Horse + Bamboo Theatre

What Horse + Bamboo Theatre does

Horse + Bamboo Theatre is a registered charity (No. 292326) and company limited by guarantee (Little World Ltd, No. 1731859) founded in 1978, headquartered at 679 Bacup Road, Waterfoot, Rossendale, England. It operates as a venue, community space and creative centre, with a core specialization in puppetry, mask theatre and processional theatre. The organization employs 17 staff, led since 2026 by Chief Executive Officer Jenn Camilleri, and serves the North West England market with a primary focus on families with young children, the local Rossendale community, private event organizers, and — via the 'Making A Change' programme — prison communities.

The company runs a diversified portfolio of programmes and products. Core artistic programming includes Baby Boo, a fortnightly sensory play session for 0–4 year olds directed by Zoe Harty and Sue Auty, and the annual Waterfoot Wakes community and arts festival. Complementary revenue products include NT Live cinema screenings (£13–£15 per ticket with Pay What You Can accessibility option), venue hire (theatre, café and kitchen from £50/hour; weddings up to 100 guests), children's parties (£8/child party table package), workshop hot-desk hire, and a three-tier membership scheme (Friend £5/month, Supporter £15/month, Patron £25/month). Distribution is direct-to-consumer at the Waterfoot venue with ticketing through TicketSource.

The business model blends earned revenue (ticketing, venue hire, membership subscriptions, bar services) with public-sector grant funding from Arts Council England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, supplemented by strategic partnerships with Big Imaginations, Arts Award, More Music and Novus. Marketing is community-led and primarily organic — email newsletter, social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr), print brochures and word-of-mouth networks — reflecting a grassroots, non-commercial go-to-market motion typical of small UK arts charities.

Name

Horse + Bamboo Theatre

Legal name

Horse + Bamboo (Registered Charity No. 292326)

Website

https://horseandbamboo.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Horse + Bamboo Theatre is a UK registered charity and 17-person puppetry, mask and processional theatre company based in Waterfoot, Rossendale, operating a venue, community space and creative centre that serves families, the local community and private event organizers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts and Community Theatre

NAICS

Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (711510), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Theatre & Storytelling Festivals (MPAGAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outdoor Amphitheater & Open-Air Venue Operations (MPAGALAG), Cultural Heritage & Traditional Festivals (Folk, Ethnic, Indigenous) (MPAGAEAB)

Keywords

• Puppetry theatre performances
• Venue hire services
• Community arts programmes
• Early years sensory play
• Theatre membership scheme

Headquarters

HQ city

Waterfoot

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Venue Hire and Event Space Rental: Hire of theatre, cafe space and kitchen for private events, kids parties, and weddings. Basic party room hire at £50 per hour (2 hour minimum). Up to 100 wedding guests capacity.
2. Ticket Sales: Revenue from NT Live screenings, family theatre events, workshops, and performances. 'Pay What You Can' ticketing available for accessibility.
3. Membership Program: Three-tier membership program offering Friend (£5/month), Supporter (£15/month), and Patron (£25/month) levels with various benefits including newsletters, discounts, and exclusive events.
4. Bar Services: Staffed in-house bar operating during events and venue hire, providing refreshments including teas, coffees, and cocktails for events and parties.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Horse + Bamboo Theatre is a registered charity founded in 1978 that produces and presents puppetry, mask, and processional theatre performances from its venue in Waterfoot, Rossendale. It operates a community creative centre offering ticketed performances, NT Live screenings, early years sensory play sessions (Baby Boo), venue hire for weddings and parties, an annual community arts festival (Waterfoot Wakes), education and outreach programmes, and a tiered membership scheme.

Product overview

Horse + Bamboo is a legendary puppetry, mask & processional theatre company founded in 1978, operating as a venue, community space & creative centre in Waterfoot, Rossendale. The organization offers a diverse portfolio including: Baby Boo (sensory play sessions for early years), Waterfoot Wakes (annual community arts festival), Education programs (including prisons work with Novus), NT Live Screenings (national theatre broadcasts), venue hire for events/parties/weddings, and a membership scheme with three tiers (Friend, Supporter, Patron). Events include monthly Rossendale Board Games Night and Baby Boo Takeover Days.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Baby Boo: A relaxed, open-ended sensory play session for early years (0-4 years) that runs fortnightly at Horse + Bamboo in Waterfoot. Includes Sue Auty and Zoe Harty as directors.
• Waterfoot Wakes
• Making A Change
• NT Live Screenings

Products and services

• Horse + Bamboo Theatre Productions Puppetry, mask and processional theatre performances and live programming for family and adult audiences, presented at the company's venue in Waterfoot, Rossendale.
• Baby Boo Sensory Play Sessions A relaxed, open-ended sensory play session for early years (0-4 years) running on fortnightly Thursdays, featuring an underwater theme with projections, live singing and craft activities.
• Waterfoot Wakes Annual Festival Annual community and arts festival taking place across Waterfoot, presented by Horse + Bamboo.
• Venue Hire Hire of theatre, cafe space and kitchen for private events, kids parties, weddings and corporate functions. Basic party room hire at £50 per hour (2 hour minimum), with capacity for up to 100 guests.
• Membership Scheme Three-tier membership programme with Friend (£5/month), Supporter (£15/month) and Patron (£25/month) levels offering benefits such as newsletters, season launch invitations, venue hire discounts, programme acknowledgement, and free refreshments.
• NT Live Screenings National Theatre Live screenings bringing the best of British theatre to a cinema screen at Horse + Bamboo, with Pay What You Can ticket pricing.
• Kids Parties Children's birthday party services including basic room hire at £50 per hour and party tables at theatre performances at £8 per child, with craft sessions, cupcakes, cordial and decorations.
• Weddings Alternative wedding venue offering exclusive hire of venue and garden, sound system and lighting rig, and a staffed bar, with capacity for up to 100 wedding guests.
• Rossendale Board Games Night Monthly board games night event hosted at the Horse + Bamboo venue, welcoming all ages and skill levels.
• Workshop Hire Hot desk workshop bench hire for creative professionals and groups.
• Making a Change Education Programme Community engagement programme that breaks down barriers to engagement in the arts and works with underrepresented groups, including partnership work in North West prisons with Novus.

Quantifiable outcome

• Community and Arts Festival - Waterfoot Wakes
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• BIG ImaginationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for arts programming, displayed as a partner logo on Horse + Bamboo website.
• Arts AwardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts Award centre partnership for delivering arts awards to young people.
• NovusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Novus for working in Northwest prisons as part of the 'Making A Change' programme, focusing on arts engagement with prison communities.
• More MusicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMore Music produces family music experiences, including the 'Dare!' performance for Baby Boo Takeover Day. Collaborative programming partner for early years theatre.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• The Bureau Centre for the Arts: A regional arts venue in the North West England operating as a community creative centre. Comparable to Horse + Bamboo because it runs early years programming (e.g., 'Shared Sounds', where Baby Boo Director Zoe Harty previously worked) and acts as a creative hub for community engagement.
• Burnley Youth Theatre: A Lancashire-based youth and community theatre producing original work and offering participation programs. Directly comparable to Horse + Bamboo's education and community engagement streams, particularly its work with underrepresented groups.

Broad incumbents

• Octagon Theatre Bolton: A larger North West producing and receiving theatre with its own building, community engagement, and family programming. Competitively relevant as a regional theatre that Horse + Bamboo audiences may also attend, though broader in scope.
• Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester: A major North West producing theatre with a broad playhouse and community engagement offering. While much larger, it competes with Horse + Bamboo for the same regional audiences, ACE funding, and family programming.

Direct peers

• Oldham Coliseum Theatre: A Greater Manchester producing theatre with touring productions and a community engagement program. Comparable as a regional producing theatre with family and community programming, although the Coliseum has experienced significant financial/funding challenges — illustrating the downside risk common to this peer set.
• Little Angel Theatre: London-based puppetry theatre that is the most direct UK comparison to Horse + Bamboo. Both companies specialize in puppetry/mask theatre for family audiences and operate physical venues with their own programming and community engagement.
• The Dukes Lancaster: A community arts venue in Lancashire combining theatre programming, community engagement, and venue hire. Highly comparable to Horse + Bamboo's hybrid model of producing/performing arts combined with venue rental and inclusive community programming.
• Tobacco Factory Theatre: Bristol-based community theatre combining a producing company with venue hire and an active community participation program. Operates a similar hybrid model of in-house productions, third-party hires, café/bar revenue, and membership schemes.
• Unity Theatre Liverpool: A North West community theatre with a programme of independent productions, family events, and community participation. Similar in scale and mission to Horse + Bamboo, with comparable reliance on ACE funding and venue hire.
• Contact Theatre Manchester: A North West England arts venue focused on young people, families, and community theatre with a strong participation and engagement program. Operates a similar mix of ticketed performance, community workshops, and venue hire.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HorseandBamboo
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/handb679
• Facebookfacebook.com/HorseandBamboo
• Instagraminstagram.com/horseandbamboo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/horse---bamboo-theatre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Horse + Bamboo Theatre