Southpaw Company

What Southpaw Company does

Southpaw Company (legal entity Southpaw Dance Productions) is a UK registered charity founded in 2013 and headquartered in Sunderland, producing large-scale dance theatre, outdoor spectaculars, indoor touring work, and participatory community programmes. It serves three overlapping constituencies: cultural commissioners (local authorities, festivals, and cultural institutions) that contract productions; community participants engaged through structured programmes (ORIGINS youth breaking and hip-hop ages 8-18, IGNITE professional dancer training, AMPLIFY community performance company); and audiences reached through touring work and ticketed or free events. Across its history the company has delivered 33 productions seen by approximately 350,000 audience members, with 20 of those co-created through 1,200 community consultations involving approximately 4,000 community cast participants.

The portfolio of offerings splits across three pillars: structured participation programmes (AMPLIFY, ORIGINS, IGNITE); commissioned productions spanning large-scale outdoor work, indoor touring, digital/immersive creation, and movement direction for external partners; and Southpaw Studio, a 180m² facility in the Sheepfolds district available for hire with planned additions of motion capture, projection mapping, aerial, and VR capacity. Production work integrates immersive performance technologies — projection-mapped environments, motion capture, augmented reality, and interactive visual systems — and is supported by a strategic creative relationship with PROTO in Gateshead, described as Europe's first digital production facility of its kind.

Revenue is generated through four streams: negotiated commission fees for performance production (the largest stream, with named commissioners including Hull City of Culture, Brent: London Borough of Culture 2020, Rugby League World Cup, National Theatre, and Lyric Hammersmith); one-time studio hire income; recurring class and programme fees booked through an online scheduling platform for ORIGINS, IGNITE, and AMPLIFY; and donations and charitable grants under the registered charity structure. The company is led by Artistic Director Robby Graham (a choreographer and movement director for the National Theatre's Angels in America and Pericles) and Executive Director Catherine Johns (former Executive Director of Dance City), with governance from a Board of Trustees chaired by Jill McKinney.

Name

Southpaw Company

Legal name

Southpaw Dance Productions

Website

https://southpaw.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Southpaw Company is a UK-registered charity creating large-scale dance theatre, outdoor spectacles, and community participation programmes from Sunderland, serving local authorities, festivals, and cultural institutions across the UK and selectively internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts / Dance Theatre

NAICS

Dance Companies (71112), Other Performing Arts Companies (71119), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural & Folk Dance Performances (MPAGADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB), Community Music & Dance Festivals (Non-Commercial/Local) (MPAGAEAH)

Keywords

• Large-scale dance theatre
• Community dance programmes
• Performance commissions
• Youth dance training
• Movement direction services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sunderland

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Performance and Production Commissions: Southpaw creates large-scale performances for commissions from local authorities, cultural festivals, and events (e.g., Hull City of Culture, Brent: London Borough of Culture 2020, Culture House opening). Revenue is earned through negotiated commission fees for the creation and delivery of productions.
2. Studio Hire: Southpaw Studio, a fully-equipped 180m² creative space in Sunderland's Sheepfolds district, is available for hire to support local artists and generate rental income.
3. Class and Programme Fees: Revenue from class bookings for programmes such as ORIGINS (youth breaking/hip-hop), IGNITE (professional training), and AMPLIFY (community performances), managed through an online booking system.
4. Donations and Charitable Funding: As a registered charity, Southpaw receives donations, charitable grants, and supporter contributions. The Data Protection Policy references donor management and Gift Aid administration.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Southpaw Company creates large-scale dance theatre, participatory community projects, and studio-based programmes. Core offerings include commissioned touring performances for local authorities and festivals, three community programmes (AMPLIFY community performance company, ORIGINS youth breaking/hip-hop training for ages 8-18, IGNITE professional dancer training), movement direction services, digital/immersive performance work, and Southpaw Studio hire in Sunderland.

Product overview

Southpaw Company is a dance and performance production company offering a portfolio of community-focused programs and professional performance services. Their core programs include AMPLIFY (Community Performance Company for the North East), ORIGINS (youth dance program for ages 8-18 in breaking and hip-hop), and IGNITE (professional dancer training). They operate Southpaw Studio, a 180m² creative facility in Sunderland with plans for digital capabilities including Motion Capture, Projection Mapping, and VR. Their services span large scale community performances, indoor and outdoor touring productions, digital content, movement direction, and custom commissions. The company is led by Artistic Director Robby Graham and creates work combining artistic integrity with engaging narratives, having reached 350,000 audience members across 33 productions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AMPLIFY Community Performance Company A community performance company that recruits and trains community members to perform in Southpaw's large-scale productions, including the opening event HOME for the landmark building CULTURE HOUSE in Sunderland. Open to community members across the North East.
• ORIGINS Youth Dance Programme A youth dance programme for ages 8-18 that breaks barriers and empowers young dancers through breaking and hip-hop styles, providing regular training and performance opportunities aimed at building the next generation of dancers.
• IGNITE Professional Training Class A high-level training class for professional dancers and advanced students, focused on dynamic movement, musicality, and Southpaw's signature physicality.
• Southpaw Studio Hire A 180m² fully-equipped creative studio in Sunderland's Sheepfolds district available for hire for rehearsals, performances, and community activities. Open-plan space, changing rooms, mezzanine, and planned digital capacity including motion capture, projection mapping, aerial, and VR.
• Commissioned Large-Scale Outdoor Performances Bespoke large-scale outdoor spectaculars and community performances commissioned by local authorities, festivals, and cultural organisations (e.g., Hull City of Culture 2017, Brent: London Borough of Culture 2020 opening, Castlemaine State Festival, Freedom Festival, Rugby League World Cup cultural programme).
• Commissioned Indoor Touring Productions Theatre-based dance productions that tour to indoor venues, including work staged at the Lyric Hammersmith, Live Theatre Newcastle, and the Greenwich Docklands Festival.
• Movement Direction Services Choreography and movement direction services for external productions, partnerships, and venue partners. Includes Robby Graham's movement direction at the National Theatre (Angels in America, Pericles).
• Digital and Immersive Performance Work Digital content creation and immersive technology-integrated performance work combining live movement with motion capture, projection mapping, VR, and augmented reality.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% participant satisfaction rate (confidence, belonging, wellbeing) in RIDE and STEAM programmes in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 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

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• National TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRobby Graham worked as Choreographer and Movement Director for Marianne Elliott's acclaimed production of Angels in America at the National Theatre. He also choreographed Pericles, the NT's first Public Acts performance incorporating over 200 community cast members from all over London.
• Hull City of CulturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthpaw developed large-scale performances as part of Hull's UK City of Culture 2017, one of the company's most significant commissioning partnerships.
• Brent Council (London Borough of Culture 2020)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthpaw was commissioned to create the opening event for Brent: London Borough of Culture 2020, a major civic cultural commissioning partnership.
• Lyric HammersmithcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthpaw directed and choreographed Leave To Remain at the Lyric Hammersmith, and created a large-scale adaptation of Jonathan Harvey's Beautiful Thing for Greenwich Docklands Festival. Ongoing artistic relationship with the venue.
• PROTO (Gateshead)coreTechnology or IntegrationPROTO, located in Gateshead, North East England, is Europe's first digital production facility of its kind. Tom Scarborough/PROTO is listed as a creative collaborator providing advanced media production capability for Southpaw's digital and immersive projects.
• LeftCoast BlackpoolmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeftCoast Blackpool commissioned Southpaw for large-scale outdoor work as part of Blackpool's cultural programme.
• Cultural SpringmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth Middlesbrough Council and Cultural Spring partnered with Southpaw for large-scale community performance projects.
• South Middlesbrough CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth Middlesbrough Council partnered with Southpaw on large-scale community performances.
• Freedom FestivalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFreedom Festival commissioned Southpaw for outdoor performance work as part of the annual cultural festival.
• Castlemaine State Festival (Australia)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership for Southpaw's opening event for the Castlemaine State Festival in Australia, demonstrating the company's international reach.
• Rugby League World CupmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned Southpaw for 'This Is Us: The Power of Performance', a cultural programme accompanying the Rugby League World Cup, an international sporting event.
• Live Theatre NewcastlemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner organisation for Southpaw's dance and theatre projects.
• Greenwich Docklands FestivalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthpaw created a large-scale outdoor adaptation of Jonathan Harvey's Beautiful Thing for Greenwich Docklands Festival.
• Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)supportingOthersSouthpaw's safeguarding policy is based on relevant guidance and accredited training provided by SCIE. SCIE provides the framework for safeguarding vulnerable adults across the organisation.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Northern Ballet: Leeds-based national ballet company producing large-scale touring productions alongside extensive learning and participation programmes. Comparable to Southpaw in producing large-scale dance theatre for both conventional venues and outdoor/community contexts, with a strong participation ethos.
• Tavaziva Dance: UK-based contemporary dance company creating touring productions that blend dance theatre with narrative. Comparable to Southpaw in producing narrative-driven dance theatre for UK touring circuits - notably, Southpaw Company Manager Kate Pilbeam trained as an apprentice at Tavaziva.
• National Dance Company Wales: Wales-based national contemporary dance company producing touring performances and community engagement programmes. Directly comparable to Southpaw as a regionally-rooted UK dance company blending professional productions with community participation.
• Akram Khan Company: Internationally touring contemporary dance company producing large-scale theatrical work, with strong UK touring and community engagement programmes. Comparable to Southpaw in scale of ambition, blend of intimate and large-scale work, and international festival presence.
• Hofesh Shechter Company: UK-based contemporary dance company creating touring theatre work and large-scale productions. Comparable to Southpaw in producing contemporary dance for both theatre and outdoor festival contexts, with overlapping international touring reach.
• Dance City: Newcastle-based dance development organisation offering community classes, professional development and touring productions. Highly comparable to Southpaw - both North East England-focused, both blending community participation with professional performance, and Southpaw's Executive Director Catherine Johns previously led Dance City.
• Phoenix Dance Theatre: Leeds-based contemporary dance company producing touring repertoire and outreach programmes. Comparable to Southpaw as a regional UK dance company combining professional touring with educational and community engagement work.
• Ballet Rambert: One of the UK's leading contemporary dance companies, producing touring repertoire, community engagement programmes and large-scale work. Comparable to Southpaw as a UK-based contemporary dance company combining professional touring with participatory community programming.
• MBD: Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation producing immersive indoor, outdoor and online projects, including digital and projection-based work. Directly comparable to Southpaw - Board Member Paul Long is MBD's CEO, and MBD is a strategic creative collaborator on Southpaw's digital and immersive productions.

Broad incumbents

• English National Ballet: One of the UK's largest dance companies, producing classical and contemporary touring repertoire alongside extensive learning programmes. Comparable to Southpaw as a UK dance producer with national reach, but operates at significantly larger scale and broader portfolio than Southpaw's community-and-contemporary focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/southpawdancecompany
• Instagraminstagram.com/southpawcompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southpaw-dance-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Southpaw Company