Curve
Curve is a UK producing theatre (Leicester Theatre Trust Limited) in Leicester that stages drama, musical theatre, dance, and opera, runs learning and community programmes, tours productions nationally, and serves general audiences, young people, local communities, and artists.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersLeicester, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Curve does
Curve, legally Leicester Theatre Trust Limited, is a UK registered charity (charity number 230708, company number 00772380) operating as a major producing theatre from a purpose-built venue on Rutland Street, Leicester, since opening in 2008. It serves general theatre audiences, children and young people, local and underrepresented communities in Leicester and Leicestershire, and professional artists through in-house productions ("Made at Curve"), a national and Ireland touring operation (Curve on Tour), a learning and community programme delivering 27,000+ creative opportunities per year, and structured artist development pathways including Curve Associates, Curve Resident Creatives, and the Andy Nairn Bursaries in Technical Theatre.
The venue's core technical infrastructure centres on automated theatre systems — automated fly bars and performance technology supporting complex drama, musical theatre, dance, and opera productions. Ticketing and audience relationship management are delivered through an online booking system (Spektrix), in-person Box Office, telephone bookings, and an in-house ticket resale service. Supporting digital infrastructure includes education packs and online learning resources tied to Made at Curve productions.
Revenue is generated through ticket sales (with a £3 per-ticket contribution reinvested in the theatre and a £2 booking fee), charitable donations and Gift Aid, tiered membership and loyalty schemes (Supporters Scheme tiers, Made at Curve Circle, Loyalty Pass), paid workshops (e.g., Little Curve Workshops at £3 per session), and venue and corporate event hire. The trust operates as a company limited by guarantee with no equity shareholders; principal funding partners are Arts Council England and Leicester City Council, supplemented by corporate sponsors (e.g., David Wilson Homes) and charitable donors (e.g., Mackintosh Foundation). Headcount is reported at 101-250 employees, and Made at Curve productions are stated to be seen by over one million people per year in Leicester and on tour.
Curve firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Curve
- Legal name
- Leicester Theatre Trust Limited
- Website
- https://curveonline.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Curve is a UK producing theatre (Leicester Theatre Trust Limited) in Leicester that stages drama, musical theatre, dance, and opera, runs learning and community programmes, tours productions nationally, and serves general audiences, young people, local communities, and artists.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Curve industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts Theatre
- NAICS
- Dance Companies (71112)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Touring & Production Services (Staging, Lighting, Sound, Video) (MPAIAFAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Dance Performances (THAJAFAD)
Keywords
Where Curve is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Leicester
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Curve business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Primary revenue from selling tickets to Made at Curve productions and touring shows. Revenue generated through online, telephone, and in-person box office channels.
- Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations through online portal, box office, fundraising team, and bucket collections during productions. Includes Gift Aid scheme for UK taxpayers.
- Membership and Loyalty Programs: Revenue from Supporters Scheme (Friends, Champions, Patrons), Made at Curve Circle leadership gifts, and Loyalty Pass discounts.
- Workshops and Classes: Fees from creative workshops including Little Curve Workshops (£3 per session), summer workshops, and technical theatre training programs.
- Venue and Event Hire: Income from hosting external events, corporate hire, and private functions at the theatre venue.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Tickets |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Public Dress Rehearsal |
| Subscription | Annual | Made at Curve Circle |
| Subscription | Annual | Supporters Scheme (Friends, Champions, Patrons) |
| Subscription | Annual | Loyalty Pass |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Little Curve Workshops |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Workshop and Tour Fees |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Curve product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Curve is a producing theatre in Leicester, UK, that creates and stages in-house plays, musicals, dance, and opera under its "Made at Curve" brand, which tour nationally across the UK and Ireland. It also runs community engagement, education, and creative learning programmes, sells tickets via box office, phone and online channels, and operates venue hire, workshops, and membership/supporter schemes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Made at Curve Productions In-house theatrical productions (plays, musicals, dance, and opera) created and staged at Curve Theatre Leicester, which then tour the UK and Ireland. Targeted at general theatre audiences.
- Touring Productions Touring theatrical productions that travel to venues beyond Leicester as part of Curve's national and international touring programme. Targeted at theatre audiences in other UK and Ireland venues.
- Workshops and Creative Classes Creative workshops and classes including Little Curve Workshops (£3 per session for early-years children and families), summer workshops for young people, and technical theatre training programmes. Targeted at children, families, and aspiring theatre technicians.
- Schools and Education Programmes Educational programmes for schools including theatre days, education packs tied to Made at Curve productions, and the Shine educational project supporting access to theatre for young people.
- Venue and Event Hire Hire of Curve's theatre spaces for corporate events, private functions, and external productions. Targeted at corporate clients and event organisers.
- Supporters Scheme and Loyalty Pass Annual membership tiers (Supporters Scheme: Friends, Champions, Patrons) and Loyalty Pass products (including Individual Loyalty Pass and 16-26 & Student Loyalty Pass) offering priority booking, discounts, and exclusive events.
- Made at Curve Circle (Leadership Gifts) Premium leadership gift membership tier providing behind-the-scenes access to all Curve productions. Targeted at high-value supporters and patrons of the theatre.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1 million people experience Made at Curve productions annually
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Curve
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Curve technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Curve partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Leicester City CouncilcoreLeicester Theatre Trust gratefully acknowledges and welcomes the continued support of and partnership with Leicester City Council as a key supporter of Curve's cultural mission in Leicester.
- Arts Council EnglandcoreLeicester Theatre Trust gratefully acknowledges and welcomes the continued support of and partnership with Arts Council England, a major funder of UK arts and culture.
- David Wilson HomesminorDavid Wilson Homes is a sponsor of Access performances at Curve, supporting audio-described performances with touch tours for visually impaired audiences.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Curve competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sheffield Theatres: Regional producing theatre operating multiple stages with in-house productions, community programmes, and a comparable scale of staff and audience.
- Royal Shakespeare Company: Major UK producing theatre that creates and tours original productions in Stratford-upon-Avon and nationally. Highly comparable producing model with in-house creative teams, national touring, and public/charitable funding structure.
- Young Vic: London-based producing theatre with a similar model of bold in-house productions, world premieres, community programmes, and a comparable headcount range.
- Bristol Old Vic: One of the UK's oldest continuously operating theatres, with a producing model that combines in-house productions, co-productions, community engagement, and a comparable regional scale.
- Leeds Playhouse: Regional producing theatre in the North of England with similar producing model, community/learning programmes, and Arts Council-supported funding profile.
- Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester: Major producing theatre in Manchester with in-house productions, an artist development programme, and a similar regional footprint and community engagement model.
- Chichester Festival Theatre: Regional producing theatre known for high-profile productions that transfer to the West End. Comparable in producing ambition, in-house production capability, and national reach from a regional base.
- Birmingham Repertory Theatre: Regional Midlands producing theatre with a similar mix of in-house productions, community engagement, and touring. Geographically proximate and structurally similar in scale and funding mix.
Emerging players
- English Touring Theatre: Touring-focused producing company that takes work to regional venues nationally. Overlaps with Curve's touring activities and serves as both a creative partner and partial competitor in the touring market.
Broad incumbents
- National Theatre: The UK's flagship producing theatre with much larger scale, multiple stages, and significant public subsidy. Comparable in producing/commissioning/IP model, but operates at materially greater scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Curve social profiles
Digital presenceCurve compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Curve financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Curve leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Curve funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Curve 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 Curve
What does Curve do?
Curve is a producing theatre in Leicester, UK, that creates and stages in-house plays, musicals, dance, and opera under its "Made at Curve" brand, which tour nationally across the UK and Ireland. It also runs community engagement, education, and creative learning programmes, sells tickets via box office, phone and online channels, and operates venue hire, workshops, and membership/supporter schemes.
Is Curve a public or private company?
Curve is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Curve founded?
Curve was founded in 2008. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Curve based?
Curve is headquartered in Leicester, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Curve make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are donations and Fundraising, membership and Loyalty Programs, workshops and Classes and venue and Event Hire.
Who are Curve's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sheffield Theatres, Royal Shakespeare Company, Young Vic, Bristol Old Vic, Leeds Playhouse, Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester, Chichester Festival Theatre and Birmingham Repertory Theatre. English Touring Theatre is listed as an emerging player. National Theatre is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Curve have an API?
No public API is recorded for Curve.
What industry is Curve in?
Curve's product category is Performing Arts Theatre. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIAFAF, Touring & Production Services (Staging, Lighting, Sound, Video), with a secondary code of THAJAFAD, Dance Performances. Its NAICS code is 71112 and its SIC code is 7900.