What Nutkhut does

Nutkhut is a UK-based non-profit arts organisation founded in 2003 by Simmy Gupta and Ajay Chhabra, operating from Aldershot with London-area activity. It produces outdoor performances, walkabout acts, sculptural installations, and immersive heritage projects that blend South Asian cultural narratives with contemporary dance, circus, film, and installation art. Its core portfolio includes the Defining Moments trilogy (Dr Blighty, Never Set Eyes, Girmit) — heritage projects on WWI Indian soldiers, the 1947 Partition, and the indentured labour diaspora respectively — alongside large-scale outdoor spectacles such as Bollywood Steps and Bollywood Bites, recurring installations like Lotus Flower and Miss Benn, the boutique 15-seater Nutkhut Cinema, and its flagship London Mela, the largest South Asian cultural festival in Europe.

The underlying technical stack is production-focused rather than software-platform-based: 360° immersive film, Tilt Brush virtual-reality painting, SubPac tactile soundscapes, video projection, and digital animation. Nutkhut also creates educational toolkits and graphic novels (including the Girmit graphic novel) for heritage learning. It holds National Portfolio Organisation status with Arts Council England and is supported by Heritage Lottery Fund for specific projects.

Revenue is generated through a diversified, project-based model: direct bookings for performances and installations (quote-based, not publicly priced), co-commissioning arrangements with festivals and local authorities, workshops and residencies for schools and educational institutions, ancillary merchandise sales through an online shop (prices ranging £2–£8), and donations. Distribution runs through direct website and email enquiries, representation by Fool's Paradise agency for walkabout characters, and festival co-commissioning partnerships. Customers include local councils (Rushmoor, Wandsworth), national cultural institutions (Brighton Festival, Royal Pavilion & Museums), NGOs (Oxfam), and state occasions (Buckingham Palace). The Mela Partnership, a national network of eight UK Mela festivals initiated and led by Nutkhut, extends its convening role across the UK South Asian cultural sector.

Name

Nutkhut

Legal name

Nutkhut

Website

https://nutkhut.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Nutkhut is a UK-based non-profit arts organisation founded in 2003 that creates immersive outdoor performances, installations, and heritage projects blending South Asian cultural narratives with dance, circus, and film for festivals, schools, local councils, and cultural institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts and Cultural Productions

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural & Folk Dance Performances (MPAGADAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cultural & Heritage Entertainment Booking (Traditional/Folk Acts) (HSACAHAG)

Keywords

• Outdoor performance art
• Cultural heritage projects
• Festival productions
• Immersive installations
• Creative learning workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Performance and Show Bookings: Direct bookings for Nutkhut's shows, performances, walkabout acts, installations, and parades at events, festivals, schools, and venues. Also accepts commissions for custom work.
2. Online Shop Sales: Sale of merchandise including t-shirts, postcards, Emperor Akbar's limited edition coins, and the Girmit graphic novel (digital download and physical copy).
3. Workshops and Residencies: Master classes, residencies, workshops and training days often run alongside shows, for various age groups in diverse settings.
4. Festival Commissions and Partnerships: Co-commissioning arrangements with festivals and cultural organizations, including the London Mela and various heritage projects.
5. Donations and Support: Accepts donations through PayPal to support community participatory work, creative learning programs, and master classes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Nutkhut designs, produces, and delivers large-scale outdoor performances, immersive heritage installations, and walkabout stilt characters that fuse South Asian cultural motifs with contemporary dance, circus, and film. The portfolio is commissioned by festivals, councils, schools, and heritage organizations, and includes the London Mela festival, the boutique 15-seater Nutkhut Cinema, and a creative learning program of workshops and residencies. A small online shop sells branded merchandise and a graphic novel tied to heritage projects.

Product overview

Nutkhut is a UK-based arts and cultural organization that creates imaginative, stunning performance and installation work, re-imagining the told and telling the new. The company offers a diverse portfolio of products and services organized into several categories: (1) Large-scale outdoor performances including Bollywood Steps and Bollywood Bites; (2) Heritage/immersive projects forming the 'Defining Moments' trilogy (Dr Blighty, Never Set Eyes on the Land, and Girmit); (3) Sculptural installations such as the Lotus Flower, Miss Benn, and stilt characters; (4) The London Mela festival and Mela Partnership network; (5) The Nutkhut Cinema boutique cinema experience; (6) Creative learning programs including workshops, residences, and educational toolkits; and (7) Event products including the Festival of Colours and commemorative installations. The company was formed in 2003 by Simmy Gupta and Ajay Chhabra and is a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• London Mela: Europe's largest Mela festival held in Gunnersbury Park, West London, showcasing classical music, British Asian urban artists, dance, comedy, cabaret, and Asian-influenced street theatre and circus.
• Dr Blighty
• Never Set Eyes
• Girmit
• Nutkhut Cinema

Products and services

• Bollywood Steps A unique, large-scale British Bollywood outdoor dance spectacle fusing folk, classical, Bhangra, hip hop, jazz, salsa, and contemporary dance with glamorous props, pyrotechnics, and water effects, commissioned by festivals and outdoor events.
• Bollywood Bites A highly energetic, vibrant small-scale Bollywood dance piece drawing on the charm of Bollywood films, showcasing a diverse range of British dancers, suitable as an affordable alternative to Bollywood Steps for smaller venues.
• Dr Blighty An immersive performance and installation project marking the centenary of World War I, bringing to life the untold history of wounded Indian soldiers who convalesced in Brighton's Royal Pavilion; first installment of the Defining Moments trilogy.
• Never Set Eyes on the Land A heritage project focusing on the 1947 Partition of India, featuring oral history interviews, traveling installations, digitally animated films, and an education toolkit for schools.
• Girmit A multi-sensory, immersive 360° film experience about the indentured labour diaspora, telling the story of Girmityas transported to Fiji as indentured labourers; third project in the Defining Moments trilogy.
• Lotus Flower A sculptural float that plays music from within its petals and creates a serene glow as it internally lights up at night, featured at Diwali celebrations in Trafalgar Square and Europe's first Hindu stone temple in Neasden.
• Miss Benn A hexagonal sculptural installation housing a mannequin that invites audiences into the imaginary world of a sari shop mannequin, capable of housing integrated soundscapes; one module of Nutkhut's Mannequins Series.
• Stilt Characters Walkabout stilt characters including Captain Mumbai, Princesses, The Three Kings, Maharajahs, and DJs, available for festivals, parades, and events, bookable via Fool's Paradise agents.
• Swyron A steampunk revolutionary character inspired by Vedic mythology, with full armour and a time-travelling steam-billowing machine, available as a standalone walkabout or with a contemporary dance element.
• Navrattan - A Quest for the Lost Gems An interactive performance for families, schools, children, and adults using shadow puppetry and traditional Kathak dance, where participants embark on a quest to help Birbal solve clues and collect nine missing gems from Emperor Akbar's pendant.
• Nutkhut Cinema A boutique 15-seater cinema with original 1930s seats, state-of-the-art surround sound, and full disabled access, available for private screenings, film festivals, parties, and events.
• London Mela Europe's largest Mela festival held in 30 acres of Gunnersbury Park, featuring classical music, British Asian urban artists, dance, comedy, cabaret, and Asian-influenced street theatre and circus, with audiences growing from 60,000 to a peak of 92,000.
• Workshops and Residences Master classes, residencies, workshops, and training days often run alongside shows, including Kathak dance workshops, Stilt Masterclasses, and 'All Things Festival' workshops led by Ajay Chhabra and Giles Agis.
• Festival of Colours A vibrant Holi celebration event bringing the ancient Indian tradition to UK communities, featuring Holi powder explosions, craft workshops, and celebrations of unity, joy, and togetherness.
• The Poppies Blow A commemorative installation inspired by the wartime poem 'In Flanders Fields', featuring a large glowing silk poppy, commissioned by Rushmoor Borough Council for VE Day and Remembrance Day commemorations, engaging over 500 people at a single event.
• Girmit Graphic Novel The world's first Girmit graphic novel documenting the story of indentured labour, available as a digital download (£4.00) or physical copy (£7.99) via the Nutkhut online shop.
• Emperor Akbar's Limited Edition Coin A limited edition collectible coin inspired by the Navrattan project, featuring Emperor Akbar's imagery, sold via the Nutkhut online shop (originally £5.00, sale price £4.00).

Quantifiable outcome

• 92,000 peak audience for London Mela, Europe's largest south Asian cultural festival
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Mela PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Mela Partnership is a national network of festivals and producers working within the Mela sector, initiated and led by Nutkhut for the past five years. It shares learning and advocates for Mela as a vital cultural activity, supporting eight festivals across UK towns and cities with diaspora communities including Bradford Mela, Coventry Mela, Hull Indian Mela, London Mela, Luton Mela, Manchester Mega Mela, Newcastle Mela, Preston City Mela, Sandwell and Birmingham Mela.
• 14-18 NOW: WW1 Centenary Art CommissionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-commissioned Dr Blighty, a Nutkhut production marking the centenary of the First World War, bringing untold history of Indian soldiers to public awareness through immersive performances and installations.
• Brighton FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-commissioned Dr Blighty, the ambitious programme of immersive performances and installations based in and around Brighton's Royal Pavilion.
• Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & HovecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-commissioned Dr Blighty, working with Nutkhut to bring the untold story of wounded Indian soldiers to audiences in the historic Royal Pavilion setting.
• Greenwich and Docklands International FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginally co-commissioned Bollywood Steps, a unique British Bollywood outdoor dance spectacle, created and directed by Nutkhut's Co-Artistic Director Simmy Gupta.
• Farnborough LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Farnborough Library to bring public events programs, including Festival of Colours and creative workshops, transforming library spaces into community hubs.
• Rushmoor Borough CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned The Poppies Blow installation and supported the Rushmoor Beacon for VE Day commemoration, working together to create civic landmarks.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tamasha Theatre Company: Tamasha is a leading UK theatre company developing South Asian stories and artists. Its focus on British-Asian identity, storytelling, and school touring aligns with Nutkhut's heritage and creative learning work.
• Emergency Exit Arts: Emergency Exit Arts is a UK outdoor arts company producing large-scale community spectacles, processions, and installations. They share Nutkhut's commissioning model with local authorities, festivals, and heritage partners.
• Fuel Theatre: Fuel is a UK producing and touring theatre company supporting diverse artists and projects. Nutkhut's workshop, residency, and touring production model parallels Fuel's artist-development and touring infrastructure.
• Akademi (South Asian Dance): Akademi is a UK national South Asian dance organisation producing and touring contemporary dance rooted in South Asian traditions. Its movement vocabulary, touring model, and dance-education focus directly parallel Nutkhut's Kathak and Bollywood dance programming.
• Artichoke: Artichoke produces large-scale, ambitious outdoor arts events and processions in the UK public realm, including memory and heritage projects. Its scale, public-realm focus, and use of large council and lottery funding closely mirrors Nutkhut's model.
• Phizzical Physical Theatre: Phizzical is a UK South Asian-focused performing arts company producing dance, theatre, and heritage-focused work. Its British-Asian cultural focus and touring model are closely comparable to Nutkhut's Bollywood and heritage programming.

Broad incumbents

• Roundhouse (London): Roundhouse is a major London creative venue supporting young creatives and cultural programming. It is a broader, more established institution but overlaps with Nutkhut's creative learning and youth engagement work.
• China Plate Theatre: China Plate is a UK producing and touring theatre company working across contemporary performance, family shows, and sector development. Its touring production and workshop model is broadly comparable to Nutkhut's dance and learning offerings.

Emerging players

• South Asian Heritage Month UK: SAHM is a UK umbrella initiative celebrating South Asian heritage, frequently commissioning artists and cultural partners. It overlaps with Nutkhut's heritage and educational programming for diaspora communities.

Others

• Without Walls (Outdoor Arts Consortium): Without Walls is a UK consortium of outdoor arts producers and festivals commissioning and touring outdoor work. Nutkhut's London Mela and outdoor installations participate in this ecosystem and compete for the same commissioning budgets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nutkhutuk
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCtfNjqydHddrTtiDIq__ZKw
• Facebookfacebook.com/Nutkhutuk
• Instagraminstagram.com/nutkhut.uk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nutkhut

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Nutkhut