Nofit State Circus
NoFit State Circus is a Cardiff-based registered charity and contemporary circus company producing touring shows, community engagement programmes, corporate team building workshops, and venue hire across Wales, the UK, and Europe, funded by Arts Councils and charitable foundations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersCardiff, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Nofit State Circus does
NoFit State Circus is a Cardiff-based contemporary circus company and registered charity (Charity No. 1102850, Company No. 3180348), founded in 1986, operating with 11–50 employees from its Four Elms Road headquarters. It produces and tours an original repertoire of contemporary circus productions — including BAMBOO, SABOTAGE (which premiered in Wales/England in 2022 and Europe in 2023) and Carnation — alongside a substantial community engagement portfolio spanning the Diverse Circus programme for neurodiverse children, the Welsh-language Syrcas Stwnsh initiative, the Children in Need workshops in deprived Cardiff wards, and a Circus to the Schoolyard partnership with Adamsdown Primary School celebrating Cardiff's refugee community. Touring productions reach tens of thousands of audience members annually across Wales, the UK and Europe.
The company operates a hybrid revenue model combining earned income and public funding. Earned streams include ticket sales (online, phone, and box office with concession pricing), corporate team building workshops (£280+VAT for a 2-hour session to £70+VAT per person for full-day events, serving 5–100+ participants), bespoke event performances for clients such as Tommy Hilfiger and Welsh Government, venue hire of its Cardiff city centre facilities (main space 10m x 20m, rehearsal studio, parlour meeting room), and a regular giving programme with tiered monthly donations from £4.50 to £25. Recurring public and grant funding flows from Arts Council of Wales (Arts Portfolio Wales), Arts Council of England (National Portfolio Organisation, 2023-26), Moondance Foundation (2023-26), Garfield Weston Foundation, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, National Lottery Community Fund, Welsh Government, Cardiff Council and others. The company also runs sector development activity through the Transitions programme and Associate Artists scheme.
The business is led by an executive team including Head of Development Elena Schmitz and Development Managers Phil Jones and Tom Bevan. Founder and former Creative Director Ali Williams established the company in 1986. Core customer segments are general public audiences, children and young people (including neurodiverse and marginalised communities), corporate clients, and public funders. Operational footprint spans Wales, the wider United Kingdom, and Europe, with infrastructure co-located at the Cardiff headquarters serving as both training facility and revenue-generating venue hire asset.
Nofit State Circus firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nofit State Circus
- Legal name
- NoFit State Circus
- Website
- https://nofitstate.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- NoFit State Circus is a Cardiff-based registered charity and contemporary circus company producing touring shows, community engagement programmes, corporate team building workshops, and venue hire across Wales, the UK, and Europe, funded by Arts Councils and charitable foundations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Nofit State Circus industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts and Live Entertainment
- NAICS
- Other Performing Arts Companies (71119)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Circus & Physical Theatre (MPAGABAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Circus, Magic & Variety Shows (THAJAFAH)
Keywords
Where Nofit State Circus is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cardiff
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Nofit State Circus 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
- Ticket Sales: Revenue from show tickets sold online, by phone, and at the tent box office. Concession pricing available for children, students, unemployed, and seniors.
- Team Building Workshops: Corporate team building workshops ranging from 2-hour sessions at £280+VAT to full-day events at £70+VAT per person, serving groups of 5-100+ people.
- Venue Hire: Rental income from main space (10m x 20m), rehearsal studio (7m x 5.7m), and parlour meeting room at competitive rates in Cardiff city centre.
- Public Funding and Grants: Core funding from Arts Council of Wales (Arts Portfolio Wales) and Arts Council of England (National Portfolio Organisation). Additional project funding from trusts and foundations.
- Regular Giving Programme: Monthly donations through Dreamers (£4.50/month), Mavericks (£10/month), and Rabble Rousers (£25/month) tiers with corresponding benefits.
- Community Classes: Circus classes for children and young people, including specialized sessions for neurodiverse participants, with many classes offered free through funding.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Full Day Teambuild - £70+VAT per person |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 2-hour Circus Workshop - £280+VAT for 5-10 people |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 3-hour Circus Workshop - £350+VAT for 5-10 people |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Western Package - £30+VAT per person |
| Subscription | Monthly | Dreamers - £4.50/month regular giver |
| Subscription | Monthly | Mavericks - £10/month regular giver |
| Subscription | Monthly | Rabble Rousers - £25/month regular giver |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Nofit State Circus product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NoFit State Circus is a Cardiff-based contemporary circus company that produces and tours original circus productions (BAMBOO, SABOTAGE, Carnation), delivers corporate team-building workshops and bespoke event performances, runs community circus classes and youth engagement programmes, hires out creative rehearsal and event venues, and operates an artist development programme supporting emerging circus professionals across Wales and the UK.
Product overview
NoFit State Circus is a contemporary circus company based in Cardiff, Wales, offering a portfolio of touring productions and community engagement programmes. Their core products include touring circus shows (BAMBOO, SABOTAGE, Carnation), venue hire facilities, team building workshops, and bespoke event services. The company operates community programmes including Diverse Circus for neurodiverse children, Syrcas Stwnsh (Welsh language youth circus), Children In Need Workshops, and Circus to the Schoolyard. Artist development offerings include the Transitions sector development programme and Associate Artists mentorship programme. The company maintains its headquarters at Four Elms Road in Cardiff with facilities including a main rehearsal space, studio, and parlour meeting room.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- BAMBOO Contemporary circus touring production that has been performed across Wales and England, reaching tens of thousands of audience members annually.
- SABOTAGE Contemporary circus touring production developed with Garfield Weston Foundation funding; premiered 2022 in Wales and England, with European premiere in 2023.
- Carnation Contemporary circus production featured in the company's touring show repertoire.
- Team Building Workshops Bespoke circus skill workshops for corporate teams, including 2-hour, 3-hour, full-day, and Western Package options, suitable for 5-100+ participants.
- Bespoke Events Customized circus performances and entertainment services for corporate events, from standalone acts to large-scale performances.
- Venue Hire Creative rehearsal spaces and event venues in Cardiff city centre, including Main Space (10m x 20m), Rehearsal Studio (7m x 5.7m), and Parlour meeting room.
- Community Classes Regular weekly circus classes including Diverse Circus for autistic children, and free community workshops for local residents.
- Transitions Artist Development Programme Circus sector development programme providing teacher training, professional skills development, young artists support, and targeted micro funds for circus professionals.
Quantifiable outcome
- 265 free workshops delivered to 4,990 beneficiaries in 2024
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Nofit State Circus
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Nofit State Circus technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Nofit State Circus partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Arts & Business CymrucoreCreative Internship programme bringing staff, Culture Step grants enabling partnerships, and won 2023 Arts & Business Award for CCHA partnership.
- Adamsdown Primary SchoolmajorFirst sustained collaboration with a local school through Arts Council of Wales Creative Collaborations programme, celebrating Cardiff's refugee community.
- Revel Puck Circusminor2023 Associate Artist supported through creative residency and performed as part of Circus Village Festival in Swansea.
- Company-ishminor2019 Associate Artist programme pilot supported by Fenton Arts Trust and Golsoncott Foundation.
- Wales Millennium CentremajorPartnership for WOMEX festival, hired tent for event, becoming most popular venue.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Nofit State Circus competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Casus Circus: Contemporary circus company producing original touring work with focus on physical theatre. Comparable on product format (original contemporary circus touring shows) and target market (festival and arts venue audiences).
- National Centre for Circus Arts: UK's leading circus training school producing graduates who feed the contemporary circus talent pipeline. Comparable as part of the UK circus sector ecosystem, though focused on training rather than touring productions.
Direct peers
- Cirque du Soleil: The global benchmark for contemporary circus, touring multiple large-scale productions with theatrical staging, athletic performance, and original music. Most directly comparable on product (touring contemporary circus shows) and target market (live entertainment audiences and corporate event buyers).
- Zippos Circus: UK touring traditional and contemporary circus with Big Top productions. Comparable as a UK tented circus competitor targeting similar family and general public audiences.
- Giffords Circus: UK touring contemporary circus operating a tented village model with resident seasons. Closely comparable on touring tent-based contemporary circus format, audience base, and small-company operating scale in the UK.
- Motionhouse: UK physical theatre and circus company producing original touring shows that combine dance and circus. Comparable on hybrid dance-circus touring format, UK scale, and engagement with corporate and community audiences.
- Upswing: UK contemporary circus company producing touring aerial and physical theatre work, with strong community and participation programmes. Directly comparable as a UK-based contemporary circus company combining touring productions with social-impact work.
- Gandeys Circus: UK touring circus running Big Top productions across the country. Comparable as a competing UK touring tented circus operator with overlapping family and general audience customer segments.
- Belfast Community Circus: Northern Ireland community circus organisation running youth programmes, professional training and touring performances. Comparable on the combined model of community participation, training pipeline, and touring productions within the UK and Ireland.
- Ockham's Razor: London-based contemporary circus company creating original touring productions and participatory programmes. Comparable on product (original touring circus work), UK touring footprint, and artist development focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Nofit State Circus social profiles
Digital presenceNofit State Circus financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nofit State Circus leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Nofit State Circus funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nofit State Circus 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 Nofit State Circus
What does Nofit State Circus do?
NoFit State Circus is a Cardiff-based contemporary circus company that produces and tours original circus productions (BAMBOO, SABOTAGE, Carnation), delivers corporate team-building workshops and bespoke event performances, runs community circus classes and youth engagement programmes, hires out creative rehearsal and event venues, and operates an artist development programme supporting emerging circus professionals across Wales and the UK.
Is Nofit State Circus a public or private company?
Nofit State Circus is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Nofit State Circus founded?
Nofit State Circus was founded in 1986. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Nofit State Circus based?
Nofit State Circus is headquartered in Cardiff, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Nofit State Circus make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are team Building Workshops, venue Hire, public Funding and Grants, regular Giving Programme and community Classes.
Who are Nofit State Circus's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Casus Circus and National Centre for Circus Arts. Direct peers are Cirque du Soleil, Zippos Circus, Giffords Circus, Motionhouse, Upswing, Gandeys Circus, Belfast Community Circus and Ockham's Razor.
Does Nofit State Circus have an API?
No public API is recorded for Nofit State Circus.
What industry is Nofit State Circus in?
Nofit State Circus's product category is Performing Arts and Live Entertainment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAL, Circus & Physical Theatre, with a secondary code of THAJAFAH, Circus, Magic & Variety Shows. Its NAICS code is 71119 and its SIC code is 7990.