own drawings, not copies of any catalogue, and the library is not certified. They are meant to plan the arrangement and count seats and items, not to show that a building meets fire, accessibility, sightline or acoustic rules. Take row spacing, aisle widths, wheelchair provision, escape routes and noise limits from the rules that apply to your site.

Frequently asked questions

Which items are in the library?

Seating, stage and machinery, screen and projection, lighting and control, lobby and services, 10 room layouts and 5 markers. The event venue library already has theatre-style chair rows, stage platforms and PA; the music and stage library has instruments, ensemble layouts, sound and stage lighting. Those are not repeated here, but the stage lights and desks in this library are the ones a theatre or cinema schedule needs.

Can I get a seat schedule from the drawing?

Yes. Seats and rows carry SEATS, ROW, ZONE, PRICE_BAND and UPHOLSTERY as invisible attributes, other blocks carry SIZE, MANUFACTURER, MODEL and QTY, and light fixtures carry WATTAGE_W, BEAM_DEG, COLOUR_TEMP_K, DIMMER_CH and DMX_ADDRESS. Fill them in the attribute editor, export the blocks with BlockSync and sort by zone, row or room. The sample values are placeholders, not manufacturer data.

Can I use the symbols in commercial projects?

Yes. They are free to use and modify in your own projects, including commercial ones. They are provided as is, without warranty.

How is this different from the event venue and the music and stage libraries?

The event venue library covers rented-out spaces: tables, banquet and theatre-style rows, simple stages, PA. The music and stage library covers what the musicians and the sound crew need. This one covers the building of a cinema or a theatre: seat types and curved rows, boxes, stage machinery, curtains, screens, projectors, lobby and concession equipment and the rooms themselves. They use the same sizes and the same look, so you can mix them in one plan.

Can I change a symbol or add attributes?

Yes. Open the DWG, edit a block with BEDIT to change it or add attributes, and save. To update drawings that already contain the block, run ATTSYNC or replace the block. Make a backup first: attribute values can be lost if ATTSYNC is used carelessly.

Where do I find a ready-made set of these symbols for AutoCAD?

AutoCAD itself ships only a small set of sample blocks, so a full symbol set has to come from a library. Download the ZIP on this page and open the DWG: every symbol is a block. Insert one with INSERT (Blocks palette, Libraries tab, then pick the DWG) or drag it from DesignCenter (ADCENTER). You can also download a single symbol on its own.