Beyond The Box CIC
Beyond The Box CIC is a London-based social enterprise (CIC) providing equity-led community engagement, co-design, and cultural placemaking consultancy to local authorities, developers, and cultural institutions, with a specialist focus on youth participation in regeneration and public space projects.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Beyond The Box CIC does
Beyond The Box CIC is an equity-led civic engagement and cultural placemaking consultancy founded in 2017 and headquartered in London. The organization operates as a UK Community Interest Company (CIC), a private company limited by guarantee with an asset lock, meaning surpluses are reinvested for community benefit rather than distributed. With 18 employees, it specializes in co-design facilitation, community consultation, youth engagement (focused on 14-25 year olds), and social value programme delivery for local authorities, developers, architectural practices, and major cultural institutions across Greater London. Its core "technology" is a proprietary equity-led engagement methodology that combines strategic consultation with creative delivery — using storytelling, workshops, events and participatory filmmaking — rather than any software product.
The company's service portfolio centers on three core offerings: community engagement and co-design services, cultural placemaking and programming, and equity/social value strategy and legacy work. Signature programmes include the People's Pavilion series (youth-led design/build festivals delivered since 2021 at Here East, Lea Bridge Library, and William Morris Gallery), Festival of the Future (a biennial architecture and design festival hosted at RIBA headquarters), The Living Archive (an evolving film archive documenting eight years of community-led decision-making), and youth-focused training programmes such as the Young Cultural Producers Programme and Youth Design Advisors. Revenue is generated through project-based professional services contracts — engagement commissions from local authorities (Brent, Hounslow, Sutton, Enfield, Southwark, GLA), developers and housing associations (British Land, Peabody), and cultural institutions (Barbican, V&A, RIBA, William Morris Gallery), supplemented by grant funding from bodies such as Arts Council England. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and contracts are negotiated per project based on scope and deliverables.
Beyond The Box CIC firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Beyond The Box CIC
- Legal name
- Beyond The Box CIC
- Website
- https://beyondtheboxcic.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Beyond The Box CIC is a London-based social enterprise (CIC) providing equity-led community engagement, co-design, and cultural placemaking consultancy to local authorities, developers, and cultural institutions, with a specialist focus on youth participation in regeneration and public space projects.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Beyond The Box CIC is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Beyond The Box CIC business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Consulting and Engagement Services: Beyond the Box CIC generates revenue by providing community engagement, co-design, and cultural placemaking consulting services to local authorities, developers, cultural institutions, and purpose-driven organizations. Services include participation strategy design, community consultation facilitation, youth engagement programmes, and social value initiative development. Revenue is project-based and commissioned by clients for specific engagement deliverables.
- Event and Programme Delivery: The organization delivers cultural programmes, festivals, and community events (such as Festival of the Future, People's Pavilion) which may be funded through sponsorships, partnerships, and grants from cultural bodies like Arts Council England, RIBA, and foundations.
- Social Value Programme Delivery: Contracted to design and deliver social value initiatives as part of regeneration and development projects. This includes community funds management, youth employment programmes, and capacity building workshops commissioned by developers and local authorities as part of social value commitments.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Beyond The Box CIC product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Beyond The Box CIC is an equity-led civic engagement and cultural placemaking consultancy that helps organisations engage communities meaningfully through co-design, participation, cultural placemaking, and inclusive strategy. They work with local authorities, developers, cultural institutions, and purpose-driven partners on regeneration consultations, youth engagement programmes, and social value delivery, combining strategic thinking with creative delivery to produce events, festivals, and engagement processes.
Product overview
Beyond The Box CIC is an equity-led civic engagement and cultural placemaking consultancy offering a portfolio of interconnected services and programmes. The core offering centers on community engagement, co-design and cultural strategy services delivered to local authorities, developers, cultural institutions and purpose-driven organizations. Supporting the core services are specialized programmes including The Living Archive (documenting community-led filmmaking), the People's Pavilion Programme (youth-led architecture and cultural initiatives), the Young Cultural Producers Programme (festival curation training), Creative Skills Workshops (online tutorials for young people), and Youth Design Advisors (inclusive design training). The organization also produces signature events including the Festival of the Future and manages community funds and social value programmes. All offerings are grounded in participation, lived experience and long-term trust-building with communities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Community Engagement & Co-Design Services Strategic community engagement, co-design and participation programmes that help organisations build trust, strengthen relationships and create projects that communities genuinely connect with. Services include consultation strategies, youth engagement, and social value initiatives for local authorities, developers, and cultural institutions.
- Cultural Placemaking & Programmes Design and delivery of cultural programmes that activate spaces, celebrate identity and foster belonging. Working with artists, organizations and communities to create experiences rooted in local context, from public events and installations to long-term creative programmes.
- Equity Strategy, Social Value & Legacy Support for organizations to embed equity, participation and community insight into projects, strategies and long-term planning. Translates social value commitments into actions that are visible, measurable and experienced by communities.
- The Living Archive An evolving archive of films created through community-led decision-making, documenting how culture can be made and celebrated differently. Each film exists in response to a real moment, a real need, or a shared question from community collaboration.
- Festival of the Future A pioneering two-day architecture and design festival created for young people to explore the future of the built environment. Features workshops, installations and discussions on topics including AI in architecture, inclusive city design and pathways into creative careers.
- People's Pavilion Programme A youth-led architecture and cultural programme where young people design and build temporary pavilions and curate cultural festivals. Multiple iterations delivered since 2021 in partnership with cultural institutions and industry mentors.
- Young Cultural Producers Programme Employment and training programme for young people aged 14-25 interested in cultural production and festival curation. Includes masterclass series with industry practitioners and opportunities to produce events and festivals.
- Creative Skills Workshop Online tutorials and workshops introducing young people to skills and careers in design, build and creative industries, featuring collaborations with leading professionals and emerging talent.
- Space for Girls A programme combining contemporary wellbeing training with co-design workshops for young women, providing platforms to discuss wellbeing, challenge mental health stigmas and explore mentoring while influencing physical space design.
- Youth Design Advisors Programme Training programme where young people receive specialized instruction on access, inclusion and equitable design principles, then contribute insights to influence design thinking for major civic space redevelopment projects.
- Community Incubator Fund Management Design and management of community funds that support residents in creating projects benefiting their communities, including grant application support, panel setup and project delivery oversight.
- Masterclass Contemporary Culture Series Free masterclasses in contemporary culture featuring industry professionals from design, music, architecture, cultural curation and film. Delivered in partnership with BUILDHOLLYWOOD for young creatives from Hackney and Tower Hamlets.
- Design Makers Week Collaborative programme where local young residents work alongside architects, designers and creative practitioners to explore ideas for new youth-focused spaces through workshops and creative sessions.
- Skills Exchange Programme Skills, knowledge and networking exchange workshops for community members to share expertise and acquire new skills, fostering intergenerational relationships and strengthening community bonds.
- Festival of the Future Zine A celebration of possibility and guide for young people, teachers, and parents to discover organizations, pathways and opportunities opening doors into the built environment, from architecture and design to construction, planning and creative technology.
Quantifiable outcome
- Festival of the Future 2025 engaged over 2,000 young people across two days at RIBA headquarters
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Beyond The Box CIC
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Beyond The Box CIC technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Beyond The Box CIC partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- BUILDHOLLYWOODcoreCollaboration on Expressions of Resilience exhibition and cultural programme at 1 Quaker Street in Shoreditch. Young creatives from Hackney and Tower Hamlets participated in design competition and grassroots cultural programming.
- Barbican CentrecoreOngoing collaboration on cultural placemaking and community engagement. Most recent collaboration includes Sculpture Court Reimagined consultation project (2026) where Beyond the Box is working with the Barbican Renewal team and architects Allies and Morrison to engage 16-25 year olds in redesigning the Conservatory space.
- V&A MuseumcoreLongstanding partnership including Lund Point photographic exhibition collaboration with artist Brendan Barry, masterclasses for Cultural Producer Programme, and ongoing youth engagement initiatives. V&A East Storehouse opening 2024-2025 connected to People's Pavilion programme.
- RIBAcoreMajor partnership delivering Festival of the Future 2025 at RIBA headquarters (66 Portland Place). RIBA also collaborated on People's Pavilion 2025 through Stitching Time programme and ongoing support for youth engagement in built environment.
- William Morris GallerycoreHost venue for People's Pavilion 2025 and associated community festival programme. Partnership includes ongoing cultural programming at the gallery in Waltham Forest.
- Greater London Authority (GLA)corePartnership on Future Palace Programme at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre redevelopment. GLA involvement includes youth design advisors presenting proposals at City Hall. Also collaborated on London Plan consultation workshops.
- Arts Council EnglandcoreFunder and supporter of People's Pavilion Community Festival 2025, enabling free youth-led cultural programming at William Morris Gallery over five weeks.
- British LandcoreCommissioned Beyond the Box to deliver Euston Tower Creative Producer Programme, engaging young Camden creatives in exploring the future of the tower through photography and film for the Regent's Place development.
- Karakusevic Carson ArchitectscoreLongstanding partnership across multiple regeneration projects including St Raphael's Estate (Brent), Lancaster West (Kensington), and South Kilburn. Beyond the Box delivers youth engagement and social value as integral part of architectural commissions.
- dRMMcorePartnership on Tustin Estate (Southwark) regeneration with JA Projects, Adam Khan Architects, and Exterior Architecture. Beyond the Box delivers community engagement and youth programmes.
- Southbank CentreminorCollaboration on The Space Between cultural placemaking initiative at Southbank Centre.
- London MuseumminorPartnership on cultural engagement and placemaking initiatives.
- FCBStudios (Fellden Clegg Bradley Studios)minorCollaboration on Net Zero Podcast project raising climate awareness among young Londoners, including live event and zine publication.
- PeabodycoreSouth Thamesmead Social Value programme including The Lounge youth creative space and Design Makers Week workshops.
- Bell Phillips ArchitectsminorPartnership on Convent Way Estate regeneration engagement in Hounslow with landscape designers Gillespies.
- Planning Aid LondonminorCollaboration on GLA London Plan consultation workshops, facilitating community engagement on London's future planning framework.
- Zaha Hadid ArchitectsminorHost venue and partner for Youth at the Helm: Shaping Public Spaces Through Co-Design event (June 2025).
- Allies and MorrisonminorPartner in Barbican Sculpture Court Reimagined consultation alongside Barbican Renewal team and Beyond the Box.
- HTA DesignminorHost venue and partner for Youth at the Helm event (June 2025).
- POoR CollectiveminorYouth collective and design practice collaboration on People's Pavilion 2021 and Cultural Producer Programme. Won Emerging Design Medal at London Design Festival 2023.
- Scale Rule CICminorArchitecture collective collaboration on Creative Skills Workshop tutorials introducing young people to model making skills.
- Fourth Monkey Actor Training CompanyminorCollaboration on Creative Skills Workshop tutorials and People's Pavilion 2021 festival programme.
- Brendan BarryminorArtist collaboration on Lund Point V&A Museum project, transforming empty flats into camera obscura and darkrooms with young cultural producers.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Beyond The Box CIC competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Locality: UK-wide membership network supporting community organisations, neighbourhood groups and community-led housing. Comparable to Beyond the Box because both operate within the community-empowerment and neighbourhood-revitalisation space, though Locality is a larger established body with a broader remit.
- Centre for Public Impact: Global foundation working with governments and public servants on citizen engagement and public service reform. Comparable to Beyond the Box because both advise public sector bodies on more meaningful community engagement practice, though CPI operates at a more strategic and policy level.
- The Young Foundation: UK social innovation foundation focused on place-based change and community-led development. Comparable to Beyond the Box because both work at the intersection of community engagement, social impact and place-making across the UK, though The Young Foundation operates as a larger research and policy body.
Direct peers
- Traverse: UK engagement and participation consultancy working with government and infrastructure clients on consultation and co-design programmes. Comparable to Beyond the Box because both deliver community engagement services commissioned by public sector bodies and developers on major projects.
- Assemble: London-based multi-disciplinary collective working across architecture, design and art with a strong emphasis on participatory processes. Comparable to Beyond the Box because both engage communities in the making of places, often with cultural and local authority partners.
- Futurecity: London-based consultancy specialising in cultural placemaking, creative programming and cultural strategy for developers and public sector clients. Comparable to Beyond the Box because both advise built environment clients on activating spaces through cultural and community engagement.
- We Made That: London-based urban design practice working on public realm, civic engagement, and community-led neighbourhood projects across the UK. Directly comparable because they deliver similar engagement and co-design services on London regeneration schemes commissioned by local authorities and developers.
- MUF Architecture/Art: London architecture and public art practice recognised for socially engaged and participatory design. Comparable to Beyond the Box because both embed community co-design processes into built environment commissions for public and cultural sector clients.
- Meanwhile Space CIC: UK Community Interest Company specialising in meanwhile use of vacant buildings and interim cultural programming. Comparable to Beyond the Box because both operate as CICs delivering community-led cultural activation of spaces, often on behalf of developers and local authorities.
Regional players
- People Powered: US-headquartered non-profit supporting civic participation and democratic engagement programmes internationally. Comparable to Beyond the Box thematically because both centre equity-led community participation, but operates primarily in North America rather than directly competing in the UK market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Beyond The Box CIC social profiles
Digital presenceBeyond The Box CIC financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Beyond The Box CIC leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Beyond The Box CIC funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Beyond The Box CIC 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 Beyond The Box CIC
What does Beyond The Box CIC do?
Beyond The Box CIC is an equity-led civic engagement and cultural placemaking consultancy that helps organisations engage communities meaningfully through co-design, participation, cultural placemaking, and inclusive strategy. They work with local authorities, developers, cultural institutions, and purpose-driven partners on regeneration consultations, youth engagement programmes, and social value delivery, combining strategic thinking with creative delivery to produce events, festivals, and engagement processes.
Is Beyond The Box CIC a public or private company?
Beyond The Box CIC is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Beyond The Box CIC founded?
Beyond The Box CIC was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Beyond The Box CIC based?
Beyond The Box CIC is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Beyond The Box CIC make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Consulting and Engagement Services are the primary driver. The others are event and Programme Delivery and social Value Programme Delivery.
Who are Beyond The Box CIC's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Locality, Centre for Public Impact and The Young Foundation. Direct peers are Traverse, Assemble, Futurecity, We Made That, MUF Architecture/Art and Meanwhile Space CIC. People Powered is listed as a regional player.
Does Beyond The Box CIC have an API?
No public API is recorded for Beyond The Box CIC.