Side by Side Arts

What Side by Side Arts does

Side by Side Arts is a performing arts Community Interest Company (CIC) established in 2018 and based in Bensham, Gateshead, United Kingdom. The organization operates as a social enterprise whose stated mission is to provide performing arts opportunities to people who would not otherwise have the chance to take part, with every booked music lesson directly funding Gateshead-based community project work and a scholarship programme. It is led by Artistic Director Stuart alongside a small team of named tutors (Ash for piano, Lloyd for guitar) out of a total headcount of 8, with the leadership team drawn from accomplished performing musicians rather than technology or commercial backgrounds.

The core offering is a portfolio of eight instrument-specific lesson programmes—piano, guitar, drums, violin, vocal, clarinet and saxophone, trumpet, and Northumbrian small pipes—delivered both in-person at the Gateshead studio located in the grounds of St Chads Church and online via Zoom. Beyond tuition, the company runs four recurring community choirs (Side By Side Arts Choir, Gateshead Community Choir, the free Children's Choir for ages 5-11, and the "It Can't Hurt to Sing" choir for people living with long-term pain), as well as themed school-holiday music camps and a room hire service for external rehearsals, performances, and events. Operations are supported by a lightweight digital stack: MyMusicStaff for student management and scheduling, Zoom for live online delivery, and a WordPress-based website with Facebook as the primary social channel.

The business model blends transactional and subscription-style revenue streams. Individual and group lessons are priced at roughly £14.50–£20.50 per session on a pay-as-you-go basis; choir memberships are priced at £40 per term; some programmes (Children's Choir, "It Can't Hurt to Sing") are free and funded externally, notably by the QE Hospital Charitable Fund in partnership with the Gateshead Pain Service. The go-to-market is community-led and direct-to-consumer, relying on word-of-mouth, Facebook presence, email newsletters, and a free first-trial lesson to convert inquiries into paying students. The company has no disclosed funding rounds, no external investors, and no parent entity, consistent with its independent CIC structure.

Name

Side by Side Arts

Legal name

Side By Side Arts CIC

Website

https://sidebysidearts.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Side by Side Arts is a Gateshead, UK-based performing arts community interest company offering in-person and online music lessons across eight instruments, community choirs, holiday camps, and room hire, serving children, adults, and wellbeing-focused community members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Education

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (71113)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAMANAA

Private Music Lessons (Instrumental)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Music Education (Instrumental & Vocal)

SECONDARYEDAMANAC

Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Music Education (Instrumental & Vocal)

Keywords

• Music tuition
• Performing arts education
• Community choir
• Music instruction
• Holiday music camps

Headquarters

HQ city

Gateshead

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Music Lessons: One-on-one, group, and pre-school music lessons across multiple instruments including piano, guitar, drums, violin, trumpet, clarinet, saxophone, vocal, and Northumbrian pipes. Revenue generated per lesson with tiered pricing based on lesson type.
2. Choir Memberships: Community choir memberships charged at £40 per term. Includes Gateshead Community Choir, Side By Side Arts Choir, and Children's Choir. Some choirs offered free of charge.
3. Holiday Camps and Events: School holiday music camps such as K Pop Demon Hunter Music Camp at £35 per child or £120 for all 4 events.
4. Room Hire: Flexible room hire for meetings, workshops, rehearsals, and events. Revenue generated from hiring out Large Room and Practice Rooms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Side by Side Arts is a performing arts community interest company in Gateshead, UK, offering one-on-one and group music tuition across multiple instruments (piano, guitar, drums, violin, vocal, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, and Northumbrian pipes) delivered in-person and online via Zoom. The company also operates four community choirs, school holiday music camps, and room hire facilities, with every music lesson revenue directly funding its Gateshead-based community project work and scholarship programme.

Product overview

Side by Side Arts is a performing arts community interest company offering a portfolio of music education services centered around individual and group music lessons. The core offering consists of eight instrument-specific lesson programs (Piano, Guitar, Drums, Violin, Vocal, Clarinet & Saxophone, Trumpet, and Northumbrian Pipes) available both in-person at their Gateshead studio and online via Zoom. Beyond individual instruction, the company operates four community choir programs (Side By Side Arts Choir, Children's Choir, Gateshead Community Choir, and The Highs and Lows Choir), a holiday music camp (K Pop Demon Hunter), and room hire facilities. The organization functions as a social enterprise where lesson revenues directly fund community project work and scholarship programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Piano Lessons One-on-one and group piano instruction for students of all ages and skill levels, offered at the Gateshead studio and online via Zoom.
• Guitar Lessons Guitar instruction tailored to individual goals, including preparation for graded exams or relaxed enjoyment-based learning, for children and adults.
• Drum Lessons Drum instruction covering basic rhythms to advanced techniques, with options for structured graded exam preparation or relaxed learning approaches.
• Violin Lessons Violin instruction for beginners through advanced players, focused on classical, folk, and modern repertoire.
• Vocal Lessons Singing and vocal coaching for all ages and experience levels, providing personalized coaching in a supportive environment.
• Clarinet & Saxophone Lessons Woodwind instruction covering saxophone and clarinet, customized for graded exams, jazz improvisation, or recreational playing.
• Trumpet Lessons Trumpet instruction for all ages and skill levels, spanning classical, jazz, and modern music genres.
• Northumbrian Pipes Lessons Instruction in the traditional Northumbrian small pipes, connecting students to the musical heritage of Northumberland.
• Side By Side Arts Choir Community choir meeting weekly during term time, open to all regardless of singing experience, with performances throughout the year. £40 subscription per term.
• Children's Choir Free weekly choir session for children aged 5-11, held every Wednesday, offering a fun and inclusive space for young singers.
• Gateshead Community Choir Community choir meeting on Sunday evenings, open to all without audition, focused on wellbeing through singing. £40 subscription per term.
• It Can't Hurt to Sing Choir Singing group for wellbeing focused on people living with long term pain, delivered in partnership with The QE Hospital Charitable Fund and Gateshead Pain Service. Free to attend.
• K Pop Demon Hunter Music Camp High-energy music and dance camp for children aged 5-12, inspired by the K-Pop Demon Hunters movie, held during school holidays. £35 per child per event or £120 for all 4 events.
• Room Hire Rental of studio spaces including a Large Room for performances, rehearsals, and events, and Practice Rooms for individual or group music practice.
• Online Music Lessons Remote music instruction delivered via Zoom video conferencing, allowing students worldwide to access lessons from the Gateshead studio.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• The QE Hospital Charitable FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with The QE Hospital Charitable Fund to deliver the 'It Can't Hurt to Sing' choir group focused on wellbeing for people living with long term pain. Side by Side Arts delivers singing sessions while QE Hospital Charitable Fund provides funding and connects participants through Gateshead Pain Service.
• Gateshead Pain ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Gateshead Pain Service to deliver the 'It Can't Hurt to Sing' programme. Gateshead Pain Service refers patients to the choir and contributes to the healthcare aspect of the wellbeing initiative.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Future Talent: UK charity supporting young musicians from low-income backgrounds with tuition and performance opportunities — comparable scholarship-driven mission embedded in paid music education.
• Sistema Scotland (Big Noise): Scottish charity delivering intensive free music education and ensemble participation in disadvantaged communities — closely comparable social-enterprise model combining tuition, ensembles and community impact.
• Rock Choir: The UK's largest contemporary community choir network with weekly pay-as-you-go rehearsals led by a professional choir leader — directly comparable to Side by Side Arts' drop-in community choirs model.
• Stagecoach Performing Arts: UK-wide franchise network offering performing arts classes (singing, drama, dance) for children aged 4–18 — directly comparable weekend/holiday programming model serving a similar parent-and-child segment.
• In Harmony: UK social-music programme inspired by Venezuela's El Sistema, providing free instrumental tuition and ensemble opportunities in deprived communities — similar CIC/charity mission and instrumental-plus-ensemble delivery.
• Benedetti Foundation: Music education charity running large-scale workshops, tuition sessions and community programmes across the UK — comparable in mission-driven music education delivery and use of masterclasses/ensemble events.
• The Strings Club: UK provider of holiday music camps and term-time band, choir and orchestra classes for children aged 4–11 — directly comparable holiday-camp and mini-ensemble offering with similar pricing tier.
• Junior Trinity (Trinity Laban): Saturday music school for young people offering individual lessons, ensembles and choirs — comparable in combining one-to-one tuition with choirs/ensembles for school-age musicians.

Broad incumbents

• Yousician: Global subscription app offering interactive guitar, piano, bass, ukulele and vocal lessons — the scaled online alternative competing for the same self-directed lesson customer.

Others

• Pirate Studios: UK-based self-service rehearsal and recording room hire network — directly comparable side-revenue stream of monetising underused studio space through hourly rentals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sidebysideartsCIC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/side-by-side-arts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Side by Side Arts