Words of Colour Productions

What Words of Colour Productions does

Words of Colour Productions is a London-based non-profit creative agency, founded in 2005/2006 and operating under the self-description 'The Immersive Change Agency'. With a team of approximately 8 employees, the organisation delivers commissioned creative projects, strategic communications, events, and digital content for cultural institutions, universities, NHS trusts, local authorities, and arts organisations. Its work centres on racial equity, mental health systems change, and amplifying underrepresented voices — particularly writers and authors of colour — across publishing, theatre, heritage, and higher education.

The organisation runs a portfolio of named programmes and products: an audio-visual Library/Archive documenting work since 2006; a Studio service delivering client and partnership work; flagship programmes such as the Poets of Colour Incubator (with Manchester Metropolitan University), Remembering What's Forgotten (Leeds-based mental health initiative), Keeping it Real, and the Synergi Collaborative Centre (a five-year national mental health initiative co-founded with the Universities of Manchester and Oxford); digital platforms including the RAFA2 eHub (with University of Roehampton) and the Museum of Colour virtual museum; and annual event IP such as Alex Wheatle Day (with Theatre Peckham). The underlying technology is a digital content creation and multimedia production capability (video, audio, podcast, interactive digital exhibitions) rather than a software product in the SaaS sense.

Revenue is generated through project-based commissions and restricted grants from foundations, public bodies, and institutional partners. Major disclosed funding includes £1,245,000 from Lankelly Chase for Synergi (described as the foundation's largest-ever strategic award at the time) plus £1.5 million for Synergi Phase 2, alongside commissioning income from partners such as HarperCollins, Jerwood Arts, Bush Theatre, Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, and Leeds City Council. Go-to-market is event- and partnership-driven: the team engages enterprise and public-sector clients directly, distributes free digital content through the website and social channels, and uses events, podcasts, and earned media to reach audiences and stakeholders.

Name

Words of Colour Productions

Legal name

Words of Colour

Website

https://wordsofcolour.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Words of Colour Productions is a London-based non-profit creative agency that delivers commissioned projects, programmes, and digital content on racial equity and mental health for cultural institutions, universities, NHS trusts, and arts organisations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Creative Production Services

NAICS

Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121), Museums (71211)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Arts, Culture & Creative Placemaking Enterprises (BPAGALAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB), Media Arts & Film/Photography Nonprofits (BPAGAHAJ), Creator Content Production & Co-Creation Studios (BPAFAHAD)

Keywords

• Creative production services
• Racial equity advocacy
• Cultural diversity programmes
• Digital exhibition design
• Multimedia content creation

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Commissioned Projects: Deliver client and partnership work for cultural institutions, universities, NHS trusts, local authorities, and arts organizations. Projects include digital exhibitions, knowledge hubs, research programmes, and creative campaigns.
2. Studio Services: Provides creative production services including video production, event management, branding, marketing, and digital content creation for partners and clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Words of Colour Productions operates as "The Immersive Change Agency," delivering commissioned creative projects including digital exhibitions, virtual museums, knowledge hubs, podcasts, videos, branding, and event management for cultural institutions, universities, NHS trusts, local authorities, and arts organizations. The organization's portfolio encompasses studio services (client and partnership delivery), a curated audio-visual library archive, and named programmes such as Remembering What's Forgotten, the Poets of Colour Incubator, the Synergi Collaborative Centre, and the Museum of Colour virtual exhibitions, all focused on advancing racial equity and amplifying underrepresented voices in literature, arts, and mental health.

Product overview

Words of Colour Productions operates as 'The Immersive Change Agency' offering a portfolio of creative studio services, an audio-visual library archive, and various cultural programmes. The core offerings include client partnership delivery work through the Studio service, the Library (audio-visual archive with gallery, videos, and audio content), and project-based programmes such as Remembering What's Forgotten (digital exhibition on mental health), Poets of Colour Incubator (poetry career support), and the Museum of Colour virtual museum. The organization also delivers digital platforms including the RAFA2 eHub and the Synergi Collaborative Centre knowledge hub, along with annual events like Alex Wheatle Day.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Studio
• Remembering What's Forgotten
• Poets of Colour Incubator
• Keeping it Real
• Museum of Colour Virtual Exhibitions
• RAFA2 eHub
• Synergi Collaborative Centre
• Alex Wheatle Day

Quantifiable outcome

• 8,800+ views and 1,500+ visitors attracted to RAFA2 ehub in first year despite pandemic launch cancellation
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Museum of ColourcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWords of Colour was commissioned to create the online virtual museum for the Museum of Colour's first exhibition 'People of Letters', showcasing people of colour who contributed to UK literature. During the pandemic, they delivered a second exhibition 'Respect Due' working with artists Grace Lee, Naki Narh, and Erin Tse.
• Theatre PeckhamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founded Alex Wheatle Day with Theatre Peckham to celebrate the literary legacy of the multi-award-winning author. Theatre Peckham's CEO Suzann McLean adapted Alex Wheatle's novella 'Witness' for the stage, with Words of Colour as a partner delivering post-show panels and exhibitions.
• Manchester Metropolitan University - Manchester Poetry LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the Poets of Colour Incubator providing 12-month support for talented poets of colour to build sustainable careers amid racial inequity.
• University of RoehamptoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned in 2019 by the University of Roehampton's Dean of Students to develop a multi-media knowledge ehub for the RAFA2 project addressing the BAME attainment gap.
• Carshalton CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Carshalton College for the RAFA2 project addressing BAME student attainment.
• Queen Mary University of LondonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Queen Mary University of London for the RAFA2 project addressing BAME student attainment.
• University of ManchestercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner in the Synergi Collaborative Centre, a five-year national initiative to help eradicate ethnic inequalities in severe mental illness. Words of Colour led strategic communications, branding, and stakeholder engagement.
• University of OxfordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner in the Synergi Collaborative Centre alongside University of Manchester and Lankelly Chase.
• Black Thrive GlobalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to develop an anti-racist systems change approach to ensure Black communities are thriving, as part of Synergi's systems change work.
• Birmingham Voluntary Sector CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through BIRCH network bringing together community organisations and academic institutions across the West Midlands to support community-led health and social care research.
• NSUNcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health alliance partnership. NSUN hosted Synergi Phase 2 following succession planning process.
• University College London (UCL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Take Flight Hub, a professional development programme for emerging Black and Asian writers. Funded by UCL Knowledge and Innovation Rapid Response fund.
• Spread the WordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with UCL and Words of Colour on Take Flight Hub for emerging writers of colour.
• HarperCollinsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPublishing partner appearing on partners/clients section of website.
• Second HomeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative workspace partner appearing on partners section, hosting events.
• Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation TrustcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMental health trust partnership for systems change work addressing ethnic inequalities in mental health services.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Spread the Word: London-based literary development agency supporting underrepresented writers. Co-partner with Words of Colour on the Take Flight Hub for emerging Black and Asian writers, making it the most directly comparable peer in scope, audience, and delivery model.
• Renaissance One: Black British literary organisation and listed partner of Words of Colour. Operates in the same space of promoting writers of colour through events, training, and publishing, with a comparable UK-focused, programme-driven operating model.
• The Black Curriculum: UK social enterprise delivering creative programmes and resources on Black history in education. Shares Words of Colour's hybrid creative-agency/social-impact model and overlapping customer base of universities, schools, and cultural institutions.
• Ubele Initiative: Black-led social enterprise supporting African diaspora communities in the UK through enterprise, arts, and infrastructure programmes. Comparable as a UK-based, mission-driven creative/social-impact organisation working across cultural and community sectors.
• Black Thrive Global: UK initiative addressing racial inequity in mental health systems. Active Synergi partner of Words of Colour; both organisations deliver anti-racist systems change work into NHS and community settings using creative and research methods.
• Creative Diversity Network: UK organisation driving diversity and inclusion across the creative industries. Comparable as a UK non-profit working at the intersection of creative production, advocacy, and institutional partnerships in publishing, broadcast, and theatre.
• NSUN (National Survivor and User Network): UK mental health service-user network and Synergi partner/Phase 2 host. Operates as a non-profit creative and advocacy organisation in the mental health space, directly comparable to Words of Colour's mental health programme delivery work.

Broad incumbents

• Bush Theatre: London-based new-writing theatre and listed partner of Words of Colour. Operates as an established theatrical venue producing work with underrepresented voices; comparable in theatrical production focus but as a larger institution with a permanent venue.
• Jerwood Arts: Major UK arts funder and listed partner of Words of Colour. Operates as a larger, established funder and commissioner in the same arts and culture ecosystem where Words of Colour delivers programming.

Regional players

• New Writing North: UK literary development agency supporting writers in the North of England. Comparable in literary development and writer-incubator mission (akin to Poets of Colour Incubator) but regionally focused outside Words of Colour's London-centric footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/words-of-colour-productions-ltd

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 Words of Colour Productions