Turtle Key Arts
Turtle Key Arts is a UK registered charity producing free participatory arts programmes for autistic people, people with dementia, dyslexic young people, and young people with HIV, alongside co-produced touring circus and theatre productions, based in London.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Turtle Key Arts does
Turtle Key Arts is a UK registered charity (Charity Number 1003113) founded in 1989 that develops and produces participatory arts programmes and theatrical productions targeted at vulnerable populations. Operating from Lyric Hammersmith in London, the organisation runs free creative programmes including Key Club (a monthly arts club for autistic young people aged 16-30, since 2003), Turtle Opera (music and drama workshops for autistic children, since 2001), Turtle Song (songwriting for people with dementia, since 2008), Key Words (playwriting for dyslexic young people in partnership with Royal Court Theatre, since 2012), Musical Portraits and Studio Hub (at the National Portrait Gallery, for autistic children and adults respectively), and Art is Key (a creative project for young people living with HIV in partnership with CHIVA). In 2025, the organisation reported reaching 13,000 audience members, working with 250 artists, and engaging 1,200 participants.
Turtle Key Arts firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Turtle Key Arts
- Legal name
- Turtle Key Arts
- Website
- https://turtlekeyarts.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Turtle Key Arts is a UK registered charity producing free participatory arts programmes for autistic people, people with dementia, dyslexic young people, and young people with HIV, alongside co-produced touring circus and theatre productions, based in London.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Turtle Key Arts industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Arts Services
- NAICS
- Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Dance Companies (71112), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Disability Employment & Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Programs (EDAAAOAI), Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE)
Keywords
Where Turtle Key Arts is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Turtle Key Arts business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: The organization is a registered charity (Number 1003113) that relies on public donations to fund its programs. All participation projects for young people with autism are free of charge.
- Charitable Grants: Funding from trusts and foundations including John Lyon's Charity, Arts Council England, Creative Scotland, and others to support specific programs.
- Performance Revenue: Productions such as Collaborator (Ockham's Razor) and Tell Me (Sadiq Ali Company) generate revenue through touring and performance fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Multi-year contract | Free participation programs for autistic young people |
| Freemium | Multi-year contract | Free participation programs for people with dementia |
| Freemium | Multi-year contract | Free playwriting workshops for dyslexic young people |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
Turtle Key Arts product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Turtle Key Arts is a registered UK charity that develops and produces free participatory arts programmes for autistic children, young people and adults, people living with dementia, dyslexic young people, and young people living with HIV. It also co-produces and tours theatrical, dance and circus productions, including work with partner companies such as Ockham's Razor and Sadiq Ali Company. Programmes are delivered through workshops, residencies and performances at partner venues across the UK, with all participation projects free of charge to beneficiaries.
Product overview
Turtle Key Arts is a creative arts charity and producer of theatre, dance, circus and participation projects. The organisation does not offer a unified software product but rather a portfolio of free community arts programmes targeting specific beneficiary groups: Key Club and Turtle Opera for autistic young people (ages 16–30 and children respectively), Studio Hub for autistic adults, Turtle Song for people with dementia, Key Words for dyslexic young people in partnership with the Royal Court Theatre, Musical Portraits for autistic children, and Art is Key for young people living with HIV in partnership with CHIVA. The organisation also co-produces and tours theatrical and circus productions including works by partner companies such as Ockham's Razor (Circus) and Sadiq Ali Company (Tell Me), and runs a producer mentorship scheme. All participation projects are free to participants, funded by charitable donations and trusts including John Lyon's Charity.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Key Club: Monthly arts club for autistic young people aged 18-30 years old, running since 2003 at The Lyric Hammersmith and Finchley Youth Theatre.
- Turtle Opera
- Turtle Song
- Musical Portraits
- Key Words
- Art is Key
- Theatre Uncontained
- Studio Hub
Products and services
- Key Club A free monthly arts club for young people on the autism spectrum, held at The Lyric Hammersmith and Finchley Youth Theatre. Participants engage in creative workshops including films, pop songs, videos, theatre, art exhibitions, opera, books, animations, TV and radio programmes, puppetry and circus skills.
- Turtle Opera A music and drama programme for young autistic people, delivered over nine Saturday workshops where participants work with a professional composer and director to create their own music and story culminating in a performance for friends and family.
- Turtle Song A singing and songwriting creative programme for people living with dementia and their companions, running since 2008 and recognised as a finalist in the National Dementia Care Awards. The programme brings people together to create original songs and build meaningful connections.
- Key Words A free playwriting programme for 11–14 year olds with dyslexia or other challenges with writing, run in partnership with The Royal Court Theatre. Participants develop their own play over 8 after-school workshops with a professional writer and director, with plays performed by professional actors and printed as a paperback.
- Musical Portraits A week-long summer holiday project where participants use the portraits at the National Portrait Gallery as stimulus to create their own visual art and music, for young autistic people.
- Art is Key A week-long creative project for young people in the UK living with HIV, delivered in partnership with Turtle Key Arts and CHIVA (Children's HIV Association). Working with professional artists across dance, theatre, music, recording and film, participants create original work culminating in a sharing for an invited audience.
- Studio Hub A monthly creative programme for autistic adults, delivered in partnership with the National Portrait Gallery. Participants explore the gallery's collections, develop their own artistic practice and work collaboratively on creative projects, guided by artist Marc Woodhead and Belinda Sculley from the National Portrait Gallery.
- Theatre Uncontained A playwriting project delivered in collaboration with the Royal Court Theatre for participants on the autism spectrum.
- Theatre Box A creative technical theatre education project delivered in schools, funded by John Lyon's Charity, teaching set design, costume design, sound and lighting.
- Tell Me (Sadiq Ali Company) A captivating contemporary circus and dance show by Sadiq Ali Company, produced by Turtle Key Arts, that reimagines the narrative around HIV through Chinese Pole performances on aerial cubes, following a woman's journey navigating her diagnosis.
- Collaborator (Ockham's Razor) Award-winning contemporary aerial theatre production by Ockham's Razor, produced by Turtle Key Arts. Turtle Key Arts provides production support including equipment and rigging consultancy.
- JOY A celebration of West London disabled artists, produced as a partner production with Turtle Key Arts.
Quantifiable outcome
- 13,000 audience members reached in 2025
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Turtle Key Arts
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Turtle Key Arts technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature5 records
Turtle Key Arts partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- National Portrait GallerycorePartnership for Studio Hub - monthly creative workshops for autistic adults held at the Gallery. Also partner for Musical Portraits summer program using Gallery portraits as stimulus.
- Royal Court TheatrecorePartnership for Key Words playwriting workshops for dyslexic young people. Performances held at Royal Court Theatre with professional actors.
- CHIVA (Children's HIV Association)corePartnership for Art is Key project - week-long creative program for young people living with HIV in the UK.
- Ockham's RazorcoreAward-winning contemporary circus company. Turtle Key Arts produces their shows including Collaborator and Tipping Point. Long-term creative partnership.
- Young AmiciminorInclusive dance theatre company for young people. Mentioned in site navigation and gallery.
- Sadiq Ali CompanycoreEmerging circus company specializing in Chinese Pole. Turtle Key Arts produces their show 'Tell Me' about living with HIV, touring to Edinburgh Fringe 2026.
- Positively UKminorCharity partner for Tell Me production - provides support and information for people living with HIV.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Turtle Key Arts competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mind the Gap: England's largest learning-disability theatre company producing professional theatre and performance opportunities for learning-disabled artists. Direct peer: shares the disability-inclusive producing model and touring participation programmes.
- Access All Areas: London-based theatre company creating work with learning-disabled and autistic artists, running training, participation and performance programmes. Direct peer: same London-base, learning-disabled/autistic beneficiary focus, and free participation model.
- Stopgap Dance Company: Inclusive dance company creating work with disabled and non-disabled dancers, including a participation programme for young disabled people. Direct peer: same dance-and-circus production model combined with community participation for disabled beneficiaries.
- Spare Tyre Theatre: London-based inclusive theatre company creating work with and for older people, disabled people, and those living with dementia. Direct peer: comparable focus on dementia-inclusive arts (overlaps Turtle Song) and participatory theatre for marginalised groups.
- Hijinx Theatre: Wales-based inclusive theatre company producing professional work with learning-disabled and autistic actors alongside participation programmes. Direct peer: same disability-led producing model with autistic and learning-disabled beneficiary focus.
- Open Theatre Company: UK inclusive theatre company working with learning-disabled artists to create original performance work, with associated participation programmes. Direct peer: same disability-inclusive producing and participation approach.
- Candoco Dance Company: Internationally touring inclusive dance company integrating disabled and non-disabled dancers. Direct peer: comparable UK inclusive dance and participation model with national touring productions.
- Graeae Theatre Company: UK's leading disability-led theatre company producing theatre and participation work with Deaf and disabled artists. Direct peer: same disability-inclusive theatre producer model, similar UK Arts Council-funded structure, and overlapping audience and artist communities.
Broad incumbents
- Ockham's Razor: Award-winning UK contemporary circus company. Listed here as a core producing partner of Turtle Key Arts (Collaborator, Tipping Point) rather than a competitor — the relationship is collaboration, but the company operates in the same aerial/contemporary circus production space.
- Battersea Arts Centre: Large London arts centre producing and touring participation-led work, with a strong social-impact and inclusive programming remit. Wider-portfolio incumbent: shares the participatory-arts and social-mission model but operates at significantly larger scale and venue-ownership footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Turtle Key Arts social profiles
Digital presenceTurtle Key Arts financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Turtle Key Arts leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Turtle Key Arts funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Turtle Key Arts M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Turtle Key Arts
What does Turtle Key Arts do?
Turtle Key Arts is a registered UK charity that develops and produces free participatory arts programmes for autistic children, young people and adults, people living with dementia, dyslexic young people, and young people living with HIV. It also co-produces and tours theatrical, dance and circus productions, including work with partner companies such as Ockham's Razor and Sadiq Ali Company. Programmes are delivered through workshops, residencies and performances at partner venues across the UK, with all participation projects free of charge to beneficiaries.
Is Turtle Key Arts a public or private company?
Turtle Key Arts is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Turtle Key Arts founded?
Turtle Key Arts was founded in 1999. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Turtle Key Arts based?
Turtle Key Arts is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Turtle Key Arts make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are charitable Grants and performance Revenue.
Who are Turtle Key Arts's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mind the Gap, Access All Areas, Stopgap Dance Company, Spare Tyre Theatre, Hijinx Theatre, Open Theatre Company, Candoco Dance Company and Graeae Theatre Company. Broad incumbents are Ockham's Razor and Battersea Arts Centre.
Does Turtle Key Arts have an API?
No public API is recorded for Turtle Key Arts.
What industry is Turtle Key Arts in?
Turtle Key Arts's product category is Community Arts Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAC, Arts Education & Community Arts Programs, with a secondary code of EDAAAOAI, Disability Employment & Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Programs. Its NAICS code is 71 and its SIC code is 7900.