Rural Media
Rural Media is a non-profit production company that provides copywriting, filming, post-production, sound effects, and marketing services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersHereford, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Rural Media does
Rural Media is a UK-registered non-profit charity (Company No. 03751216) founded in 1992 and headquartered in Hereford, England. The organization operates a creative participation model that uses film, media, and digital arts to empower rural young people, early-career creatives, and underserved communities. Its core programs span three pillars: Digital Arts (supporting emerging artists aged 16-30), Youth Voice & Social Change (engaging rural and underserved communities on social issues), and Film, TV & Audio Skills (training for screen and audio industry entry). The charity runs 20+ named projects including ArtFlicks, BookFlicks, Breaking Out, BBC New Creatives, Revealing Our Roots, Big Wig, and Rural Digital Inclusion, reaching 1,364+ participants annually and 5M+ online audiences.
The organization's business model is a hybrid charity-plus-commercial structure. As a charity, Rural Media receives grants from a broad base of funders including the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Arts Council England, Herefordshire Council, BBC, Heritage Lottery Young Roots Fund, Esmée Fairbairn, The Headley Trust, and several smaller trusts. Programs are delivered free to participants, with bursaries (£1k-£4k) available for emerging artists. The sister commercial arm, Rural Studios, generates revenue by producing content for broadcasters, brands, and the public sector, while also creating a pipeline from training programs into paid creative work. StoryPoint, the organization's Herefordshire hub, provides professional podcast and production facilities.
Geographically, Rural Media operates primarily in Herefordshire with expanding reach into the West Midlands (BBC New Creatives Midlands hub, Rural Digital Inclusion project across five communities). The organization is governed by a Board of Trustees chaired by David Holdsworth, with leadership split between CEO & Creative Director Grant Black and Chief Executive Nic Millington, supported by a management team of ~13 named individuals across production, education, social media, and finance functions. The charity has earned significant recognition including 4 Royal Television Society awards and a 2026 Gold at the Smiley Charity Film Awards, with New Creatives content reaching 20M+ worldwide audiences.
Rural Media firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rural Media
- Legal name
- Rural Media Charity
- Website
- https://www.ruralmedia.co.uk/
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Rural Media is a non-profit production company that provides copywriting, filming, post-production, sound effects, and marketing services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rural Media industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Creative Media & Arts Education
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512), Postproduction Services and Other Motion Picture and Video Industries (51219), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Media Arts & Film/Photography Nonprofits (BPAGAHAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Public Media Partnerships & Content Co-productions (NGO/Cultural) (MPABADAN), Public Media Digital Platforms & Streaming (Apps, On-demand, Podcasts) (MPABADAG), Public Broadcasting Production Units & Studios (In-house/Member) (MPABADAF)
Keywords
Where Rural Media is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hereford
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Rural Media business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Grant Funding: Rural Media operates as a charity receiving funding from trusts, foundations and government bodies including National Lottery Heritage Fund, Arts Council England, and Herefordshire Council to support their charitable mission.
- Commercial Production Services: Rural Studios, their sister commercial production arm, creates content for broadcasters, brands and the public sector, generating revenue while creating pathways for early-career creatives.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Rural Media product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rural Media is a UK charity that designs and delivers creative participation programmes in film, digital media, audio and the arts for rural and underserved communities, particularly young people and vulnerable adults. It combines hands-on community workshops and training with a professional in-house production facility (StoryPoint) and a commercial sister-arm (Rural Studios) offering video, animation, podcast and event production services to third-party clients.
Product overview
Rural Media is a UK-based charity offering a portfolio of creative participation programmes focused on film, media and digital arts. The core offerings include Digital Arts, Youth Voice & Social Change, and Film, TV & Audio Skills programmes. The organisation operates through sister commercial arm Rural Studios (producing content for broadcasters and brands) and StoryPoint hub (professional podcast and production facilities). The portfolio spans multiple youth and community projects including ArtFlicks (emerging artist bursaries), BookFlicks (literary content for social media), Breaking Out (positive masculinity education), Big Wig (heritage), Razom (Ukrainian-British connection), Dancefest (inclusive dance film), Martens on the Move (wildlife conservation), and heritage projects like Revealing Our Roots and Herefordshire's A Great Place. BBC New Creatives provides commissioning pathways for emerging talent aged 16-30.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Rural Studios: Sister commercial production arm making content for broadcasters, brands and the public sector, creating pathways for early-career creatives
- StoryPoint
Products and services
- StoryPoint Creative Hub A purpose-built creative media facility in Hereford offering HD broadcast cameras, a green screen, lighting rigs, a Foley/audio booth, podcast recording kit and edit suites, made available for hire to community participants and external clients.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reached over 5 million online audiences last year
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Rural Media
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Rural Media technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Rural Media partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- BBCcoreBBC Introducing Arts partnership for New Creatives content distribution across BBC iPlayer, Sounds, Television and Radio platforms.
- The Little Princess TrustmajorCharity providing real-hair wigs to children facing hair loss. Partnered on Big Wig project exploring wig-making history and identity.
- National TheatremajorCultural institution partner for Big Wig project, providing access to wig-making expertise and performance spaces.
- The Vincent Wildlife TrustcoreConservation organization partnering on Martens on the Move project focusing on Pine Marten reintroduction awareness.
- Hay FestivalmajorLiterary festival partner for BookFlicks project, featuring micro-films and participant workshops at Hay 2023.
- Lincoln Library and UK LibrariescoreLibrary network partners for BookFlicks project, delivering workshops and promoting reading engagement through social media.
- Ledbury Community HubcoreLocal community venue hosting Revealing Our Roots film club and community screenings for young filmmakers.
- Herefordshire Pupil Referral ServicecoreEducation partner for Martens on the Move project, providing access to pupils aged 12-16 for conservation content creation.
- Hereford Museum Service Support GroupminorSupporting organization for museum heritage projects including Be Who You Wear costume collection exploration.
- The National ArchivesmajorPartner for Big Wig project, providing historical documents on hair and wig history for educational content.
- Goldsmiths University of LondonminorAcademic partner for Big Wig, with Professor Emma Tarlo (Anthropology) providing wig-making expertise.
- DancefestcoreInclusive dance organization partnering on Digital World moving image piece with Jigsaw Performance Company.
- BFI Film AcademycoreReferral partner for aspiring filmmakers, directing potential participants to BFI Film Academy opportunities.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Rural Media competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Watershed: Bristol-based creative media charity operating a cinema, café bar, and production facilities, with a community-focused creative talent and screen industry engagement remit. Directly comparable to Rural Media's StoryPoint hub model and arts/community participation mission.
- Northern Film + Media: North East England-based charity supporting emerging filmmakers and screen industry talent development through training, production, and regional hubs. Closely comparable to Rural Media's talent pipeline and regional creative-economy mission.
- Lighthouse: Brighton-based independent arts charity supporting filmmakers, digital creatives and artists through training, exhibition, and production support. Comparable in combining creative participation with professional production pathways in a UK regional setting.
- Film London: London's screen agency running talent development programs, film office services, and industry training initiatives. Comparable in talent pipeline development and screen industry access work, though operating in a much larger market.
- Create London: East London-based arts charity working with young people and underserved communities on creative projects with social impact. Comparable in mission, demographic focus, and creative participation methodology.
- Doc Society: International non-profit supporting documentary filmmakers with funding, impact strategy, and distribution support. Comparable in charity structure, filmmaker development focus, and impact-driven production support.
- Bertha Foundation: Foundation funding documentary storytelling for social justice, including DocHouse cinema. Comparable in combining funder role with documentary production support and impact-focused programming.
Broad incumbents
- BFI (British Film Institute): UK national body for film and the moving image, including BFI Film Academy talent development (which Rural Media refers participants to). Comparable as a funder and skill-development partner, but with national scope and broader portfolio.
Regional players
- Encounters Short Film & Animation Festival: Bristol-based short film and animation festival with talent development programs for emerging filmmakers. Comparable in emerging filmmaker support and regional UK positioning.
- Sheffield Doc/Fest (Sheffield DocFest): Sheffield-based documentary and screen industries festival with industry programs and talent development. Comparable in regional UK festival/talent pipeline model for screen content creators.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Rural Media social profiles
Digital presenceRural Media compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Rural Media financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rural Media leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Rural Media funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rural Media M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rural Media
What does Rural Media do?
Rural Media is a UK charity that designs and delivers creative participation programmes in film, digital media, audio and the arts for rural and underserved communities, particularly young people and vulnerable adults. It combines hands-on community workshops and training with a professional in-house production facility (StoryPoint) and a commercial sister-arm (Rural Studios) offering video, animation, podcast and event production services to third-party clients.
Is Rural Media a public or private company?
Rural Media is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Rural Media founded?
Rural Media was founded in 1992. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Rural Media based?
Rural Media is headquartered in Hereford, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Rural Media make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Grant Funding is the primary driver. The others are commercial Production Services.
Who are Rural Media's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Watershed, Northern Film + Media, Lighthouse, Film London, Create London, Doc Society and Bertha Foundation. BFI (British Film Institute) is listed as a broad incumbent. Regional players are Encounters Short Film & Animation Festival and Sheffield Doc/Fest (Sheffield DocFest).
Does Rural Media have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rural Media.
What industry is Rural Media in?
Rural Media's product category is Community Creative Media & Arts Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAJ, Media Arts & Film/Photography Nonprofits, with a secondary code of MPABADAN, Public Media Partnerships & Content Co-productions (NGO/Cultural). Its NAICS code is 512 and its SIC code is 7812.