Mind the Gap

What Mind the Gap does

Mind the Gap (legal entity: Mind the Gap Studios) is a registered charity in England and Wales (company no. 234 8556, charity no. 328 476) founded in 1988 by Susan Brown and Tim Wheeler in Bradford. The organisation collaborates with learning disabled and autistic artists to produce bold, inclusive, and original theatre, operating an integrated three-pillar model covering Theatre, Academy, and Community. Theatre outputs include touring productions such as The Invite (2025), ZARA, A Little Space, Mia, Contained, Mirror Mirror, and Lighthouse, performed regionally, nationally, and internationally. The Academy provides a tiered training pathway: a three-year Level 4 Performance Academy accredited by York St John University, intermediate Arts Academy courses, and entry-level Partner Courses run with Totally Arts. The Community programme delivers weekly engagement sessions (Social Club, Free Flow, Art Club, Youth Theatre, My Creative Club, Calderdale Arts Academy) across Bradford and Calderdale venues.

The organisation's underlying operational technology is built on inclusive theatre devising methodologies in which learning disabled and autistic artists are employed to co-create all productions. Physical infrastructure centres on MTG Studios in Lister Mills (a Grade II* listed former silk warehouse), comprising a 122-seat theatre, three studios, two meeting rooms, and a central gathering space. Digital assets include a 2025-relaunched accessible website, active social channels, a YouTube presence with audio-described content, and the Creative Doodle Book (developed with York St John University's Institute for Social Justice).

Revenue is generated across five streams: performance and touring fees (one-time licensing), Academy course fees of approximately £60 per day (typically funded via Adult Social Care Personal Budgets), MTG Studios venue and equipment hire, charitable donations including a £5/month recurring programme, and public funding from Arts Council England, the Creative Foundation Fund (£100,000 in 2026), the National Lottery Community Fund, and Bradford Council (including a historic £2.4m capital project in 2008). The customer base spans individual community participants, Academy students, touring audiences, and institutional commissioning partners such as Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, Walk the Plank, Gecko, Without Walls, and Leeds Playhouse.

Name

Mind the Gap

Legal name

Mind the Gap Studios

Website

https://mind-the-gap.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mind the Gap is a Bradford-based registered charity (founded 1988) that produces inclusive theatre with learning disabled and autistic artists, operating an integrated Theatre, Academy, and Community model with national and international touring, accredited training, and weekly engagement programmes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Inclusive Theatre and Performing Arts

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

akta.pro primary industry

Visual Arts Instruction (Drawing, Painting, Sculpture) (EDAMAAAA)

Keywords

• Inclusive theatre productions
• Performing arts training
• Community arts programmes
• Venue hire services
• Learning disability arts

Headquarters

HQ city

Bradford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Performance and Touring Revenue: Revenue from theatre performances, national and international touring of productions, and programming fees for hosting The Invite and other shows
2. Academy Course Fees: Performance Academy course fees of approximately £60 per day, typically funded through Adult Social Care Personal Budgets; Arts Academy and Partner Courses generate additional revenue
3. Venue and Equipment Hire: MTG Studios offers venue hire for events, meetings, rehearsals with theatre, studio spaces, and equipment rental; Open Space programme offers free access during quieter months for qualifying artists
4. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations from supporters, monthly giving programmes starting from £5 per month, funds creative work and community initiatives
5. Public Funding and Grants: Funding from Arts Council England, Creative Foundation Fund (£100,000 for building upgrades), Lottery Community Fund, and other public bodies supporting arts and disability inclusion

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Mind the Gap is a performing arts company that creates original theatre productions devised and performed by learning disabled and autistic artists, delivers accredited performing arts training (Performance Academy, Arts Academy, Partner Courses) for learning disabled and autistic students, and runs community engagement programmes connecting local disabled people to creative activities. The organisation also operates MTG Studios, a 122-seat theatre and studio venue available for hire, with activities delivered from its base in Lister Mills, Bradford.

Product overview

Mind the Gap is a theatre company, training academy and community engagement specialist that operates as a unified platform across three interconnected areas: Theatre, Academy, and Community. The Theatre division produces bold original performances by learning disabled and/or autistic artists including current production The Invite and past productions ZARA, Mia, A Little Space, Contained, Mirror Mirror, and Lighthouse. The Academy offers three distinct training pathways: Performance Academy (a 3-year Level 4 accredited programme with York St John University), Arts Academy (intermediate-level theatre, dance, and music courses), and Partner Courses (entry-level beginner courses with Totally Arts). The Community programme provides ongoing engagement through Social Club, Free Flow, Art Club, Youth Theatre, and My Creative Club. Additionally, MTG Studios offers professional venue hire including a 122-seat theatre and studio spaces to external clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Theatre Productions Bold and original theatre performances created by learning disabled and/or autistic artists, touring across the UK and internationally. Productions are devised and co-created by learning disabled and autistic artists as the company's core artistic output.
• Performance Academy Three-year full-time performing arts course leading to Certificate of Education in Performing Arts Level 4, accredited by York St John University. Covers theatre, dance, music production, composition and industry studies with personalised support for learning disabled and/or autistic students aged 18+. Course fees are approximately £60 per day, typically funded through Adult Social Care Personal Budgets.
• Arts Academy Intermediate-level weekly courses in theatre, dance, and music for learning disabled and/or autistic people. Includes Theatre Academy (Mondays), Dance Academy (Thursdays), Music Academy, and Calderdale Academy serving the Calderdale area. Designed for students building skills and confidence in an accessible setting.
• Partner Courses Entry-level courses for total beginners delivered in collaboration with Totally Arts (Totally Inclusive People). No auditions required, with the ability to join anytime throughout the year. Includes Totally Arts (creative movement, storytelling, music) and Totally Theatre (character development, drama games) sessions.
• Community Programme Engagement projects connecting learning disabled and autistic people of all ages to creative activities. Includes Social Club, Free Flow (dance and movement, £2.50 per session), Art Club, Youth Theatre (ages 11-19), My Creative Club (free, for neurodivergent children ages 6-12 and families), and Calderdale Arts Academy. Sessions delivered at community venues across Bradford and Calderdale.
• MTG Studios Venue Hire Professional venue facilities at Lister Mills featuring a 122-seat theatre, three studio spaces, two meeting rooms, and a central gathering space, available for hire for events, meetings, and rehearsals. Equipment hire catalogue is available, and the Open Space programme offers free venue access during quieter months (June-September) for qualifying artists.

Quantifiable outcome

• First cohort of Performance Academy students awarded Certificate of Education in Performing Arts Level 4 by York St John University (2024)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bradford 2025 (UK City of Culture)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Commissioning partner for The Invite - immersive theatre experience created for Bradford 2025. Also supported Lighthouse production through BD: is LIT event. Key strategic partnership for city's cultural programming.
• York St John UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Since 2021, collaboration with YSJ's Institute for Social Justice to offer Level 4 Certificate in Higher Education. Performance Academy students study theatre, dance, music production and composition over three years. First cohort graduated 2024 at York Minster. Joint graduation ceremonies planned for 2027.
• GeckocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Physical theatre company collaboration on 'A Little Space' - a powerful piece of physical theatre devised and performed by five learning disabled artists. Production toured nationally 2019-2020. Karen Bartholomew co-created the work and served as Movement Director for related productions.
• Walk the PlankcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Co-production partner for ZARA, a giant outdoor theatre event with 100+ performers, cherry pickers, tanks, and 3D projections. MTG's biggest project to date reaching audiences of 8000+ in Halifax and London. Also in association with Emergency Exit Arts.
• Arts Educational Schools and Guildford ConservatoireminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004National drama school partners for Staging Change advanced training programme in 2004, providing vocational training for 8 learning disabled artists.
• York St John University - Institute for Social JusticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration exploring themes of belonging and place. Students from YSJ Drama and Acting programme collaborate with MTG Performance Academy students on creative projects culminating in performance lectures. Partnership includes development of Creative Doodle Book during Covid pandemic.
• Totally Inclusive People / Totally ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivery partner for Partner Courses (Totally Arts, Totally Theatre) - entry-level creative opportunities welcoming new students year-round with no auditions required. Vicky Ackroyd leads partner programmes as Access Champion.
• HOME and The PlaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioning partners for A Little Space co-production with Gecko.
• Without WallsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioning partner for Mirror Mirror street theatre production.
• Norfolk and Norwich FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioning partner for Mirror Mirror.
• Hat FairminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioning partner for Mirror Mirror.
• The KazimierminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner for Mirror Mirror creation.
• Leeds PlayhouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner hosting MTG productions including Mia and 7 Carriages from Performance Academy students. Karen Bartholomew worked with the venue; Anna Gray appeared in their 2019 production of Be My Baby.
• Totally ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for delivering collaborative creative opportunities all year around for people to explore creativity at their own pace through Partner Courses.
• Bradford Producing HubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLisa Mallaghan, former MTG Senior Producer, now Executive Director of this charity dedicated to creating fairer, more representative arts ecology in Bradford. Jamie Saye leads sustainability partnership with Bradford 2025 through SAIL.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hijinx Theatre: Welsh inclusive theatre company creating work with learning disabled and non-disabled artists, employing learning disabled performers in professional productions. Direct peer in the UK inclusive theatre space working with a co-creation model strikingly similar to Mind the Gap's Special Effects Theatre Company.
• Access All Areas: London-based inclusive theatre company creating work with learning disabled artists through professional training and productions. Direct peer serving the same population with the same inclusive theatre and ensemble model as Mind the Gap, including an Academy-Plus talent development pathway.
• Birds of Paradise Theatre Company: Scotland's leading disability-led touring theatre company producing bold and innovative work with and for D/deaf and disabled artists. Direct peer in UK inclusive theatre with comparable touring productions and similar National Portfolio funding model via Arts Council England equivalents.
• Spare Tyre Theatre: London-based inclusive theatre company creating participatory performances with disabled people and other marginalised communities. Direct peer in UK accessible theatre with a similar artist-led co-creation ethos and touring model.
• Graeae Theatre: London's leading D/deaf and disabled-led theatre company producing bold new work for over 40 years. Comparable UK peer producing major work created by and for disabled artists, with similar scope, ambition, and Arts Council National Portfolio status.
• Candoco Dance Company: Internationally recognised UK-based inclusive dance company working with disabled and non-disabled dancers. Direct peer in UK performing arts inclusive of learning disabled artists, with similar professional touring model and co-creation ethos.
• Shape Arts: UK charity supporting Deaf and disabled artists through residencies, commissions, professional development programmes, and exhibition opportunities. Comparable as a UK organisation supporting learning disabled and autistic professional artists across multiple disciplines.

Regional players

• Back to Back Theatre: Geelong, Australia-based internationally renowned theatre company working with intellectually disabled artists to create bold, large-scale productions such as Ganesh versus the Third Reich and The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes. International peer with a near-identical inclusive ensemble model, mission, and critical profile.
• Restless Dance Company: Adelaide-based inclusive dance company creating performances with and for artists with and without disability. International peer in the inclusive performing arts space with comparable professional touring work and learning-disabled-led company structure.
• StopGap Dance Company: Waterloo, Ontario-based inclusive dance company creating performances with dancers with and without disabilities. International peer in inclusive performing arts, particularly contemporary dance, with comparable co-creation model and touring ambitions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mtgstudios
• YouTubeyoutube.com/mtgstudios
• Facebookfacebook.com/MtGStudios
• Instagraminstagram.com/mtgstudios

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mind the Gap