Was doing research for a DYCP application this week, and was annoyed to find that the only publicly available source listing ACE’s NPOs was an outdated excel file published for financial reporting reasons. Having now been through the list, collating the mission statements of every company whose main discipline is listed as ‘Theatre’. I figured I might as well upload this as a public resource for anyone in the future who’s in the same position of wondering what’s the work that’s being done out there.
All text is taken directly from the website of the company specified, except where marked as editorial. I will irregularly be keeping this page up to date, if any organisation wishes their listing to be updated, please reach out via the Contact page on this website – any text included must be published on your public domain.
| Applicant Name | Region | Constituency | Mission Statement |
| 1927 | South East | South Thanet | internationally acclaimed theatre and animation company, renowned for its distinctive fusion of live performance, animation, music and storytelling. |
| 20 Stories High | North West | Liverpool, Riverside | We create bold, excellent theatre experiences with culturally diverse, working-class communities, emerging artists, and world-class professionals to tell stories that bring joy, empower, and enable social change. |
| Academy of Circus Arts and Physical Theatre t/a Circomedia | South West | Kingswood | Circomedia Academy is a world-renowned centre for contemporary circus and physical theatre. Since opening our doors we’ve encouraged students to become bold, versatile artists who go on to shape the future of contemporary circus. |
| Access All Areas | London | Hackney South and Shoreditch | Market intelligence for live media professionals (Ed. summation, no clear ‘about us’ description on website) |
| Theatre Porto | North West | Ellesmere Port and Neston | Theatre Porto (formerly Action Transport Theatre) has been making work for children, young people and the communities of Ellesmere Port for over 35 years. |
| Actors Touring Company | London | Cities of London and Westminster | Actors Touring Company produces international contemporary theatre that travels – making the global, local and the local, global. We are one of the only British theatre companies committed to producing international plays; and to touring the work of those global voices throughout the UK (and beyond). |
| Ad Infinitum Productions CIO | South West | Bristol South | Ad Infinitum is a multi-award-winning, internationally acclaimed theatre company. We collaborate to tell stories, play and disrupt. We work with artists, activists and communities to create transformative theatre, revolutionise audiences and change the world. |
| AIR in G (Arts in Rural Gloucestershire) Ltd | West Midlands | Hereford and South Herefordshire | AIR in G is the Rural Touring Scheme for Gloucestershire. We offer financial and practical support to individuals or organisations who wish to host performances at their local village hall, community centre or school. |
| Almeida Theatre Company Limited | London | Islington South and Finsbury | We bring together the most exciting artists to take risks; to provoke, inspire and surprise our audiences; to interrogate the present, dig up the past and imagine the future. Whether new work or reinvigorated classic, whether in our theatre, on the road or online, we make live art to excite, enliven and entertain. |
| Arcola Theatre Production Company | London | Hackney North and Stoke Newington | Arcola produces daring, high-quality theatre in the heart of East London and beyond. |
| Arena Theatre (University of Wolverhampton) | West Midlands | Wolverhampton South West | N/A (Ed. part of the uni, no clear mission statement listed on website) |
| Bamboozle Theatre Company | East Midlands | Leicester South | Too often in our society learning disabled children, and their families, are not heard; they are left out, made to feel that they don’t belong, let alone have their voices heard. Many of the children and young people we work with can’t express themselves in ways that most of us take for granted. But they do have things to say. |
| Battersea Arts Centre | London | Battersea | Our commitment to being A Home for Extraordinary Artists, Young People and Communities is stronger than ever. We are continuing to work with ground-breaking artists across the globe to present innovative, exciting and socially engaged work. |
| Belgrade Theatre Trust (Coventry) Ltd | West Midlands | Coventry South | As the largest theatre in Coventry and a leading regional producing theatre, the Belgrade has a broad, varied programme. Popular musicals and entertainment sit happily alongside progressive, critically acclaimed new drama. Our two spaces, B1 and B2, stage exciting productions and events for families, couples, individuals, first timers and confirmed theatregoers. |
| Beyond Face CIC | South West | Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport | Our vision is to lead the South West into becoming a recognised region that amplifies and celebrates Global Majority people in the arts and cultural sector. |
| Big Brum Theatre in Education Company | West Midlands | Birmingham, Yardley | Big Brum offers new plays and participatory Theatre in Education (TiE) programmes, touring to primary and secondary schools to help benefit the curriculum through culture and creativity |
| Birmingham Repertory Theatre | West Midlands | Birmingham, Ladywood | We are the city’s world-class producing theatre. We create inclusive, exciting and exceptional theatre by, with and for Birmingham and the wider world. |
| Blackpool Grand Theatre (Arts & Entertainment) Ltd | North West | Blackpool South | The Grand Theatre, Blackpool is one of Britain’s premier heritage theatres. Listed Grade II*, this Matcham theatre is in the top 8 per cent of all listed buildings in England, and one of only thirty listed buildings in Blackpool. It is one of only nine large theatres listed Grade II* or above, north of London. |
| Bloomin’ Buds Theatre Company Limited | Yorkshire and The Humber | Bradford East | At Bloomin’ Buds, our aim is to increase access to opportunity and to the arts for working class communities, through creating original professional verbatim theatre pieces that explore working class narratives. |
| Boundless Theatre | London | Croydon North | You might catch us in the park mixing tunes on a random Sunday, but you’ll also find us on the frontlines of youth-led change. We’ve produced international festivals, hosted youth summits, and brought radical imagination into schools |
| Box Clever Theatre Company | East Midlands | Louth and Horncastle | Box Clever is a professional touring theatre company specialising in writing and producing theatre for young audiences in schools, that aspires to develop knowledge and understanding; creativity and imagination; self-confidence and personal relationships with others; and support their school and cultural lives in some way or other. The plays are made regionally and toured nationally. |
| Bristol Old Vic and Theatre Royal Trust Ltd | South West | Bristol West | We will make a theatre which is for our whole community. Not a passive place but one of activism. Not one voice but many. We will ask questions of ourselves and of Bristol. We invite you to come on in and help us make this building sing with possibility. |
| Burnley Youth Theatre | North West | Burnley | We are a national leader in youth theatre provision and outreach work, we are dynamic, inclusive and creative. Our mission is to provide exemplary arts based opportunities which inspire and challenge generation after generation to recognise their talents and aspire to the future. |
| Camden People’s Theatre | London | Holborn and St Pancras | For more than 30 years, we’ve been one of the UK’s most consistent champions of early-career and underrepresented artists – offering not just a stage, but the mentoring, resources, and community they need to build lasting careers. We programme urgent political voices, the best of the industry’s new work, and good nights out that bring audiences and artists together. |
| Cardboard Citizens | London | Bethnal Green and Bow | Cardboard Citizens creates work with and for people who experience homelessness, inequity, or poverty. We provide theatre/art/training that explores, interrogates, and challenges the injustices that are most alive in our world |
| Chichester Festival Theatre | South East | Chichester | People from all walks of life come together at CFT – on and off the stage. We aim to inspire and delight everyone we meet and creativity is at the heart of everything we do. It’s a space where experiences are created and shared, and where everyone can find their place. |
| China Plate | West Midlands | Birmingham, Ladywood | Launched in 2006, China Plate is an independent theatre producing studio based in Birmingham and working across the UK. As an arts charity, we help people to make creative projects happen – from theatre shows, to audio anthologies, to bus stop galleries. |
| Chol International Arts | Yorkshire and The Humber | Colne Valley | Chol is a registered charity based in Yorkshire, with most of our work taking place in Kirklees, Barnsley, Rotherham and Sheffield. We work in everyday community and educational spaces, co-creating stories and projects rooted in local lives and heritage. |
| Claybody Theatre | West Midlands | Newcastle-under-Lyme | Claybody Theatre shapes new and ambitious drama from the unique cultural heritage and contemporary lives of the people of Stoke on Trent and North Staffordshire. |
| Clean Break Theatre Company Ltd | London | Holborn and St Pancras | We use theatre to transform the lives of women who have experienced the criminal justice system, or who are at risk of entering it due to the challenges they are facing, such as mental ill health or problematic substance use. |
| Clod Ensemble | London | Greenwich and Woolwich | The combination of movement and music is at the heart of all of our work. We create live performances at different scales, in different locations and for different kinds of venues – from traditional concert halls and theatres to visual arts galleries, public spaces and community centres. Working with inspiring independent artists is core to the character and success of our company. |
| Colchester Mercury Theatre Ltd. | East of England | Colchester | The Mercury is an artistic powerhouse in the East – a vital, vibrant, welcoming centre of culture for the people of Colchester, Essex and beyond. |
| Common Wealth | Yorkshire and The Humber | Bradford West | Common/Wealth make site-specific theatre events that encompass electronic sound, new writing, visual design and verbatim. Our work is political and contemporary – based in the present day – the here and now. We make work that is relevant and addresses concerns of our times. We seek out places to stage our work that are right in a community; a residential house, a boxing gym, places where people who might not go to the theatre might come to instead – we aim to make theatre for people who don’t usually think it’s for them, we’re bored of theatre being for the middle classes and those that can afford it – we genuinely believe in theatre as an art form and the power it has. We think this should belong to everyone – as audience, participants and as protagonists. |
| Company Three | London | Islington North | Company Three is a leading force for change for teenagers in our local community and around the world. We are a theatre company led by the ideas of our 75 members aged 11-19. We recruit our members through deep-rooted relationships locally and share our practice globally to impact teenagers everywhere. |
| Crying Out Loud | South East | Portsmouth South | We are creative producers. We are passionate about developing and producing world-class, boundary-pushing visual performance work in the Solent (where we are based), UK and globally. |
| Cumbria Theatre Trust | North West | Copeland | At our home in the Lake District and out across Cumbria, Theatre by the Lake produces and presents nationally acclaimed theatre, made with passion, that is seen by audiences from across the globe. (Ed. note DBA ‘Theatre by the Lake’) |
| Deafinitely Theatre | London | Brent North | Deafinitely Theatre is the first deaf launched and deaf led professional theatre company in the UK producing quality bilingual theatre in British Sign Language and spoken English. |
| DIY Theatre Community Interest Company | North West | Salford and Eccles | DIY is an established Learning Disability Theatre Company based in Salford, UK. We don’t have any hammers or nails and we don’t put up shelves, but if you’re looking for great theatre and educational projects please have a good look around. |
| Doorstep Arts | South West | Torbay | Doorstep Arts is a non-profit arts education organisation based in Torbay. We run drama groups across Torbay at key doorstep sites – youth clubs, church halls and schools. We are also the creative education company in residence at the Palace Theatre, Paignton. |
| Duckie | London | Vauxhall | Queer cabaret (Ed. website very cool and sparse but lacks a clear & distinct mission statement) |
| Eastern Angles Theatre Company Ltd | East of England | Ipswich | Eastern Angles is a regionally focussed theatre company with a broad world view in our approach to creating work with community groups and artists in East Anglia. |
| Eclipse Theatre Company Ltd | Yorkshire and The Humber | Leeds Central | None (Ed. as of the time of writing, no longer operating) |
| English Stage Company Limited | London | Chelsea and Fulham | The Royal Court is the writers’ theatre. We are the leading force for championing and cultivating playwrights. (Ed. DBA as Royal Court Theatre) |
| English Touring Theatre Ltd | London | Bermondsey and Old Southwark | ETT are a UK based international touring company. We create theatre of outstanding quality, imagination and ambition; work which interrogates and celebrates contemporary England and reflects the diversity of our nation. |
| Extant | London | Hackney South and Shoreditch | Extant is the UK’s leading professional performing arts company of visually impaired artists and theatre practitioners, producing touring productions and delivering training regionally and internationally. |
| Fevered Sleep | London | Bethnal Green and Bow | Established in London, UK in 1996 by artistic directors Samantha Butler and David Harradine, Fevered Sleep makes experimental work in theatre and dance, film, installation, print and digital art. |
| Forced Entertainment Ltd | Yorkshire and The Humber | Sheffield Central | We’re a group of six artists based in Sheffield, UK. Our work is an over 40 year collaboration, reinventing theatre to speak about the times we are living in, inspiring audiences across the UK, in Europe and further afield. |
| Frantic Theatre Company Ltd | London | Dulwich and West Norwood | Our ambition is that we continue to learn and remain committed to making brave and bold theatre. At times it is physically dynamic and brutal. At others it’s proudly tender and fragile. (Ed. better know as Frantic Assembly) |
| Freewheelers Theatre and Media Ltd | South East | Basingstoke | We are a diverse and creative company of people with disabilities based in Leatherhead, Surrey. We work alongside directors, producers, composers, artists and writers, to co-create and produce engaging, thought-provoking, funny, joyous and highly entertaining theatre, dance, film, and music. |
| Frozen Light | East of England | Norwich South | We are an award-winning theatre company dedicated to creating multi-sensory theatre for audiences with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD). |
| Fuel Productions | London | Cities of London and Westminster | Fuel leads the field in independent producing in the UK’s live performance sector, collaborating with curious, insightful and skilled theatre makers to create fresh experiences for adventurous people. |
| Full House Theatre | East of England | Mid Bedfordshire | With our audience at the heart of our work we carefully craft, programme and develop theatre and performance projects for, by and with children and young people.We exist to enrich young creative minds, delight young audiences, and nurture a lifelong connection with the arts. |
| Gazebo | West Midlands | Wolverhampton South East | Gazebo Theatre deliver a comprehensive range of high quality, innovative theatre productions and arts programmes including new shows, site specific work, workshops and short films. They’ve served as a Theatre in Education company for 42 years (Website down) |
| Gecko Theatre | East of England | Ipswich | Gecko is an award-winning and internationally acclaimed physical theatre company, led by Artistic Director Amit Lahav. Founded in 2001, the company has created 8 critically acclaimed shows, 2 Associate Shows and 2 films |
| Geese Theatre Company Ltd | West Midlands | Birmingham, Hall Green | Since 1987, Geese Theatre Company has been at the forefront of arts in criminal and social justice settings. The company is renowned for its ability to engage with some of the most disengaged populations within the prison system. We create innovative projects and performances, working with diverse participants with multiple and complex needs, improving wellbeing, rehabilitation and recovery. |
| Gloucestershire Everyman Theatre Ltd | South West | Cheltenham | Changing people’s lives by inspiring, entertaining, and developing a passion for performing arts in people of all ages and backgrounds in every town, village and community across Gloucestershire. |
| Gorilla Circus | East of England | North East Cambridgeshire | contemporary circus production company creating innovative and interactive work on unique custom-built staging |
| Graeae Theatre Company Ltd | London | Hackney South and Shoreditch | Graeae is founded on the mission to create theatrical excellence through the vision and practice of Deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent artists. |
| Hackney Empire Ltd | London | Hackney South and Shoreditch | We will run a transformative creative programme for young people, from primary school to job placement. We will lead the way in variety entertainment, offering high quality shows and events that are popular and relevant to our communities. We will be a theatre where everyone feels welcome and leaves knowing that there is something for them at Hackney Empire. |
| Half Moon Young People’s Theatre | London | Bethnal Green and Bow | Half Moon is a local organisation with a national remit. Working from our base in Limehouse, East London, we give young people from birth to 18 (25 for young people with physical, sensory and/or cognitive disabilities) an opportunity to experience the best in young people’s theatre, both as a participant and as an audience member |
| Havering Theatre Trust | London | Hornchurch and Upminster | Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch (QTH) is the producing theatre serving Outer East London & South Essex, with a catchment area of 1 million+ people. As a community hub, over 220,000 people enjoy the programme each year, including the best in home grown theatre, visiting live entertainment and inspiring community projects. Behind the scenes, sets & costumes are lovingly created on-site by a highly skilled carpentry workshop, scenic artists, prop makers and wardrobe team. |
| Headlong Theatre Ltd | London | Bermondsey and Old Southwark | We’re Headlong. We make theatre with the power to move. Big, exhilarating productions that use the unexpected to connect everyone we reach, right across the nation. |
| High Rise Entertainment CIC | London | Finchley and Golders Green | HighRise is an award winning multi-arts collective that represents unheard communities and stories of contemporary Inner-City Britain. Champions of using rap music, theatre, subcultures, politics and heritage at the heartbeat of their work; HighRise is at the frontline of youth arts engagement across the UK where their productions, programmes, consultancy and mentoring schemes offer deep engagement in forgotten areas of Britain. Partners have included Nike, The National Theatre, The Barbican, Centre Point and The Metropolitan Police & specialised art conservatoires including East 15 Acting school, Central School of Speech and Drama and Northampton University. |
| HighTide Festival Productions LTD | East of England | Suffolk Coastal | HighTide is a writer-centred theatre company, based in the East of England. We produce new plays by playwrights from our region, touring across the East and beyond. We run a year-round writer development programme that creates space for East of England playwrights to thrive. We offer creative writing programmes in schools and community groups to build confidence, wellbeing and employability. |
| Hull Truck Theatre | Yorkshire and The Humber | Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle | Hull Truck Theatre is a pioneering theatre with a unique Northern Voice, locally rooted, global in outlook, inspiring artists, audiences and communities to reach their greatest potential. |
| Icon Theatre | South East | Rochester and Strood | Icon Theatre (est. 2002) is an award-winning theatre company and participatory arts charity based in Kent, founded by Artistic Director Nancy Hirst. We create critically acclaimed community theatre productions and deliver year-round creative programmes for young people and adults. At the heart of our work is collaboration. We co-create with communities, placing real lives and local voices centre stage. We use theatre to transform how people understand themselves and the world around them — helping them reimagine and shape a better future. |
| imitating the dog | North West | Lancaster and Fleetwood | As a company, we are most interested in telling stories. We create beautiful, memorable images for audiences, and the work fuses live performance with digital technology, in order to serve the story in the best possible way. The work is always fresh and often surprising. We take risks. |
| Improbable | London | Cities of London and Westminster | Whether in performance, rehearsal or development, the practice and philosophy of improvisation is at the core of our creative process —even when we’re working on classic plays or operas |
| Interplay Theatre Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | Leeds West | Interplay specialise in working with a range of ability and age ranges and our performers and staff are also all highly trained in working with young people with a range of complex needs.We tour annually nationally with a new show each year. With a strong aesthetic and touching narratives our performances explore themes that resonate with our audience. |
| Jumped Up Theatre | East of England | Peterborough | Jumped Up has been producing events around the UK since 1993, bringing touring and homegrown productions and events into a variety of community spaces, including: pubs, churches, community gardens, museums, front-rooms and theatres. Our audience is at the heart of our work. Our events, performances and opportunities strive to inspire, engage, and empower the communities we work with. We want to create positive change for communities through access to the arts. |
| Kali Theatre Co. | London | Lewisham, Deptford | Kali offers unique opportunities in new theatre writing for women of South Asian descent We produce striking, contemporary theatre for audiences from all backgrounds across the UK and beyond |
| Kiln Theatre | London | Hampstead and Kilburn | Kiln Theatre sits in the heart of Kilburn in Brent, the most culturally diverse borough in London. We produce high-quality, entertaining and innovative work – real human stories that reflect the richness of our local communities and the wider world.We are a place of creative transformation and artistic ambition – an empowering space where community connection sits at the heart of everything we do |
| Leeds Theatre Trust Limited | Yorkshire and The Humber | Leeds Central | Leeds Playhouse has been one of the UK’s leading producing theatres for more than 50 years. As an award-winning theatre and a cultural hub, we are a place where people gather to tell and share stories and engage in world-class performances. As an organisation and a charity that is built by and for the people of Leeds, our house is – and will always be – your house. So please join us as we share our stories, and our warm and welcoming theatre with you. |
| Leicester Theatre Trust Ltd | East Midlands | Leicester South | Curve is a spectacular state-of-the-art theatre based in the heart of Leicester’s vibrant Cultural Quarter. Over 1.5million people a year engage with Curve through performances and projects at our home in Leicester, across the UK and internationally. Under the leadership of Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster, Curve has developed an international reputation for producing, presenting and touring a bold and diverse slate of musicals, plays, new work, and dance, which sits alongside a vibrant community and learning programme. |
| Little Bulb Theatre | South West | Somerton and Frome | Devised work original producing company. (Ed. this is what I could figure out, there’s very little info online) |
| Littleworld Ltd t/a Horse and Bamboo Theatre | North West | Rossendale and Darwen | H+B was formed in 1978 to take visual & predominantly non-verbal performances to places neglected by conventional forms of theatre. The name comes from the use of horses to pull a caravan when touring, a central feature of the company’s work until 1999. |
| Liverpool & Merseyside Theatres Trust Ltd | North West | Liverpool, Riverside | Rooted in Liverpool’s spirit, we’re a creative powerhouse with national and international impact, driven by a passion for theatre, our city, and the belief that theatre can entertain, inspire and fuel positive social change. |
| London International Festival of Theatre | London | Bethnal Green and Bow | N/A (Ed. website no longer registered) |
| LUNG Productions CIO | Yorkshire and The Humber | Penistone and Stocksbridge | We develop high quality verbatim productions that tour from theatres to school halls to The Houses of Parliament We create educational and training resources for teachers, social workers and people in powerWe spearhead award winning campaigns to spark change |
| Lyrici Arts | South East | Rochester and Strood | We are a Black led theatre company in Kent. We write, direct, create, and produce. And we do all of this with the communities and creatives of Medway. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to express their emotions, in ways that are creative, elegant, brilliant and bold. We seek to celebrate the beauty of experiences and cultures through stories and theatre. We believe in kindness and act with compassion and empathy with everyone we work with. We extend this kindness to people from all backgrounds and walks of life, and seek to champion diversity and inclusion in everything we do. |
| M6 THEATRE COMPANY LIMITED | North West | Rochdale | M6 Theatre is one of Britain’s leading theatre companies, specialising in creating work with, for and by children and young people. Our mission is to share world class theatre as a powerful learning tool to nurture the hearts, challenge the minds and ignite the imaginations of young audiences, participants and their grown-ups |
| Manchester Young People’s Theatre trading as Contact | North West | Manchester Central | Our Mission is to change the face of UK culture. From our sustainable creative building in Manchester, we do this by:- Empowering young people from all backgrounds as creative leaders and agents of social change Supporting the next generation of artists and creatives Inspiring new audiences with stories and experiences that reflect our community |
| Mandala Theatre Company CIO | South East | Oxford East | Mandala is an ethnically-diverse-led company creating theatre with social justice at its heart. Our work connects people and brings them together. We believe that the arts are a force for change and so we aim to create community, and to influence social, policy, and system change. Established in 2015, we give voice to those whose stories are not heard and give those stories life by producing work for local, national, and international audiences. From April 2023, Mandala became an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation (NPO). |
| Marlborough Theatre Productions Ltd | South East | Brighton, Kemptown | A catalyst for queer culture and community. We are a nationally and internationally recognised producer of queer-led, intersectional performance, parties, heritage and radical community gatherings. |
| Mayflower Academy Ltd | South East | Southampton, Itchen | Mayflower Theatre is the largest theatre on the South Coast with 2,270 seats in the auditorium. The Theatre’s aim is to bring a diverse range of shows to Southampton. We present a mixture of spectacular touring productions, from musicals to dance, opera, drama, ballet and comedy. The Theatre is run as an independent charitable trust. We do not receive direct funding from any external bodies. All the money generated from ticket sales is invested back into the theatre. This supports our community and education strategies, and the upkeep of our Grade II listed building. |
| MAYK Theatre CIC | South West | Bristol East | None (Ed. Stopped operations as of March 2026) |
| Mercury Musical Developments | London | Cities of London and Westminster | Musical theatre is a complex and thrilling art form. A musical combines many forms of storytelling and has a unique ability to astonish and delight. But writing a musical is very difficult and new musicals require a great deal of developmental support. We are dedicated to supporting writers and nurturing outstanding new musicals. |
| Middle Child | Yorkshire and The Humber | Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle | In summer 2025 we announced we will open a new intimate theatre space in Hull, a home for unforgettable new plays with a mission to become “the most influential theatre outside of London”. Every day we work towards a fair and equitable world where anyone’s story can be told and heard. We commission the writers of tomorrow to tell untold stories that make sense of the world today. |
| Mikron Theatre Company | Yorkshire and The Humber | Colne Valley | Multi-award-winning Mikron was founded in 1972 We’re the UK’s most prolific theatre company, touring to nearly 140 venues per year.Over half of our shows are ‘pay what you feel’. We tour on our narrowboat, Tyseley, in the summer and by road in spring and autumn, to every conceivable type of venue, reaching audiences that other companies cannot. |
| Mimbre | London | Hackney South and Shoreditch | Founded in 1999, Mimbre are a female-led producing company, creating delicate, breathtaking and highly-skilled acrobatic theatre for outdoor and unusual settings, touring nationally and internationally, with a strong digital presence. We collaborate across the Creative Industries, as consultants and creators. We run a vibrant local youth programme and an Artist Development Programme for physical performers. |
| Mind the Gap | Yorkshire and The Humber | Bradford West | We want to live in a world where learning disabled and/or autistic people are seen, heard and represented everywhere. Where learning disabled and autistic voices lead the way in building a more inclusive world. |
| Miracle Theatre Trust Ltd | South West | Camborne and Redruth | Miracle Theatre is Cornwall’s longest-established professional theatre company and one of the South West’s most distinctive voices. Each year, we present new shows, both original writing and reimagined classics, balancing powerful storytelling with visually striking, high energy physical performance. |
| Mortal Fools | North East | Wansbeck | Based in Northumberland, we are specialists in co-creation with young people. We produce compelling, socially-relevant, and high-quality theatre, film, and creative projects – led by children, young people, artists, producers, and communities. Our inclusive practice ensures that we actively collaborate with young people who are under-represented in the arts and traditionally face barriers.Our purpose is to support people to have better quality interpersonal relationships with one another, and to use theatre and drama-based activities as a methodology to achieve this; helping people connect, have fun, learn, and grow together. |
| National Student Drama Festival | East Midlands | Leicester South | NSDF was founded in 1956 to encourage and celebrate the best and brightest student theatre that the UK had to offer. Since then, we’ve expanded and today we offer a platform where young people, regardless of whether they’re in education or not, can come together and celebrate the power of performance. |
| National Theatre | London | Vauxhall | We believe that great theatre sparks imagination and brings people together. Every day we strive to make the world a better place through theatre; entertaining and inspiring audiences around the world, using our creativity, expertise and unique reach. We are your National Theatre. You’ll find us in theatres. In cinemas. In schools. And online. |
| National Youth Theatre of Great Britain | London | Islington North | National Youth Theatre empowers young people to tell stories and find their voices on leading stages, screens and behind the scenes. For nearly 70 years we have equipped young people with toolkits to realise their creative potentials, from Helen Mirren and Daniel Craig to Regé-Jean Page, Ed Sheeran and Florence Pugh. |
| New Earth Theatre Company | London | Lewisham, Deptford | Now in our 30th year, New Earth is the leading and longest-running British East and Southeast Asian (BESEA) touring theatre company in the UK. Our mission is to bring nuanced BESEA representation to the widest possible audience. |
| New International Encounter | East of England | Cambridge | New International Encounter (NIE) is an international company that makes award-winning theatre performances and projects through a mix of physical theatre, multiple languages, live music, storytelling and a European ensemble. We have offices in Asker, Norway, in Prague, Czech Republic and in Cambridge in the UK. We make theatre shows for children, young people, families and adults – for anyone who loves a great story. |
| New Perspectives Theatre Company | East Midlands | Nottingham North | For fifty years, New Perspectives has been championing new writing, shaping the careers of playwrights, nurturing artists, and amplifying regional voices. Our mission is simple: to redefine what theatre can be, where it can happen, and who gets to make it. |
| New Wolsey Theatre Company Ltd | East of England | Ipswich | The New Wolsey Theatre will enrich the lives of everyone in greater Ipswich – bringing people together through the life enhancing power of storytelling and creativity. Our mission At our core is a passion for live performance and deep engagement with our communities. We produce, and present a diverse and vibrant performance programme that reflects, inspires, challenges, and entertains audiences in Ipswich and beyond. It includes our own original productions, dynamic collaborations with local, regional, national, and international artists and companies, and the very best touring shows from across the UK. |
| Next Door But One | Yorkshire and The Humber | York Central | As an applied theatre company we want to bring people together, foster connections and overall make our audiences and participants realise that we’re all a lot closer than we think. We’re a multi award-winning LGBTQ+ and disability-led theatre company based in York, promoting creative skills and encouraging community cohesion, particularly with those who face barriers to accessing theatre. Our established programme focuses on workshops and performances for and with cohorts of the community with disabilities, mental ill health, those experiencing bereavement, those who are carers and individuals from the LGBTQ+ community. Our activity ranges from workshops to touring performances, training programmes and professional development opportunities. |
| NoFit State Community Circus Ltd | Wales | Cardiff Central | Contemporary circus combines live music, dance, stage design, text, and film with traditional circus skills. It is rooted in the travelling community who turn up, pitch a tent, drum up an audience, and then leave with only flattened grass and a memory to show they were ever there. The circus are the strangers who live amongst us – and if we run away to join them we are throwing off our inhibitions, our conventions, the rules of settled society. We are taking to the road knowing that there is no destination – only a journey. |
| Landmark Theatres | South West | North Devon | Landmark Theatres is a new producing theatre combining regional venues in North Devon and Peterborough. We receive and curate a wide variety of arts and cultural opportunities for local communities. This includes major touring productions, high-profile live music acts, big-name stand-up comedy, dance, superb theatre and new writing. Our created programme includes high-quality Musicals, Drama and Family productions such as our Pantomimes. |
| North East Theatre Trust Ltd | North East | Newcastle upon Tyne East | A North East that writes its own story and fights for a more creative future. Live Theatre is one of England’s only venues outside of London dedicated exclusively to new work. Having launched and supported many of the country’s leading playwrights, Live now has a global reputation for its original, bold and deeply authentic productions rooted in the soil of the North East. From developing the creative voices of schoolchildren through to showcasing top world talent on our stage. |
| Northampton Theatres Trust | East Midlands | Northampton South | Royal & Derngate is proud of its reputation as a thriving regional theatre. An important entertainment hub for all communities across Northamptonshire and beyond, the three-stage and cinema complex is home to an acclaimed Made In Northampton self-produced programme as well as welcoming some of the most well-known acts and shows touring the UK. |
| Northern Broadsides Theatre Company | Yorkshire and The Humber | Halifax | Northern Broadsides is a theatre company based in Halifax, West Yorkshire. The company was founded in 1992 by Barrie Rutter OBE, and began by producing classic plays with a strong Northern voice, often in unconventional venues. Northern Broadsides toured extensively across the UK and internationally, bringing high-quality theatre to audiences everywhere. Now, under the leadership of Artistic Director Laurie Sansom, we create bold, accessible shows celebrating the diversity of Northern identity, and deliver inspiring creative engagement programmes. |
| Northern Lines | North West | Manchester Central | N/A (Ed. can’t find a website) |
| Northern Stage (Theatrical Productions) Ltd | North East | Newcastle upon Tyne Central | Northern Stage is a theatre where everyone is welcome. We make and present contemporary theatre, live performance and creative programmes that spark connections, provoke curiosity and joy, and explore new ways of seeing the world from our home in the heart of Newcastle upon Tyne. |
| Nottingham Playhouse | East Midlands | Nottingham South | Awarded Theatre of the Year 2025 in The Stage awards, Nottingham Playhouse is one of the country’s leading producing theatres and creates a range of productions throughout the year, from timeless classics to innovative family shows and adventurous new commissions. We want our theatre to be a space where everyone feels they belong, and we use our stage to tell diverse stories that reflect our city. Our wide-reaching participation programmes create life-changing experiences for our community and we also support the next generation of theatre-makers in the East Midlands through our extensive Amplify programme. |
| November Club | North East | Wansbeck | Novo Theatre is a theatre company telling original stories in unusual places and spaces. Our work is bold, inventive and tells the stories of where we are now and where we have been. We work with communities and partners to enrich our work and support a brilliant network of freelancers in the North East. |
| Ockham’s Razor | London | Hammersmith | Ockham’s Razor are a contemporary circus company who combine circus and visual theatre to make work that is arresting and entertaining. |
| Octagon Theatre, Somerset | South West | Yeovil | Whatever your age, ability, background or interests, there’s something for you at The Octagon & Westlands. With a full programme of exciting opportunities for our communities to unleash their creativity, unlock new interests and skills, and be entertained across the region. From parks to community centres, from high streets to village halls, from Yeovil to Langport, and from Wincanton to Chard, we’ve got something going on across Somerset. (Ed. venue is closed, but operations still ongoing) |
| Oily Cart | London | Tooting | We are Oily Cart, pioneers of Sensory Theatre. We create award-winning, interactive shows for babies, toddlers and disabled children, and their families. For over 40 years, Oily Cart has been creating remarkable, accessible shows that connect with babies, children and young people, and their families. In this time we have pioneered a whole new artform: Sensory Theatre. By pushing theatre beyond words – using not just 5, but all 33 senses – we create immersive wonderlands that never tell children how they should watch theatre, but learn from them what theatre should be. An Oily Cart show can happen in your local theatre, hydrotherapy pool or school hall; on a trampoline or online; at home or even up in the air. |
| Open Clasp Theatre Company | North East | Newcastle upon Tyne Central | Open Clasp is a feminist theatre company based in the North East which co-creates theatre with women and girls that calls for gender justice and systemic change.Our mission is to create theatre which ignites activism and places social, political, and personal change at its heart- changing the world one play at a time. By doing this, we aim to achieve our vision of gender justice for women and girls. We do this by creating spaces for women, inclusive of trans women and non-binary individuals, to be creative, share and discuss. Women gather as experts in their lived experiences to highlight the issues and what needs to change. By sharing the injustices of women and girls, we seek to find the justice. Our high quality theatre influences opinions, supports academic research and impacts policy. |
| Open Sky Theatre | West Midlands | Hereford and South Herefordshire | Open Sky creates new digital theatre, physical theatre and film for audiences around the world. We work from our base underneath rural Herefordshire’s wide open skies. |
| Open Theatre Company | West Midlands | Coventry North West | Young people with learning disabilities are at the centre of everything we do. We work together to discover and celebrate their unique creativity. Our unique non-verbal physical theatre practice is the way we make this happen – it shapes how we connect, create, and collaborate across all areas of our work – its principles underpin our approach to everything we do. |
| Ovalhouse Theatre Ltd | London | Dulwich and West Norwood | Brixton House is a new cultural space, developed from the rich and influential history of Ovalhouse Theatre, which presents and collaborates with voices and perspectives not currently centred in mainstream funded culture. |
| Oxford Playhouse Trust | South East | Oxford East | Oxford Playhouse is one of the country’s leading regional theatres and the only not-for-profit mid-scale venue in Oxfordshire. The theatre is at the heart of cultural life in the city and region, with a wonderfully rich heritage of live performance, drama, dance, music and comedy. It also produces mid-scale and studio productions, including a hugely popular pantomime which plays to audiences of over 40,000 each year. |
| Paines Plough | London | Islington North | Hello! We’re Paines Plough. We create new stories and perform them wherever you are. Our plays are nationally discovered and locally heard.As a touring theatre company dedicated to new writing, we discover, develop and empower writers across the country and share their explosive new stories with audiences all over the UK and beyond. |
| Palace Theatre Watford Limited | East of England | Watford | Welcome to Watford’s Palace of Entertainment! Creating world-class shows, right here in Watford, since 1908. |
| Pegasus Theatre Trust | South East | Oxford East | Pegasus is a creative hub for children, young people and their families. Our live programme is packed with the highest quality shows from the world of theatre, dance, puppetry and variety especially made for 0–25-year-olds. |
| Pentabus Arts Ltd | West Midlands | Ludlow | Pentabus is the nation’s rural theatre, based in Shropshire. We are the only rural touring company that is committed to producing new work and tours to communities across the UK and beyond.Our work brings communities and young people together, bringing outstanding contemporary productions with sector leading creative teams, directly to isolated rural communities, as well as platforming rural stories in urban settings. |
| Phizzical Productions | East Midlands | Leicester South | We commission and produce South Asian arts and cultural experiences. Our entertaining work challenges the status quo and empowers the next generation. Informed by global stories, we passionately push the boundaries to create bold, adventurous, and popular work. We seek to promote equality by working with our communities to bring new perspectives to their stories and influence the changing landscape of theatre. |
| Pilot Theatre Ltd | Yorkshire and The Humber | York Central | At Pilot Theatre, we believe in creating unforgettable, experiences for our audiences. Based in York, UK but known around the world, we bring high-quality, thought-provoking theatre to people nationally and internationally—especially younger audiences. For many, Pilot Theatre is their first step into the world of live theatre, making it a truly unique and memorable experience. |
| Pioneer Theatres Ltd t/a Theatre Royal Stratford East | London | West Ham | WE’RE HERE TO PUSH BOUNDARIES IN THE BEATING HEART OF EAST LONDON WE’RE HERE TO CHAMPION TALENT AND CREATE HARD-HITTING SHOWS WE’RE HERE TO MOVE YOU, EXCITE YOU AND KEEP THEATRE OPEN FOR ALL |
| Polka Theatre | London | Wimbledon | We opened our doors in 1979 as the UK’s first theatre venue dedicated exclusively to children. We deliver a year-round programme of exceptional and exciting new theatre and creative learning opportunities for 0-12 year olds. |
| Prime Theatre | South West | South Swindon | Putting young people centre stage since 1986 We use the best talent to bring the best out of young people. |
| Proteus Theatre Company | South East | Basingstoke | Proteus is an award-winning Theatre Company who believe that the audience is as important as the artist, and that to create truly dynamic and relevant theatre the audience and artist must inspire each other’s imagination. |
| Proud and Loud Arts | North West | Worsley and Eccles South | WORKING WITH CREATIVE & COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS TO SHOW HIGH QUALITY, THOUGHT-PROVOKING WORK CREATED BY DISABLED ARTISTS |
| Punchdrunk Enrichment | London | Bethnal Green and Bow | Punchdrunk Enrichment makes immersive theatre for schools, families and communities. You’ll find us in classrooms, theatres and warehouses across the UK and beyond, sharing joy and wonder. |
| Quarantine | North West | Stretford and Urmston | is a group of people working together as artists and producers who are united by an interest in everyday life. Our work across performance and other forms deals with the politics and aesthetics of contemporary experience and how we relate to one another. Rooted in Manchester, England since 1998, we make and tour our work around the world. |
| Red Ladder Theatre Company | Yorkshire and The Humber | Leeds Central | We make theatre that gives a platform to voices that are rarely heard, and stories that are overlooked. Plays that invite you to lean in, identify, punch the air, laugh with the stranger next to you, cry in the dark, and want to take action.We will go wherever the audience is – from pubs and clubs, to housing estates and theatres with plush velvet seats. We’ll meet you there, for a good night out that ends with you stepping back out into a world that now feels different, full of hope and possibility. |
| Rifco Arts | East of England | Watford | Led by Artistic Director Pravesh Kumar MBE, Rifco Theatre Company is one of the UK’s most successful touring theatre companies. The company develops, produces and tours vibrant, accessible and ambitious new plays and musicals that reflect and celebrate British South Asian experiences. |
| Royal Court Liverpool Trust | North West | Liverpool, Riverside | Liverpool’s Royal Court is the friendliest theatre in the city. With pre-show dining and a range of drinks served before and after the show, a trip to The Court is night of great entertainment. An historic art deco building which has been modernised and refreshed, he Royal Court is a mix of modern service standards in a traditional setting. The theatre produces eight long running plays every year, mostly comedies and musicals. The shows have a Liverpool theme with largely Liverpool cast and crew. Sets are built in the city, rehearsals take place here and 95% of all money spent by the theatre goes back into the local economy. |
| Royal Exchange Theatre Company Ltd | North West | Manchester Central | Here at the Royal Exchange Theatre we tell and share amazing stories both on and off the stage. Our iconic, spaceship-like theatre-in-the-round can be found in the centre of Manchester, a vibrant and exciting global city with a million stories to share. |
| Royal Shakespeare Company | West Midlands | Stratford-on-Avon | The Royal Shakespeare Company is a leading global theatre company that sparks local, national and international conversations that build connections, create opportunities and bring joy.We passionately believe that great storytelling can change the world, and that theatre offers its own unique form of storytelling: it’s live and shared, and transforms a group of strangers into audiences who, together, experience a story come to life in front of their eyes. |
| Scarborough Theatre Trust Ltd | Yorkshire and The Humber | Scarborough and Whitby | We’re here to serve Scarborough and give everyone the opportunity to discover and celebrate their creativity whether that’s through attending live events in our theatres, singing in our choir, watching your favourite film or performing in our youth theatre. |
| Selina Thompson Ltd | West Midlands | Sutton Coldfield | Selina Thompson Limited is a Birmingham-based company that makes passionate, rigorous, political work, full of joy, but with a clear focus on those excluded by society at large, and how the politics of identity define our bodies, lives and environments.We have made theatre shows, installations, workshop plans and radio work for pubs, clubs, shopping centres and performance spaces across the UK and the world. |
| Sheffield Theatres Trust Ltd | Yorkshire and The Humber | Sheffield Central | Welcome to Sheffield Theatres. We’re all yours. Our four theatres belong to this brilliant city. So, if it’s a great night out you’re after, or a chance to tread the boards, you’ve found just the place. We’re the world-famous Crucible, a Sheffield landmark with a distinctive stage and a reputation for unforgettable productions. We’re the Playhouse, an intimate, versatile space for getting closer to the action. We’re the beautiful Lyceum, the gleaming traditional proscenium arch theatre that hosts the best of the UK’s touring shows. We’re the Montgomery, a theatre and arts centre with a longstanding history of championing children’s creativity. |
| Slung Low Limited | Yorkshire and The Humber | Leeds Central | Founded in 2000, Slung Low is an award-winning theatre company specialising in making epic productions in non-theatre spaces, often with large community performance companies at their heart.Based in Holbeck, an inner city South Leeds ward, we run two spaces- The Warehouse in Holbeck and Slung Low at Temple. Both venues are made available to other artists and community groups as performance and cultural spaces to anyone who needs them. The equipment and vehicles of the company are also lent to those who have need. All work presented at our venues in Holbeck is Pay What You Decide. |
| Soho Theatre Company | London | Cities of London and Westminster | On stage. On tour. Online.Welcome to Soho Theatre, London’s most vibrant producer for new theatre, comedy and cabaret. A charity and social enterprise, we are driven by a passion for the work we produce, the artists we work with and the audiences we attract. We own our own home, Soho Theatre in the heart of London’s West End. A former Synagogue, we raised funds, purchased and redeveloped it, opening it in March 2000. Today it is one of the capital’s busiest theatre and comedy venues, with a year-round festival programme and a buzzing bar. |
| Spare Tyre Theatre Company Ltd | London | Lewisham, Deptford | Spare Tyre is a female artist-led participatory theatre company that seeks to reflect society, challenge its prejudices and make life equal. We create theatre with people that are under-represented in arts and culture and society’s decision making at large. Built on more than 40 years experience, our work is participatory, collaborative, immersive, taboo-busting and above all responsive to the passions and talents of the people who make it. |
| Square Chapel CIC | Yorkshire and The Humber | Halifax | None (Ed. stopped operations) |
| Stan’s Cafe | West Midlands | Birmingham, Ladywood | Legally Stan’s Cafe is a charity established with a mission to: “advance the arts for the public benefit by the promotion in particular, but not exclusively, of the art of drama, through live performance, in the electronic media, through film, publication and installation works”. Put more succinctly our mission is to be the best theatre company in the world. |
| Stoke on Trent & North Staffordshire Theatre Trust | West Midlands | Newcastle-under-Lyme | Our mission is to make excellent theatre-in-the-round and be a force for positive change in our region. Our vision is of a theatre which: makes distinctive theatre in distinctive spaces; increases engagement with the arts, especially among young people; nurtures artists and the artform; showcases Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent as places where creativity and excellence thrive; inspires local pride, making this a better place to live, work and do business; works in partnership with Arts Council England and Local Authorities to make investment go further and achieve more. |
| Talawa Theatre Company Ltd | London | Croydon Central | Talawa is the UK’s outstanding Black British theatre company. We champion Black excellence in theatre, nurture talent in emerging and established artists of African or Caribbean heritage, and tell inspirational stories. Talawa’s work ranges from local community engagement and national tours to international collaborations, reflecting Black experiences through art like no other. |
| Talking Birds Theatre Company Limited | West Midlands | Coventry North West | We are a Coventry-based company of artists known for our gently provocative projects which explore, and seek to illuminate, the profound and complex relationships between people and place. We’re big on access, human connection, social and ecological responsibility, and on nurturing the next generation of artists and theatre makers, particularly in Coventry. Find out more about us here… |
| Tamasha Theatre Company | London | Bethnal Green and Bow | Tamasha is a dedicated home for both emerging and established Global Majority artists. A powerhouse of new writing, talent development and digital innovation, we platform and invest in stories that celebrate our rich shared histories and cultures. Proudly both artist and audience driven, we’re disrupting, dismantling, and inspiring through bold and imaginative storytelling, providing a place to explore our lived experiences and unique perspectives. |
| Tangle Ltd | South West | South Swindon | Since founding in 2009 Tangle has become a leading force for championing African and Caribbean artistic excellence. We are changing the landscape for artists in our home region of South West England and nationally. We create a combination of new work and radical reinventions of classic theatre texts with African and Caribbean communities at the heart of every production. We produce ‘theatre that makes a difference’, offering a vital access point for diverse, marginalised communities to integrate, empowering participants with a massive social benefit. |
| Tangled Feet | East of England | Luton South | Our core beliefs underpin everything we do We believe that art has the power to transform lives We believe art succeeds most effectively when people are put before profit. We believe art must be available and accessible to all We believe that collaborative creativity can achieve things that a single artist working alone cannot. We believe in shared decision making, in equal creative stake, in fair and equal pay. We believe in young people’s potential to change the world and their right to be seen as a significant part of that world |
| Tara Theatre | London | Tooting | Tara Theatre creates innovative, politically charged theatre harnessing the power of co-creation. Our work explores the complexities of our world through a South Asian lens, championing South Asian voices and artists, identifying new narratives, new ideas and new forms. Tara Theatre is a contemporary and democratic space, a home for our community of artists and audiences. Please come and join us! |
| The Alternative Theatre Company Ltd. | London | Hammersmith | The Bush Theatre is a world-famous home for new plays and an internationally renowned champion of playwrights. We discover, nurture and produce the best new playwrights from the widest range of backgrounds from our home in a distinctive corner of west London. We are excited by exceptional new voices, stories and perspectives – particularly those with contemporary bite which reflect the vibrancy of British culture now. |
| The Ashton Group Theatre TA Theatre Factory | North West | Barrow and Furness | The Company was formed in 1997, to provide a place in Barrow-in-Furness for people, especially young people, to come and make original, new drama based on their own ideas, through improvising, playing, writing and generally messing around. Thousands of Barrow people have been involved with us over the years, some for fun, some to learn and some for work. Theatre Factory runs all kinds of projects: drama, animation, writing, digital and sound. We make stories with people of all ages and backgrounds. Their ideas, your ideas, are at the heart of everything we do. |
| The Dukes Playhouse Ltd | North West | Lancaster and Fleetwood | We are dedicated to a diverse and high quality programme, telling stories that are relevant, fun, heartwarming and electrifying. The Dukes creates a sense of place that challenges, enthrals and excites our audiences, though live performance and great cinema in the heart of Lancaster. Working with artists and communities, we stimulate opportunities for creative engagement as a creative hub, where people of all ages can discover their own creativity and be part of what makes our place great. The Dukes is a home for artists to create and connect; we reach out beyond our building into communities and new spaces, and through working with our partnerships, put culture and the arts at the heart of the Lancaster City region. |
| The Hall For Cornwall Trust | South West | Truro and Falmouth | We’re here for Cornwall’s audiences to discover all that the arts can be. From ‘I’ve never seen anything like it,’ to ‘I’ve had the time of my life,’ to ‘I feel a little bit braver now,’ we’ll always innovate, entertain, excite and connect, across our diverse music, theatre, community, dance and digital platforms. |
| The Lawnmowers Independent Theatre Company | North East | Jarrow | The Lawnmowers is a producing theatre-arts company run by and for people with learning difficulties and operating in Gateshead and the surrounding regions. The original actors formed in 1986 as a community group and in 2000, set up and developed The Lawnmowers Independent Theatre Company to try to achieve community cohesion. The Company’s track record is very impressive and includes working with our members to co-produce 14 full shows, hundreds of performances and drama and theatre workshops, numerous films, TV appearances, working with legislators and policy makers and the production of DVD’s, accessible information and booklets. |
| The Lyric Theatre Hammersmith Limited | London | Hammersmith | The Lyric Hammersmith Theatre produces bold and relevant world-class theatre from the heart of Hammersmith, the theatre’s home for over 130 years. We are committed to being vital to, and representative of, the local community. A major force in London and UK theatre, we produce adventurous and acclaimed theatrical work that tells the stories that matter. |
| The Octagon Theatre Trust | North West | Bolton North East | We believe theatre matters because everyone’s story matters and aim to entertain, inspire and engage as many people as possible through theatre. We work collaboratively with our community to ensure arts and culture thrive in Bolton working with thousands of young people and community groups every year. |
| The Paper Birds Theatre Company | East of England | Maldon | The Paper Birds is a devising theatre company, with a social and political agenda. We are recognised as UK leaders in devised verbatim theatre. We’re artists, investigators, entrepreneurs, educators. We pride ourselves on taking complex, multi-faceted subjects and making them accessible. We have an artistic programme and a creative learning programme and nurture both equally. |
| The Performance Ensemble | Yorkshire and The Humber | Leeds Central | Founded in 2016 by 76 year old artist Alan Lyddiard, The Performance Ensemble is the UK’s first National Portfolio Organisation of a permanent collective of older artists.We create cutting-edge contemporary theatre for audiences of all ages and backgrounds, harnessing the voices, experience and artistic talent of older people and putting them centre stage to turn the narrative about age and ageing on its head. |
| The Seagull Lowestoft Community Interest Company | East of England | Waveney | The building was opened in 1895 as a junior day school, The Morton Road School and it was in this capacity that it remained until the outbreak of the Second World War. When the war ended in 1945 the school was not reopened and the building sat out of use until the 1960s when it was converted into an arts centre by Suffolk County Council. Given the name “The Seagull Theatre” by the local acting group “The Seagull Theatre Club” (who got the name from the play by Anton Chekhov), it remained in use as a theatre and Arts College until funding was withdrawn in 2006. The building was closed, the windows were boarded up and the developers called in.As a result of this the SOS (‘Save our Seagull’) group was formed, the patrons of which are Oscar-winning actress Dame Judi Dench and Desmond Barrit who pledged to support campaigners fighting to save their theatre. |
| The Shakespeare North Trust | North West | St Helens South and Whiston | Shakespeare North Playhouse aims to bring people together to participate in a unique programme of performance, activities and conversations, inspired by Shakespeare and relevant to all of us.At its heart is a traditional 470 seat timber framed Shakespearean theatre that will host a mix of vibrant new performances. Theatre, music, comedy, workshops, events and activities will spill out into the exhibition gallery, Studio and Sir Ken Dodd Performance Garden, creating an accessible space full of joy and creativity, where everyone is welcome. Inspired by Prescot’s historic connections to William Shakespeare and a real love of storytelling, Shakespeare North Playhouse will play a key role in the ongoing regeneration of Knowsley; a place full of brilliant people with a story to tell. |
| The Theatre Orchard | South West | Weston-Super-Mare | 1983: The CD was first launched, Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi was released, and, most significantly of all, the Orchard Theatre opened it’s doors! Over five decades later, The Orchard Theatre established itself as one of South East’s leading live entertainment venues. The theatre’s comfortable auditorium seats up to 956 audience members, and is fully air-conditioned (for all those blistering summers Dartford is known for). Our eclectic programme features a wide array of top-quality musicals, drama, comedy, dance, family shows, one-night events, in addition to a world-class pantomime every holiday season (oh yes, it does!). |
| The University of Lincoln | East Midlands | Lincoln | Combines operations of: the Centre for Culture and Creativity, Lincoln Arts Centre and Barbican Creative Hub (Ed. paraphrase, no clear mission statement for the university’s NPO work) |
| The Yard Theatre Ltd. | London | Bethnal Green and Bow | We cross genres and boundaries because every artist we work with wants to say something new, in new ways. We tell new stories. We work with artists who invite us into journeys of escape, euphoria, possibility and hope. We reimagine the world. We stage different visions of what life can be, so we can try them out together for a night. |
| Theatre Centre | London | Lewisham, Deptford | Founded in 1953 by Brian Way and Margaret Faulks, we’ve been a vital catalyst for youth leadership and creativity for over 70 years. Our name comes from our founders’ vision to put theatre at the centre of young people’s lives.In this time, we’ve commissioned 108 writers and produced 237 plays. We have played to audiences of over 1 million in schools and theatres and we have worked with over 250,000 young people. Some of those young people are now working in the arts, running companies of their own, or in education teaching drama to the next generations. |
| Theatre de Complicite Education Ltd | London | Holborn and St Pancras | Complicité is an international touring theatre company led by Artistic Director and co-founder, Simon McBurney. We create work that strengthens human interconnection, using the complicity between performer and audience that is at the heart of the theatrical experience. We work across art forms, believing theatre, opera, film, radio, installation, publication and participatory arts can all be sites for the collective act of imagination. (Ed. so far as I can see there appears to be no organizational distinction between the Education operations and Complicite’s theatre operations) |
| Theatre Hullabaloo | North East | Darlington | Theatre Hullabaloo is a pioneering charity that makes, tours & promotes theatre for young audiences, aged 0 – 10 years old, because we believe that they are the most important audience of all.We create inspiring work which puts the young person at the heart of the creative process. Our work is driven by the belief that young audiences have an entitlement to theatre of the highest quality which inspires the imagination and challenges the mind. |
| Theatre in the Mill | Yorkshire and The Humber | Bradford West | Theatre in the Mill lies at the top of one hill and at the bottom of another. Theatre in the mill is an in-between space, situated between world class research at the University of Bradford and the reality of inner-city deprivations. We explore this through arts-based research methods, navigating our chaotic world and embodying possible futures. The community we have is of the global majority and its intersections; we are ever-evolving brave critics with diverse perspectives. |
| Theatre Peckham | London | Camberwell and Peckham | Theatre Peckham is a multi-award-winning theatre and performing arts Academy deeply rooted within the diverse community of south-east London. Our vision is to create a genuinely representative and inclusive society, where everyone can participate in, lead, work in, and enjoy creativity and culture. Theatre Peckham champions artistic excellence and social change. With over 35 years of experience, we are ambitious for our local community and collaborate with esteemed partners like National Theatre, Poetic Unity, Mountview, Young and Talented, Step Out Mentoring, AKTA, Words of Colour and Black Cultural Archives to empower young creatives to be ambitious for themselves. |
| Theatre Royal (Plymouth) Ltd | South West | Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport | Together with the people of Plymouth and the South West we will make waves in our ocean city, ensuring we’re the most ambitious and creative community in the country. As the South West’s principal centre for performing arts, we present a year-round programme of world-class and distinctive productions on all scales. We present, and are ambitious to produce, a broad range of work, on all scales, in our building, and outside across our city and region. We have three performance spaces: The Lyric (1,300), The Drum (175) and The Lab (50). |
| Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds | East of England | Bury St Edmunds | Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds is a proud producing theatre, staging 4 in-house productions each year. Our annual pantomime is legendary, attracting 26,000 audience members each year and delighting generations of families.The theatre’s Summer School model has also proved very successful; designed to provide opportunities for young people to work alongside a professional cast and crew on a production. The most recent of which were Dorothy, Back In Oz (2024), The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (2023), The Secret Garden (2022), Holes (2021), Pride & Prejudice (2019) and Goodnight Mister Tom with Roy Hudd (2018). |
| Theatre-Rites | London | Hackney South and Shoreditch | Award-winning Theatre-Rites is a field leader in the creation of experimental theatre for children. Acclaimed nationally and internationally, our touring productions and site responsive works stir the imagination and stimulate thought. We specifically promote understanding and enjoyment of ‘object-led’ theatre and celebrate the power of visuals, puppetry and animation. |
| ThickSkin Theatre | North West | Wigan | We are reimagining what theatre can be, telling stories through quality, future-facing, multi-disciplined formats. ThickSkin is helping shape a creative future that is fearless, collaborative, and driven by diverse voices. Our work thrives on throwing doors open, inviting people in, and empowering artists to think big, take risks, and reinvent what is possible. Established in 2010, ThickSkin has earned a national reputation for bold, high-quality theatre productions blending text, movement and design. The company was founded by Neil Bettles and Laura Mallows who continue to lead the organisation today. We grow and launch exciting new work from The Engine Room, our creation space in the heart of Wigan, as a launchpad for national and international touring, reaching audiences across the world. |
| Tiata Fahodzi Ltd | East of England | Watford | tiata fahodzi is the UK’s leading British African heritage contemporary theatre company. tiata fahodzi is a theatre company that places the stories of British African heritage and Black British diaspora communities at its core and is committed to making ambitious theatre for mid-scale stages and building confidence in British African heritage artists to be formally experimental in their work. |
| Tobacco Factory Theatres | South West | Bristol South | At Tobacco Factory Theatres, we provide a home of welcome and wonder for creative adventures and human connection, for incredible theatre and opportunities to learn and exchange ideas.We present in-house productions and touring shows to up over 50,000 people each year, and we support and commission new work by independent artists. We are proud to offer creative learning and participation opportunities to 3,000 local people each year, with 200 children and adults attending courses at the theatre every week. We work alongside inspirational resident artists and facilitators, who help shape our plans and programmes, and a community of 300 Artist Members who participate in regular meet-ups and events. |
| Told by an Idiot | London | Bermondsey and Old Southwark | Told by an Idiot is a critically acclaimed UK theatre company that explores the human condition through theatre that is ambitious but never pretentious, experimental but always accessible. We avoid boredom at all costs and are fascinated by the space between laughter and pain. We consistently experiment with what theatre can be and who gets to make it. In doing so, our work blurs the line between theatre maker, participant and audience. We nurture the skills and talents of emerging theatre makers through our Taught by an Idiot artist development programme and our work excludes no one. It simulates and challenges people across the world and we remain committed to making theatre for anyone who breathes. Our vision is to ensure we make a major contribution to the national and international reputation and reach of the cultural sector in England by creating risk-taking, dynamic and critically acclaimed new work which consistently reflects ambition, quality, inclusivity and relevance. |
| Transform Theatre Projects | Yorkshire and The Humber | Leeds Central | Transform is the UK’s leading festival for inclusive, international performance. The festival nurtures, creates and presents extraordinary, cross disciplinary performance with the power to change the way we see the world. Drawing on the rich cultural diversity of Leeds, Transform is a global meeting point, where performance drives urgent social agendas and imagines new futures. |
| Travaux Sauvages Ltd t/a Wildworks | South West | Camborne and Redruth | Wildworks is the UK’s leading landscape theatre company. From our base in Cornwall we make site-specific theatre with communities locally, nationally and internationally. We reach audiences and collaborators all over the globe. Everyone is invited. Our work attracts people who do not go to the theatre. We’re to be found on beaches and woodlands, car parks, nightclubs and disused quarries, anywhere from derelict department stores to medinas, and from refugee camps to castles. |
| tutti frutti productions | Yorkshire and The Humber | Leeds East | We delight children through imaginative and meaningful theatre We’re Tutti Frutti, and for over 30 years we have created high-quality, inventive theatre performances for children aged 3+ and their families from our base in Harehills, Leeds. Our productions are either brand-new stories or fresh adaptations of much-loved fairy tales and fables which we tour around the UK to schools and theatres, as well as internationally in the USA, Hong Kong and Singapore. We also deliver projects – sometimes live, sometimes digital – working with a range of partners in Leeds and across the country. |
| Unanima Theatre | East Midlands | Mansfield | Unanima is an arts development organisation based in Mansfield that exists to dismantle the systemic barriers that suppress the ambitions of learning disabled and autistic people within the arts and society. |
| Unfolding Theatre | North East | Newcastle upon Tyne East | Unfolding Theatre makes big-hearted theatre that delights in bringing people together. Community-based creative processes engage surprising combinations of people to generate warm, distinctive theatre, rich in ideas. |
| Unicorn Theatre London Ltd | London | Bermondsey and Old Southwark | Transforming young lives through theatre.We create innovative productions that encourage children to question and explore the world. We creatively collaborate with children in schools and communities. We make our work as available as possible. We are reducing our impact on the planet. We believe in equality, diversity and inclusion.We offer innovative and thrilling theatre experiences for children aged up to 13, producing and presenting new shows alongside adaptations of classic texts. We are the largest children’s theatre in the UK, welcoming 65,000 families and schools to our venue every year, and thousands more through our new Unicorn Online programme of free digital theatre experiences. |
| University of Derby Theatre limited | East Midlands | Derby South | Bold and brilliant performances. Shows that represent our community. A platform for groundbreaking artists. A pathway for learners of all ages. A guaranteed great night out. We’re a theatre like no other.We’re known for artistic excellence. We’re committed to education. And we believe that theatre can change your life. |
| Upswing Aerial Limited | London | Bethnal Green and Bow | Upswing is a multi-award-winning UK-based contemporary circus company. Founded by Vicki Dela Amedume in 2006, we use the human body as an expressive tool to entertain, inspire curiosity, share urgent ideas and ignite a desire to build connection.We tell new stories in extraordinary ways – amplifying and celebrating the skills, creative talents and stories of diverse artists and communities. |
| Utopia Theatre Limited | Yorkshire and The Humber | Sheffield Central | We create innovative complementary African theatre productions and encourage authentic new voices from the African diaspora to share their voices on our stages and engage diverse audiences. |
| Vamos Theatre Company | West Midlands | Worcester | Vamos Theatre is the UK’s leading full mask theatre company, taking its funny and fearless brand of wordless theatre across the length and breadth of the country and beyond since 2006.Vamos Theatre’s trademark style marries full mask with strong visual design and an original soundtrack. We make accessible, humorous, human, and fearless work which is based on real life stories, and our productions are rooted strongly in social research. |
| Vital Xposure | London | Hackney South and Shoreditch | Vital Xposure is a disabled-led touring theatre company that promotes hidden voices with extraordinary stories to tell. For over a decade, Vital Xposure has made disabled-led, radical*, political performance championing hidden stories and marginalised voices. From our base in London, we make national-touring, accessible work and position ourselves at the forefront of research and learning around disabled performance.We are committed to a future where marginalised people are recognised, celebrated and empowered as leaders, audiences, participants and artists. Through our work we examine and champion the value of disabled perspectives in our sector. |
| Wiltshire Creative | South West | Salisbury | Wiltshire Creative is a performing arts charity that produces joyful and life-enhancing experiences in Salisbury and beyond. Our vision is to enrich the cultural and creative life of audiences, artists and participants of all ages. Our flagship organisation creates and presents the energy and ambition of Salisbury Arts Centre, Salisbury International Arts Festival and Salisbury Playhouse. |
| Wise Children | South West | Bristol West | DBA Emma Rice Company |
| York Citizens’ Theatre Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | York Central | York Theatre Royal is one of the region’s most successful producing theatres welcoming more than 185,000 visitors each year to a unique 275 year old building in the heart of the beautiful and historic city of York – http://www.visityork.org.Supported by Arts Council England and City of York Council, the Theatre Royal provides an exciting mixed programme of work in our 760 seat main house, 70 seat Studio Theatre and in amazing site specific locations throughout the city. |
| Young Vic Company | London | Vauxhall | |
| Zest Theatre | East Midlands | Lincoln | Zest exists to make space for young people to be heard, using creativity to amplify their voices through arts and culture. Founded in 2007, Zest is an artist-led theatre company working with and for young people aged under 25. We create productions, touring youth spaces, and public art installations commissioned by theatres, arts organisations, festivals, local authorities, schools, youth services, and cultural partners, and delivered primarily in public space, alongside selected digital work. |
| Zoo Co Creative LTD | London | Croydon North | Zoo Co is a multi-award winning theatre company based in Croydon. We became an Arts Council NPO in Spring 2023. We make innovative, bold, electric live theatre for audiences across the UK and around the world. At our core, we set out to make theatre which responds to what is alive in us as artists, and in our communities. We use bold, playful, highly visual, ensemble-led and democratic approaches to co-create our shows with the artists and communities involved. Our creative practice includes improvisation, Open Space, devising, and new writing. We share this practice in every creative project, from our professional rehearsal rooms to our community projects. The Zoo Co Young Company is led by the Artistic Director, and co-creates ambitious studio shows alongside professional artists each year. |
Correct as of 14/05/2026
A Grand Quiet 
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