Future Artists
Future Artists is a UK artist-led co-operative founded in 2009 that produces films, Fringe theatre and immersive events while running VR-enabled creative-arts education programmes (including the Future Artists Academy on Meta Quest) and coding clubs for young people.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersIslington, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Future Artists does
Future Artists Ltd. is a privately-held, co-operatively structured UK production company founded in 2009 and headquartered in Manchester, with operating outposts in Bristol, Salford, Penarth, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Its core business spans three interlocking lines: (i) film and digital production — including feature films such as The Lost Generation (2013) and the award-winning Dailymotion-distributed web series Portal (2015); (ii) live theatre, comedy and immersive events, anchored by annual Edinburgh, Brighton and Adelaide Fringe runs and the Tartan Tabletop D&D-comedy franchise; and (iii) education and community programmes, including Future Artists Studios Bristol (a 9,000 sqft immersive venue that has hosted 50,000+ visitors since July 2021), the Welsh Games Academy coding clubs, and the beta-launched Future Artists Academy of Arts and Science — a Meta Quest-based VR campus with AI-powered learning assistants accommodating up to 50 simultaneous participants.
Underlying technology combines a VR learning environment on Meta's Quest platform with text-based AI virtual assistants that perform autonomous navigation guidance and real-time knowledge retrieval for learners, alongside a proprietary online marketplace (marketplace.futureartists.net) and a Video on Demand platform for 'Art with Attitude' content. The technical stack leans on third-party infrastructure (Meta, Hopin during COVID-19, Dailymotion for distribution) rather than proprietary platform IP, with differentiation coming from content, community and the co-operative brand rather than the underlying code base. The Immersive Arts Lab, established in 2016, aggregates a network of more than 1,600 immersive artists globally.
The revenue model is a mix of transaction-based ticket sales at Fringe festivals (typically £9–£15 per seat), institutional partnerships (coding clubs at £75 for a 5-session block, VR Academy workshops at £15 per session), occasional film and web-series distribution, and grant and crowdfunding capital (notably a 2014 Kickstarter and 2025 grant from the GM Business Growth Hub). Named partners span education (University of Manchester for an MA programme; Manchester Metropolitan University), healthcare (NHS Wales), government (DWP), and Fringe venues (Gilded Balloon, Pleasance). Pricing is deliberately low-cost, framed as eliminating traditional venue, travel and administration overheads, which positions the offering as a democratised, digital-first alternative to both creative-industry training and higher education.
Future Artists firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Future Artists
- Legal name
- Future Artists Ltd.
- Website
- https://futureartists.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Future Artists is a UK artist-led co-operative founded in 2009 that produces films, Fringe theatre and immersive events while running VR-enabled creative-arts education programmes (including the Future Artists Academy on Meta Quest) and coding clubs for young people.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Future Artists industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Film and Theatre Production Services
- NAICS
- Performing Arts Companies (7111), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Performing Arts (Acting, Improv, Theater) (EDAAAGAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Full-Service Artist Management (MPAIAGAA), Virtual Theater, Comedy & Performing Arts (Digital Performances) (MPAGAOAF), Content & Creative Studio for Creators (Concepting/Production) (MPAAAHAD)
Keywords
Where Future Artists is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Islington
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Future Artists business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- VR Education Workshops: Virtual reality academy workshops offered at £15 per session, delivering professional development to theatre and immersive arts producers with AI-guided instruction
- Film Production: Feature film production including The Lost Generation (2013), Portal (2015), and supporting documentary distribution through Safecracker Pictures
- Theatre & Live Events: Live theatrical productions, comedy events, and immersive experiences at Fringe festivals and UK venues, including ticket sales for D&D comedy shows and theatre productions
- Coding Clubs & Educational Programs: Summer coding clubs for ages 10-16 at £75 for 5 sessions, and potential MA accreditation partnerships with universities
- Video on Demand: Own VOD platform for 'Art with Attitude' content distribution, with peer-to-peer screening hosting model
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | VR Academy Workshop - Single Session |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Welsh Games Academy Summer Coding Club |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Tartan Tabletop D&D Comedy Shows |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Future Artists product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Future Artists is a UK production company operating across film, theatre, and live events. Its core products include feature films and web series for distribution, touring theatre productions and D&D improv comedy shows performed at UK Fringe festivals, immersive video game exhibitions, coding clubs for young people, and a VR-based metaverse campus for creative arts education built on Meta Quest with integrated AI learning assistants. The company sells tickets, workshops, and educational programs directly through its own marketplace, venue partners, and institutional partnerships.
Product overview
Future Artists is a production company and creative enterprise founded in 2009 that operates across Film, Theatre, and Events. Their portfolio spans feature film production (The Lost Generation, Portal), theatre productions (Skank, Please Love Me, Rise of the Solar Punks), educational initiatives (Future Artists Academy of Arts and Science VR platform, Welsh Games Academy, History of Video Games exhibitions), entertainment properties (Tartan Tabletop D&D comedy), community spaces (Future Artists Studios Bristol), and AI-focused community building (AI Social Club). The company positions itself at the intersection of art, technology, and social change, leveraging immersive technologies including VR and AI to transform education and creative production.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Welsh Games Academy (WGA): Video game education program for young people aged 10-16, offering coding clubs and game development courses. Created by Gareth and Rob, supported by Future Artists.
- AI Social Club
- History of Video Games
- Immersive Arts Lab
Products and services
- Future Artists Academy of Arts and Science A pioneering virtual reality learning space built on Meta's Quest platform, designed as a metaverse campus that integrates AI to guide learners around virtual classrooms and answer real-time questions. Accommodates up to 50 participants simultaneously for immersive workshops and collaborative projects; aimed at creative arts and immersive theatre producers and aspiring creative professionals.
- Welsh Games Academy A video game education program offering coding clubs and game creation workshops for children and teenagers aged 10-16, with no prior coding experience required. Supported by Future Artists with partnerships including NHS Wales and DWP, including an 8-week course for teenage patients in long-term hospital isolation.
- History of Video Games A touring video game exhibition and event series showcasing gaming history from 1977 onwards, with VR experiences. Has attracted over 50,000 visitors and operates at Future Artists Studios Bristol since July 2021.
- Tartan Tabletop A Dungeons & Dragons comedy entertainment property featuring improvisational comedy performances such as The Never Ending Quest, A Christmas Carol special, Regency Adventure, and The Glasgow Mutiny, performed at UK venues and Fringe festivals.
- Portal Award-winning web series released exclusively on Dailymotion in 2015 as the platform's first original scripted series, subsequently available on YouTube.
- The Lost Generation Feature film produced and directed by Mark Ashmore in 2013, offering a satirical take on reality TV and media manipulation. UK theatrical and DVD distribution handled by Safecracker Pictures.
- Skank Critically acclaimed one-woman comedy-drama solo show by Clementine Bogg-Hargroves, recognised as The Times Critics' Choice at Edinburgh 2021 and an OffFest nominee, and toured extensively across 2021-2023.
- Please Love Me Sequel one-woman comedy show by Clementine Bogg-Hargroves exploring love, heartbreak, and identity through pole dancing and original music, produced by Future Artists.
- Rise of the Solar Punks Theatre production exploring climate adaptation through Celtic knowledge, forest life, off-grid ideas, and technology and AI convergence. Premiered at Edinburgh Fringe 2025 following a preview at Brighton Fringe 2025.
- Future Artists Studios A 9,000 sq ft immersive events space in Bristol hosting Future Artists Studios, featuring a specially curated programme of live events in different story worlds and home to the History of Video Games exhibition.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 50,000 visitors attracted to History of Video Games events since July 2021
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Future Artists
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Future Artists technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature3 records
Future Artists partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- AVimmersecoreManchester-based design studio that collaborated closely with Future Artists to realize the overall vision of the VR Academy metaverse campus, contributing to the design and development of immersive learning environments.
- Tina Maxwell WheelercoreVirtual reality pioneer who worked with Future Artists as a key collaborator in developing the Future Artists Academy metaverse campus concept and implementation.
- Manchester Metropolitan UniversitycoreLed a two-day innovation retreat where GM Business Growth Hub Innovation Navigator programme identified funding opportunity for VR Academy. Future Artists founder Mark Ashmore participated, leading to grant funding for the academy launch.
- University of ManchesterflagshipCollaboration underway to develop the Academy's first accredited MA Masters programme, aiming to dramatically reduce cost of obtaining a Masters degree and disrupt traditional university education models.
- Assoc. Prof. Anita Greenhill (University of Manchester)coreCo-founder of AI Social Club, supporting the initiative to position Manchester and the North of England at the forefront of the AI revolution through collaborative research and community building.
- Dr. Kadja Manninen (Manchester Metropolitan University)coreCo-founder of AI Social Club alongside Mark Ashmore and Assoc. Prof. Greenhill, bringing academic expertise to the AI community initiative.
- Welsh Games AcademycoreVideo game education program for young people created by Gareth and Rob, supported by Future Artists. Joint initiative to deliver coding clubs in Penarth and Bristol, promoting video game industry growth in Wales.
- NHS in WalescorePartnership to deliver an 8-week video games course for teenage patients in long-term isolation within NHS Wales facilities, using game development as therapeutic and educational tool.
- Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)corePartnership with DWP to enable job seekers to learn new skills and improve work prospects through video game courses, supporting government employment initiatives.
- Galleries Shopping Centre, BristolcoreCollaboration to create a 9000sqft immersive studio space in the heart of Bristol, housing Future Artists Studios and the History of Video Games venue.
- DailymotioncoreWorld's second largest video portal that exclusively screened 'Portal' web series as first original scripted series on the platform, reaching 250 million monthly users.
- Safecracker PicturescoreLondon-based distribution company that picked up 'The Lost Generation' for UK theatrical and DVD release, providing major distribution channel for the feature film.
- Enterprise InnsminorPartnership with one of the UK's biggest pub owners to establish the Black Lion pub as Future Artists' creative home in Salford, featuring co-working space and cinema facilities.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Future Artists competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Punchdrunk: UK pioneer of immersive theatre (Sleep No More, The Burnt City) operating a comparable model of large-scale, site-specific and immersive productions with technology integration, sharing Future Artists' artist-led creative ethos and UK festival-circuit base.
- Frantic Assembly: Established UK physical theatre company producing and touring devised work, comparable in scale, business model and Fringe-touring profile to Future Artists' theatre production arm.
- 1927: Award-winning UK theatre company fusing animation, film and live performance, closely comparable to Future Artists' cross-medium approach to theatre/film productions and small-team artist-led structure.
- Secret Cinema: UK-based immersive film experience producer turning film IP into participatory events, sharing Future Artists' hybrid film/event business model and 'Art with Attitude' positioning around non-mainstream, experiential cinema.
- Make Real: UK-based immersive technology studio building VR learning and collaborative experiences for enterprise and education clients, closely comparable to the Future Artists Academy VR platform in product category, technology stack and target use cases.
- Slung Low: UK theatre company producing large-scale, community-engaged productions and events, sharing Future Artists' model of small-team, mission-driven theatre production with strong public-sector and community programming.
- Wild Rumpus: UK producer of immersive, family-oriented cultural events and festivals, directly comparable to Future Artists' History of Video Games immersive venue programming and Fringe-style live event business.
- Engage VR (formerly Immersive VR Education): Public VR education and training platform (Engage) that delivers immersive virtual campus experiences for institutions and enterprise, directly comparable to the Future Artists Academy of Arts and Science in both product offering and target institutional buyers.
Emerging players
- Outernet: Immersive media operator building large-format, multi-sensory venue experiences using projection and XR, overlapping with Future Artists' Bristol 9,000 sqft immersive studio concept and 'Art with Attitude' positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Fever: Global platform aggregating and operating immersive experiences and live events at scale, comparable to Future Artists in the immersive experiences category but with vastly greater capital, distribution and audience reach.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Future Artists social profiles
Digital presenceFuture Artists financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Future Artists leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Future Artists subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Future Artists funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Future Artists 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 Future Artists
What does Future Artists do?
Future Artists is a UK production company operating across film, theatre, and live events. Its core products include feature films and web series for distribution, touring theatre productions and D&D improv comedy shows performed at UK Fringe festivals, immersive video game exhibitions, coding clubs for young people, and a VR-based metaverse campus for creative arts education built on Meta Quest with integrated AI learning assistants. The company sells tickets, workshops, and educational programs directly through its own marketplace, venue partners, and institutional partnerships.
Is Future Artists a public or private company?
Future Artists is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Future Artists founded?
Future Artists was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Future Artists based?
Future Artists is headquartered in Islington, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Future Artists make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. VR Education Workshops are the primary driver. The others are film Production, theatre & Live Events, coding Clubs & Educational Programs and video on Demand.
Who are Future Artists's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Punchdrunk, Frantic Assembly, 1927, Secret Cinema, Make Real, Slung Low, Wild Rumpus and Engage VR (formerly Immersive VR Education). Outernet is listed as an emerging player. Fever is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Future Artists have an API?
No public API is recorded for Future Artists.
What industry is Future Artists in?
Future Artists's product category is Film and Theatre Production Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAGAE, Performing Arts (Acting, Improv, Theater), with a secondary code of MPAIAGAA, Full-Service Artist Management. Its NAICS code is 7111 and its SIC code is 7812.