Contact Theatre

What Contact Theatre does

Contact Theatre is a registered charity (No. 501953) and company limited by guarantee (No. 01066757) operating as an arts venue and theatre from Oxford Road in central Manchester. Founded in 1972 and originally incorporated as Manchester Young People's Theatre Ltd, the organisation runs theatrical and comedy programming, free and subsidised creative programmes for young people aged 13-30, venue hire, weddings, and office-letting activities. The headquarters building, originally built in 1963, was redeveloped and reopened in 2021 after a £7.15 million sustainability-focused capital project that added five hireable creative spaces (Space 0-4, capacity 30-300), a Media Lounge recording studio, a meeting room with hybrid conferencing capability, and a café bar. Sustainability features include assisted natural ventilation via chimneys added in 1999 and extended in 2021, a Building Monitoring System, a DEC 'A' rating for two consecutive years, and a top-1% ranking for environmental performance among North West public buildings; accessibility features include one of England's first in-theatre Auracast audio installations (January 2025), BSL-interpreted performances, and relaxed performances.

Revenue is generated across six identifiable streams: box-office ticket sales (online 24/7 plus staffed phone lines Monday-Friday 12pm-10pm), venue and space hire for conferences, workshops and events, wedding packages with partnered catering from ARMR Café and Kitchen, subscription-style office rentals (Office 1: 29sq m, eight desks; Office 2: 33sq m, nine desks), donations and corporate Christmas Access Scheme contributions, and public/private grant funding. Anchored by Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation status for the 2023-2026 cycle, the funding base is diversified across GMCA, Manchester City Council, the University of Manchester (annual grant plus peppercorn-rent MOU), Coutts Foundation (core grant through March 2027), The National Lottery Community Fund, The Baring Foundation, Youth Music, and a coalition of six trusts that co-funded the 2021 capital rebuild (Foyle, Granada, Wellcome, Garfield Weston, Wolfson, Oglesby).

Contact operates a community-led, event-driven go-to-market combining free youth engagement (Contact Young Company aged 13-30, The Agency national creative-leadership programme, Re:Con, Music Drop, Music Producer Sessions, Studio School, Contact Produces artistic-development scheme, Creatively Minded Men, and work-experience placements), ticketed theatre and comedy, and direct B2B venue hire to clients including BBC, CBeebies, the University of Manchester, the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Amnesty International, Schools Shakespeare Festival, Aimteq, and Nordoff and Robbins (music therapy residency partnership). Distribution is direct-to-consumer via owned website, email newsletter, and active organic social channels (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube under @contactmcr), with B2B hires managed by a dedicated hires team. Leadership transitioned in Autumn 2024 with internal successor Jack Dale-Dowd appointed CEO and Bella Ikpasaja as Chair; the organisation has permanently adopted a four-day working week on the 100:80:100 model. The technology stack is intentionally lean, with WCAG 2.1 web accessibility, GDPR/PCI-DSS compliance, Cloudflare bot management on the ticketing subdomain, and Hotjar behaviour analytics, with no disclosed AI/ML components.

Name

Contact Theatre

Legal name

Manchester Young People's Theatre Ltd

Website

https://contactmcr.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Contact Theatre is a Manchester-based registered charity and arts venue, founded in 1972, that delivers theatrical and comedy programming, venue hire, weddings, office rentals, and free creative programmes for young people aged 13-30. It operates from a redeveloped, sustainably-designed Oxford Road building as an Arts Council England NPO.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG), Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe) (MPAGABAG)

Keywords

• Performing arts venue
• Youth arts programmes
• Venue hire services
• Cultural charity
• Theatre productions

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from box office ticket sales for theatrical performances, comedy, spoken word, and events. Booking fees may apply for external events.
2. Venue and Space Hire: Hire of theatre spaces (Space 0, Space 1, Space 2, Space 3, Space 4), meeting rooms, media lounge for conferences, workshops, performances, and events. Also includes office space rental.
3. Wedding Services: Bespoke wedding packages including ceremony space on Space One stage, receptions, with partnered catering from ARMR Café and Kitchen.
4. Donations and Fundraising: Registered charity 501953 accepting donations during ticket booking or separately. Christmas Access Scheme for corporate donations.
5. Public and Private Funding: Grants from Arts Council England (NPO 2023-2026), Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Manchester City Council, University of Manchester, plus private trusts and foundations including Coutts Foundation, National Lottery Community Fund, Baring Foundation.
6. Office Space Rental: Office 1 (29sq m) and Office 2 (33sq m) available for tenants with high-speed WiFi, meeting room access, bar and café on site.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Contact Theatre operates as a registered charity, arts venue and theatre in central Manchester, producing and hosting theatrical performances, comedy and spoken word events while running free creative development programmes for young people aged 13-30. The venue generates commercial revenue through hire of its performance spaces, meeting rooms and offices for conferences, weddings, and corporate events. Facilities include a redeveloped sustainable building with a main auditorium (300 capacity), multiple flexible studios, a recording studio, café bar, and accessibility innovations such as Auracast audio technology.

Product overview

Contact Theatre is a Manchester-based charity and arts venue that operates as a multi-service organisation offering venue hire facilities and youth arts programmes. The venue provides hireable spaces including Space 0 (ground floor cabaret/events), Space 1 (main auditorium, 300 capacity), Space 2 (flexible studio, 76 capacity), Space 3 (rehearsal room), Space 4 (contemporary studio), Media Lounge (recording studio), and Meeting Room. Commercial hires include conferences/events, weddings, and office space rental. Youth engagement programmes include Contact Young Company (CYC), The Agency (creative entrepreneurship), Music Drop, Music Producer Sessions, Studio School, and Contact Produces. Accessibility initiatives include The Pinch Ticket (affordable pricing), Christmas Access Scheme, Auracast audio technology, and BSL-interpreted performances.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Space 1 (Main Auditorium) Main auditorium with capacity of 300 for theatre-style or 120 for cabaret-style events. Equipped with modern technology, hearing loop and wheelchair accessibility. Suitable for conferences, panel events and performances.
• Space 0 Stylish ground floor events and cabaret space with a small stage and wheelchair access. Ideal for intimate performances, workshops and receptions.
• Space 2 Highly flexible space with semi-sprung floor, ideal for seminars, workshops, technical rehearsals and screenings. Capacity of 76 theatre-style or 30 boardroom-style.
• Space 3 Spacious rehearsal room with polished wooden floors and natural light, well-suited for small lectures, large meetings and workshops.
• Space 4 Contemporary studio space with high vaulted ceiling and large bay window, bright and airy. Suitable for break-out seminars, workshops, training, filming, photo shoots and small rehearsals.
• Media Lounge Recording Studio Recording and audio production facility featuring a small live booth and control room. Ideal for music production, voice-overs and podcast recording.
• Meeting Room Dedicated private meeting area with integrated media display and wireless connectivity, plus optional 360-degree video conferencing for hybrid meetings.
• Conference and Event Hire Venue hire services for conferences, workshops, meetings, and receptions with full technical support and artistic services. Packages built to suit client needs.
• Wedding Venue Hire Bespoke wedding venue hire using Space 1 stage for ceremonies and receptions, partnered with ARMR Café and Kitchen for plant-based Caribbean catering.
• Office Space Rental Office spaces (Office 1: 29sq m for 8 desks; Office 2: 33sq m for 9 desks) for rent to artists and cultural organisations, with utilities, business rates, cleaning, mail handling, meeting room access and high-speed WiFi included.
• Contact Young Company (CYC) Youth theatre company for young people aged 13-30 offering opportunities to develop creative skills, participate in productions, and collaborate with professional artists.
• The Agency National programme empowering young people to become creative leaders and change-makers in their communities, delivered with Battersea Arts Centre.
• Contact Produces Artistic development programme supporting artists to develop and produce new works.
• Creatively Minded Men Project supporting men aged 18-30 who have experienced mental health problems, delivered in partnership with The Baring Foundation.
• The Pinch Ticket Affordable ticketing scheme offering tickets at a lower rate (£13.00 off-peak, £13.50 peak plus £1.50 booking fee) to anyone feeling financial pressure, with no eligibility checks required.
• Christmas Access Scheme Corporate-supported scheme providing free theatre tickets for students from less advantaged schools to attend pantomime performances, benefiting over 200 children and young people annually.
• Work Experience Placement Week-long learning opportunity for young people interested in a career in the arts or charity sector.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 children and young people benefited from Christmas Access Scheme
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• University of ManchestercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Memorandum of Understanding outlining relationship. Includes annual grant and free lease of building through 'peppercorn rent' agreement. Joint initiatives include providing space for drama students, staff contributing to course delivery, and joint funding opportunities.
• Nordoff and RobbinscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023UK's largest music therapy charity partnership placing Nordoff and Robbins trained music therapist in residence at Contact. Supports music programmes offered to young disabled people in Manchester.
• ARMR Café and KitchencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Manchester's dynamic and community space partnered for food and drink provision. Brings fresh, authentic, plant-based Caribbean food to Contact for weddings and venue events.
• Julie's BicyclecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023One of lead National Portfolio Organisations working with Arts Council England and Julie's Bicycle to provide leadership in sustainability across UK cultural organisations.
• Factory InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership with Factory International for Manchester International Festival 2023. Contact and MIF partnered on 50 Hours of Freedom project celebrating International Non-Binary People's Day.
• Battersea Arts CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Partnership project with Battersea Arts Centre for The Agency programme. The Agency developed from model created by Brazilian theatre maker Marcus Faustini in Rio De Janeiro favelas.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• The Lowry: Salford-based arts centre with two theatres and galleries, similarly funded by ACE and local authorities. Comparable as a NPO-style regional venue offering theatre hire and participatory programmes, though it operates at a substantially larger scale.
• Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester: Manchester's premier producing theatre located in a former cotton exchange. Comparable as a Manchester NPO theatre competing for the same audience and corporate sponsor pool, but it focuses on in-house productions rather than Contact's hire-and-youth model.
• Factory International: Manchester's flagship large-scale cultural venue (formerly MIF). Comparable as a co-programming partner and as a fellow Greater Manchester Cultural Partnership organisation that competes for corporate sponsors and audiences, though its scale and event-style focus differ from Contact's grassroots youth orientation.

Emerging players

• Rich Mix: East London arts centre combining theatre hire, cinema, gallery and community programmes. Comparable as a charity-run multi-space cultural venue with a strong youth and access mission and similar reliance on ACE and local authority grants.
• The Albany London: Deptford-based community arts venue with venue hire, youth programmes and ACE NPO support. Comparable as a small-footprint charity venue using space hire and creative engagement to diversify income alongside grant funding.

Others

• Julie's Bicycle: UK charity supporting arts organisations on environmental sustainability, working directly with Contact and ACE. Comparable as an ecosystem partner rather than competitor; signals where Contact's sustainability leadership is being validated.

Direct peers

• Bristol Old Vic: One of England's oldest continuously operating theatres, running ACE NPO funding and a mixed producing, hire and engagement model. Comparable as a heritage regional theatre balancing ticket revenue, venue hire, trusts/foundations and educational outreach.
• Leeds Playhouse: ACE NPO regional producing theatre with comparable venue hire and community engagement work. Strong fit as a similarly sized, similarly funded UK regional theatre operating a mixed producing/hire model with education and access programmes.
• HOME Manchester: Manchester-based arts centre combining theatre, cinema and gallery programming with venue hire. Directly comparable as a multi-space cultural venue in the same city, targeting similar audiences and competing for the same corporate hires and grant funding.
• Battersea Arts Centre: London community-focused performing arts centre and charity running venue hire alongside artist development programmes. Explicit peer because it co-delivers The Agency with Contact and shares a youth-led, scratch/emerging-artist programming ethos.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@contactmcr
• Facebookfacebook.com/contactmcr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/contact-mcr
• Instagraminstagram.com/contactmcr
• TikToktiktok.com/@contactmcr
• Xx.com/ContactMcr

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Contact Theatre