London International School of Performing Arts

What London International School of Performing Arts does

London International School of Performing Arts (LISPA) is a privately-held performing arts training institution founded in 2003 by Thomas Prattki, the former pedagogical director of the École Jacques Lecoq in Paris. The school delivers postgraduate-level training in devised theatre and physical performance, anchored in Jacques Lecoq's movement-based pedagogy and LISPA's proprietary "Poetic Body" methodology, which explores the dynamic relationships between the physical body, subtle body, and collective body as the basis for original performance creation. Its core programs include the 32-week Devised Theatre and Performance (DTAP) course (priced at €9,800), the two-year Advanced Devising Practice (ADP), the Integral Movement and Performance Praxis (IMPP) professional development program, and the SpaceLab department for scenic construction. LISPA also offers MA and MFA degree pathways through validated partnerships with Rose Bruford College (London) and Columbia College Chicago.

LISPA relocated its primary campus from London to Berlin in 2016 and now operates from EDEN Studios in Berlin, with a secondary London presence for weekend workshops. Its faculty of approximately 15 international practitioners includes former members of Mummenschanz, Familie Flöz, and Marcel Marceau's company, alongside directors from the Royal Dramatic Theatre Stockholm. Since its founding, the school has enrolled students from over 40 countries, with a current average student age around 27 (range 21–60). The alumni network has produced graduates who have founded theatre companies across Asia, Australia, Europe, and the Americas, and who teach at institutions including LAMDA, Central School of Speech and Drama, Columbia College Chicago, and the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts.

Revenue is generated entirely through tuition fees: full-time postgraduate tuition (€9,800 for DTAP; €3,900 per 12-week module), MFA program fees via partner institutions, and a portfolio of short courses and workshops (weekend workshops at €75–€140, two-week summer schools at €900–€1,000, mask-making workshops at €500, SpaceLab intensives at £270–£700, and therapeutic personal development sessions at £35 per session). The go-to-market model is event-driven and community-led, with the London International Mime Festival partnership, Edinburgh Festival alumni showcases, and international summer schools serving as primary acquisition funnels into full-time programs. No external funding rounds, revenue figures, or enterprise customers are disclosed in the available material.

Name

London International School of Performing Arts

Legal name

LISPA Ltd

Website

https://lispa.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Short description

London International School of Performing Arts (LISPA) is a privately-held postgraduate training institution founded in 2003 by Thomas Prattki, former pedagogical director of the École Jacques Lecoq in Paris. It offers full-time and short-course programs in devised theatre and physical performance in Berlin and London, serving performing artists from 40+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Full-time Course Tuition: Tuition fees for 32-week full-time Devised Theatre and Performance course (€9,800) and 12-week modules (€3,900). Two-year Advanced Devising Practice certificate and MFA programs generate additional tuition revenue.
2. Short Courses and Workshops: Weekend workshops (£75-£140), summer school intensives (€900-€1,000 for 2 weeks), mask making workshops (€500 for 10 days), and professional development modules.
3. Degree Program Fees: MA and MFA degree programs in partnership with Rose Bruford College and Columbia College Chicago generate tuition revenue through validated degree pathways.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

LISPA is a London-based performing arts school that delivers full-time conservatory-style training in devised and physical theatre, based on the movement pedagogy of Jacques Lecoq. Its core programmes are the two-year DTAP (Diploma in Theatre and Performing Arts), the one-year ADP (Intensive Acting Programme), the annual IMPP summer intensive, and a series of short courses, movement master classes, and open workshops for individuals and groups.

Product overview

LISPA offers a suite of performing arts training programs centered on Jacques Lecoq's movement-based pedagogy. The core portfolio includes Devised Theatre and Performance (DTAP) as the foundational 32-week postgraduate program, Advanced Devising Practice (ADP) as the two-year progression, and Integral Movement and Performance Praxis (IMPP) as a professional development program blending movement pedagogy with Jungian concepts. These are complemented by Short Courses/Workshops (including annual Summer School and seasonal intensives), SpaceLab for scenic construction training, and the European Devised Performance Practice MFA partnered with Columbia College Chicago. Programs are available as internal certificates or as MA/MFA degrees through partnerships with Rose Bruford College and Columbia College Chicago.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DTAP (Diploma in Theatre and Performing Arts) A two-year, full-time postgraduate diploma programme delivering over 1,400 hours of conservatory-style training in devised and physical theatre, based on Jacques Lecoq's movement pedagogy. Designed for serious performing artists seeking immersive English-language training in London.
• ADP (Intensive Acting Programme) A one-year, full-time intensive acting programme delivering over 700 hours of physical theatre training, providing a shorter-format alternative to the two-year DTAP for performing artists seeking immersive study.
• IMPP (International Meeting of Performing Arts) An annual international summer intensive programme bringing together practitioners and students from around the world for short-format intensive training in physical and devised theatre.
• Short Courses & Workshops Short-format, non-diploma training offerings covering specific strands of Lecoq-based physical theatre pedagogy, available throughout the year to individual performers and groups.
• Movement Master Classes Specialist, single-session or short-series master classes in specific movement disciplines, taught by visiting and resident faculty including Thomas Prattki and Sadhana Jaiganesh.
• Open Workshops Open, public-facing workshops designed for groups and individuals without prior admission to LISPA's full-time programmes, offering taster and introductory sessions in physical theatre.

Quantifiable outcome

• Alumni have won awards at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Madrid Talent, Evening Standard Theatre Awards, and other major festivals
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• EDEN Studios BerlinOthers · 1 January 2018EDEN Studios in Berlin serves as the primary venue for LISPA's Berlin-based programs including the International Summer School, full-time courses, and IMPP workshops.
• Rose Bruford CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partnership with Rose Bruford College in London offers eligible students the possibility to progress to MA and MFA degrees through successful completion of LISPA's postgraduate programs. LISPA's full-time postgraduate programmes are validated by Rose Bruford College as MA degrees.
• Columbia College ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Collaboration for the European Devised Performance Practice MFA - students study the first year at LISPA in Berlin before completing their second year at Columbia College Chicago.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq: The original Lecoq school in Paris and the direct source of LISPA's pedagogical lineage. It offers the foundational two-year Diploma in Theatrical Craft and is the global benchmark LISPA positions itself alongside.
• École Philippe Gaulier: Paris- and London-based school focused on clown, bouffon, and play. Comparable as a small, internationally recruited physical-theatre training school adjacent to the Lecoq pedagogical tradition.
• Dell'Arte International: California-based physical theatre school offering an MFA in Ensemble-Based Physical Theatre. Comparable as a niche international physical-theatre training institution focused on devised performance.
• Accademia Teatro Dimitri: Swiss physical theatre school in Verscio offering a Bachelor in Physical Theatre. Highly comparable to LISPA in pedagogy style, international cohort composition, and focus on devising/original work.

Broad incumbents

• Columbia College Chicago: US liberal arts college whose Theatre Department partners with LISPA on the European Devised Performance Practice MFA. Comparable as a partner institution but broader (music, dance, TV, film).
• London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA): Premier UK drama conservatoire whose alumni teach at LISPA and which competes for the same international postgraduate student market, though with a broader acting curriculum.
• Rose Bruford College: London drama college that validates LISPA's MA degrees. Comparable as a UK performing-arts higher-education institution, though much broader in scope (acting, costume, opera) than LISPA's niche.
• East 15 Acting School (University of Essex): UK conservatoire offering acting and physical theatre degrees with an international cohort. Comparable as a UK-based physical-theatre training programme with validated degrees.
• Royal Central School of Speech and Drama: Major London conservatoire whose alumni include LISPA faculty connections. Offers broader training but competes for the same international postgraduate talent pool.
• Tisch School of the Arts (NYU): Large US performing arts school whose Graduate Acting programme and partnerships overlap with LISPA's Columbia MFA pathway. Significantly broader scope but a relevant comparator for international applicants.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 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 London International School of Performing Arts