Soul City Arts

What Soul City Arts does

Soul City Arts is a Birmingham-based non-profit arts organization founded in 2008 by Mohammed Ali MBE, an award-winning artist and pioneer in fusing street art with Islamic script. The organization creates immersive theatrical productions, art installations, and community cultural events designed to bridge communities divided by culture, faith, and ethnicity. Core offerings include flagship projects such as Ramadan Streets (a five-day cultural night market that attracted approximately 30,000 visitors in 2025), Waswasa (an immersive theatrical production that ran for 10 sold-out days at Birmingham Hippodrome in 2022 as part of Birmingham 2022 Festival), Eid in Kings Heath, Fear of Faith, The People's Circle dialogue series, The Epic Story of Graffiti, Knights of the Raj, Nomad, Sleepers, and the Sparkbrook Film Festival. The organization serves primarily Birmingham's Muslim, South Asian, refugee, and interfaith communities alongside general arts and cultural audiences and institutional commissioning partners.

The underlying production technology is multidisciplinary rather than AI-driven: live theatrical performance, visual art installations, soundscapes, and community-co-created content (e.g., graffitied prayer mat tunnels, oral histories, community-scribed du'as). Notable technical components include XR (extended reality) film production for Waswasa — performers were filmed against 3D environments via a partnership with Guildhall Live Events — and immersive warehouse installations such as the Sleepers cave soundscape and the Nomad reflection booth with same-day-edit LED displays. The creative platform is anchored by Port Hope, a reclaimed warehouse space in Sparkbrook, Birmingham that serves as headquarters, production facility, and community-facing venue. Reach extends beyond the West Midlands through touring productions and international collaborations, with documented presence in Melbourne and Sydney.

The revenue model is a hybrid of public funding and event-based income. Government and institutional grants constitute the primary source: Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation funding provides multi-year core support, and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), administered locally by Birmingham City Council under the Communities and Place pillar, adds project-based revenue. Secondary streams include ticketed event revenue — Waswasa priced £8–£15 per attendee across a 50-person capacity, Ramadan Streets at a nominal £1 plus booking fee — and commissioned partnerships with venues and institutions such as Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham City Football Club Foundation, The Halal Food Festival, and the Universities of Birmingham and Warwick. Distribution is event-driven, combining the Port Hope venue, partner venue access, Eventbrite ticketing, and earned media coverage across BBC, Channel 4, ITV, and regional outlets.

Name

Soul City Arts

Legal name

Soul City Arts

Website

https://soulcityarts.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Soul City Arts is a Birmingham-based non-profit arts organization creating immersive theatrical productions, art installations, and community cultural events that bridge communities divided by culture, faith, and ethnicity, operating from Port Hope warehouse and reaching regional, national, and international audiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Arts & Cultural Services

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts & Culture Community Festivals (Multidisciplinary Arts Weeks) (MPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Religious & Spiritual Festivals/Observances (Public Events) (MPAGAEAC), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)

Keywords

• Immersive theatre productions
• Community arts programming
• Cultural festival events
• Faith-based arts initiatives
• Art installation exhibitions

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government & Public Funding: Primary revenue from government funding including UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) distributed by Birmingham City Council, supporting the Communities and Place pillar. Also funded by Arts Council England as a National Portfolio Organisation.
2. Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticketed events and performances. Waswasa had tickets from £8 for walk-through experience to £15 for full performance. Ramadan Streets uses nominal ticket fee of £1 plus booking fee.
3. Partnership & Commissioning: Revenue from commissioned projects with partners such as Birmingham 2022 Festival, Birmingham Hippodrome, universities, and other cultural institutions. These partnerships provide production funding and venue access.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Soul City Arts creates and produces immersive arts experiences and community cultural events, including theatrical productions (Waswasa), cultural night markets (Ramadan Streets), Eid celebrations (Eid in Kings Heath), heritage exhibitions (Knights of the Raj), reflective installations (Sleepers, Nomad), and film festivals. These offerings fuse street art, Islamic script, live performance, film projection, and community participation, delivered from their Port Hope warehouse venue in Birmingham and through partner venues and outdoor locations.

Product overview

Soul City Arts is a multidisciplinary arts organization that creates immersive art installations, community events, live performances, theater productions, exhibitions, and film screenings. Operating from its 'Port Hope' warehouse space in Sparkbrook, Birmingham, the organization delivers flagship projects including Ramadan Streets (cultural night market), Eid in Kings Heath (Eid celebration), Waswasa (immersive theatrical experience), Fear of Faith (film/performance), The People's Circle (dialogue events), The Epic Story of Graffiti (exhibition), Knights of the Raj (heritage exhibition), Nomad (reflection installation), Sleepers (immersive cave experience), and Sparkbrook Film Festival (cinema program). These projects serve local communities while reaching UK-wide and international audiences, using art as a force for transformation and connection across cultural, faith, and ethnic divides.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Port Hope: Arts centre operated by Soul City Arts, a reclaimed warehouse space in Sparkbrook, Birmingham serving as the organisation's headquarters and creative hub

Products and services

• Ramadan Streets A multi-day cultural night market celebrating Ramadan that transforms outdoor spaces into souk-like environments with food vendors, cultural performances, art installations, and community gathering; aimed at Birmingham's diverse communities and visitors.
• Eid in Kings Heath Annual public Eid celebration transforming All Saints Square into a hub of curated food vendors, live painters, graffiti artists, music and dance performances, and community art installations.
• Waswasa - Whispers in Prayer Immersive theatrical experience combining live performance, art installation, and projected XR film to explore Islamic prayer in modern secular society; includes community prayer mat workshops and a replica of the Birmingham Qur'an. Tickets priced £8 (walk-through) to £15 (full performance).
• Fear of Faith Immersive blend of film, performance, and discussion exploring how arts can foster community for people of all faiths and none; toured internationally with academic collaboration.
• The People's Circle Regular dialogue-driven event series held at Port Hope warehouse where audiences gather in a circle for open, facilitated discussion on current social and cultural topics.
• The Epic Story of Graffiti Exhibition celebrating graffiti culture and history through iconic imagery from documentarian Henry Chalfant, including work co-authored with Martha Cooper; produced in partnership with Birmingham Hippodrome.
• Knights of the Raj Heritage exhibition documenting the history of Bangladeshi-owned Indian restaurants in Birmingham through oral histories, archival photographs, and original restaurant furnishings.
• Nomad Immersive Bladerunner-esque reflection booth installation inviting the public to scribe and record prayers and thoughts (du'as), with filmed recordings shared via LED screens; a nomadic installation that has visited Birmingham and London.
• Sleepers Immersive cave-setting arts installation with audio soundscapes replicating isolation from modern city life, inspired by the Seven Sleepers story from the Birmingham Qur'an.
• Sparkbrook Film Festival Film festival housed in a reclaimed warehouse space in Sparkbrook, recreating historic cinema atmospheres with screenings of alternative narratives, classic storytelling, and blockbuster entertainment alongside director Q&As.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~30,000 visitors at Ramadan Streets 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Birmingham City Football Club FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 March 2026Birmingham City Football Club Foundation partnered with Soul City Arts to host Ramadan Streets 2026 on BCFC grounds. This partnership provides a larger, safer venue for the community event and extends the event's reach to football fans and local residents. The Foundation's involvement legitimizes the event and provides operational support.
• The Halal Food FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025The Halal Food Festival partnered with Soul City Arts for Ramadan Streets, bringing their expertise in delivering large-scale halal food events and vendor networks. This collaboration combines The Halal Food Festival's food industry knowledge with Soul City Arts' artistic vision for a unique cultural experience.
• Birmingham HippodromecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 August 2022Birmingham Hippodrome served as the venue partner for Waswasa immersive theatrical production (August-September 2022). The partnership enabled Soul City Arts to present their largest production to-date in a major city theatre, reaching thousands of theatre-goers.
• Birmingham 2022 FestivalflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Birmingham 2022 Festival commissioned Waswasa as one of its major productions for the Commonwealth Games cultural program. The festival provides funding, promotional support, and access to the Commonwealth Games audience, which targeted 2.5 million+ people in person and online.
• University of BirminghamcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Academic partner for Waswasa, contributing academic expertise through Dr. James Hodkinson and supporting the project's research and community engagement aspects. Also supported Sleepers through Culture Forward initiative and Nomad installation.
• University of WarwickcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Academic partner for Waswasa, with Associate Professor Dr. James Hodkinson serving as Academic Lead. The university provided research support and academic collaboration for the production exploring Islamic prayer in secular society.
• Guildhall School of Music & Drama (Guildhall Live Events)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2022Guildhall Live Events provided XR (extended reality) film production technology and expertise for Waswasa. Filming took place at Guildhall School using 3D environment setups, adding cutting-edge technology to the immersive theatrical experience.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Punchdrunk: Pioneering UK immersive theatre company behind 'Sleep No More' and other site-specific productions. Directly comparable to Soul City Arts for its immersive, multi-sensory theatrical experiences (e.g., Waswasa) that combine live performance, installation, and audience movement through designed environments.
• Rifco Arts: UK South Asian-focused producing theatre company creating bold, accessible work celebrating British-Asian identity. Comparable to Soul City Arts as a community-rooted arts organization producing theatre and events that platform under-represented cultural narratives in the Midlands.
• Tara Arts: One of the UK's leading Asian theatre companies, producing new work that explores South Asian, Muslim, and diaspora identities. Comparable to Soul City Arts for its faith-rooted, culturally specific theatrical programming and touring model.
• Yellow Earth Theatre: East Asian British theatre company producing work rooted in community and cultural identity. Comparable to Soul City Arts as a small-team, culturally-specific producing theatre with NPO-equivalent status and focus on community engagement programming.

Broad incumbents

• Battersea Arts Centre: Established London arts centre with a national portfolio status and a long history of community-led programming, immersive productions, and artist development. Comparable to Soul City Arts/Port Hope as a venue-anchored community arts organization producing immersive work.
• Manchester International Festival: Major biennial arts festival commissioning ambitious, immersive and culturally distinctive work. Comparable to Soul City Arts as a festival-style commissioning/programming body for large-scale immersive productions, though at a much larger scale and broader scope.

Others

• Commonwealth Games Cultural Programme: Birmingham 2022 Festival (Commonwealth Games) is the commissioning body that backed Waswasa as a major production. Relevant as a counterpart funder/programmer that shapes Soul City Arts' largest-scale productions and provides distribution scale.

Regional players

• Eid Festival London: Major London-based Eid celebration event drawing large Muslim community audiences. Comparable to Soul City Arts' Eid in Kings Heath and Ramadan Streets as a public, ticketed religious/cultural festival celebrating Eid, but serving a different geographic market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/soulcityarts
• YouTubeyoutube.com/soulcityarts
• Facebookfacebook.com/soulcityarts
• Instagraminstagram.com/soulcityarts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/soul-city-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 Soul City Arts