What Arts Emergency does

Arts Emergency is a UK-registered charity (Charity Number 1152377, Company Number 07655709) founded in 2013 by comedian Josie Long and activist Neil Griffiths to address structural inequality in the creative industries. The organisation operates a year-long one-to-one mentoring programme that pairs underrepresented young people with creative industry professionals, supplemented by a Young Community (ongoing alumni support until age 26), a paid Youth Collective that places former mentees in governance roles, and the Arts Emergency Network of over 9,000 creative professionals. Programmes are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries across London, Brighton, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside, with exploratory outreach underway for West Yorkshire. The organisation reports 100% of mentees gaining opportunities they would not have had otherwise and 98% showing improved knowledge of routes into industry.

The underlying delivery model is community-led and human-relational rather than technology-based. There is no proprietary software platform, API, or AI system; matching, mentoring delivery, and impact measurement rely on direct staff and volunteer engagement, supplemented by a website (arts-emergency.org), email newsletter, and social channels (Bluesky, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn). Recent product and programming milestones include the 2023 'Art World Is Our World' festival celebrating the organisation's 10th birthday.

The revenue model is donation-based across three streams: (1) individual recurring donations at a suggested £3 per month, plus a 'Bursar Club' tier; (2) corporate and foundation grants, including match-funded campaigns such as the 2024 Big Give (which raised £21,525 with match funding from comedians Joe Lycett and Rhod Gilbert and the Laura Kinsella Foundation); (3) event-based fundraising, exemplified by comedian Olga Koch raising nearly £10,000 through her 2024 Edinburgh Fringe and Soho Theatre show. Lucy Newton, who led fundraising and marketing and increased annual revenue by 250% during her tenure, was appointed co-CEO alongside founder Neil Griffiths in September 2025, alongside four new trustees.

Name

Arts Emergency

Legal name

Arts Emergency

Website

https://arts-emergency.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Arts Emergency is a UK charity founded in 2013 that provides year-long mentoring, networks, and creative industry opportunities to underrepresented young people across London, Brighton, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, and exploring West Yorkshire.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Mentoring Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts & Culture Service/Support Organizations (Networks, Advocacy, Capacity Building) (BPAGAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)

Keywords

• Youth mentoring programs
• Arts access charity
• Creative industry networks
• Community fundraising nonprofit
• Nonprofit mentoring services

Headquarters

HQ city

City Of London

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. Individual Donations and Membership: The organisation relies heavily on monthly donations from individual supporters, with a suggested contribution of £3 per month. They also have a 'Bursar Club' for regular donors and encourage one-time and recurring gifts from the public.
2. Corporate and Foundation Grants: Arts Emergency receives funding from institutional donors, foundations, and corporate partners. This includes match funding campaigns like the Big Give and contributions from high-profile individuals who fundraise on the organisation's behalf.
3. Fundraising Events: The organisation conducts fundraising activities including events where supporters like comedians and performers donate proceeds. For example, comedian Olga Koch raised nearly £10,000 through her Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Soho Theatre show.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Arts Emergency is a UK-registered charity that runs a year-long one-to-one Mentoring Programme pairing underrepresented young people with creative industry professionals, alongside a Young Community alumni network (support to age 26), a paid Youth Collective advisory group of former mentees, and the Arts Emergency Network of 9,000+ creatives. Together these programmes deliver mentoring, work experience placements, networking, and career pathway support in the arts and humanities, provided free of charge to beneficiaries.

Product overview

Arts Emergency is a grassroots movement and charity (Registered Charity Number 1152377) that operates as a unified platform connecting underrepresented young people to creative industry mentorship, networking, and real-world opportunities. The core offering consists of a year-long Mentoring Programme matching young people with creative professionals, supplemented by the ongoing Young Community (providing support until age 26) and the Youth Collective (a paid advisory group of former mentees). Additional services include work experience placements, industry connections through the Arts Emergency Network (9,000+ members), and events such as the Art World Is Our World festival. The organisation focuses on arts, humanities, and creative industries including film, TV, illustration, architecture, writing, theatre, music, dance, and games design.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mentoring Programme A year-long one-to-one mentorship matching underrepresented young people with creative industry professionals, providing guidance on career pathways, portfolio building, industry insights, and professional networking. The programme supports over 300 young people annually across London, Brighton, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside.
• Young Community An ongoing community network for young people who have completed the Mentoring Programme, providing continued support, resources, and opportunities until age 26. The community includes nearly 2,000 members who benefit from networking, information sharing, and collective advocacy.
• Youth Collective A paid advisory group of former mentees who work closely with Arts Emergency to ensure young people's voices shape the organisation. Members advocate for young people's interests, provide feedback on plans, and take leadership roles in cultivating the Young Community agenda.
• Work Experience & Opportunities Facilitates paid work placements, internships, and real-world industry experiences for young people with creative agencies, theatres, production companies, and other cultural organisations. Includes introductions to industry professionals and connections to employment opportunities.
• Arts Emergency Network A network of over 9,000 creative professionals who share resources, information, and opportunities with underrepresented young people. The network functions as an "alternative old boy network" connecting mentees to industry contacts and career pathways.
• The Art World Is Our World Festival A festival organised by the Youth Collective celebrating Arts Emergency's 10th Birthday, bringing together Young Community members for panels, workshops, and networking with industry professionals.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of mentees gained opportunities they wouldn't have had without Arts Emergency
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Schools, Colleges and Youth OrganisationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts Emergency partners with educational institutions to identify and refer young people who would benefit from mentoring support. Schools and colleges promote the programme to students interested in creative careers.
• Creative Industries EmployerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative professionals and employers provide mentoring, work experience placements, and networking opportunities for mentees. This includes architecture firms, publishers, animation studios, theatre companies, and other creative organisations.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Creative UK: Industry body representing the UK creative industries, formerly the Creative Industries Federation. Operates policy advocacy and sector development programmes intersecting with Arts Emergency's access-and-equality mission, though as a membership body rather than direct service provider.
• Prince's Trust: Major UK youth charity supporting education, training, employment, and creative pathways for disadvantaged young people. Overlaps with Arts Emergency's beneficiary profile and mentoring approach but operates at much larger scale across all sectors.
• ScreenSkills: UK industry-led skills body administering training, mentoring, and access programmes for the screen and creative industries. Overlaps with Arts Emergency's mission but operates at much greater scale and breadth across all screen sectors.

Direct peers

• Into Film: UK-wide education charity using film and screen industries to support young people's learning, with mentoring, industry access, and creative career pathway components that mirror Arts Emergency's approach in a single creative sector.
• Creative Access: UK charity specifically focused on helping underrepresented talent enter the creative industries through mentoring, paid internships, and career support. Closest comparable mission to Arts Emergency, with overlapping beneficiary profile and mentoring model.
• A New Direction: London-based charity unlocking creative opportunities for young people through partnerships with cultural organisations and education institutions. Comparable youth-focused arts access mission and partnership-driven delivery model.
• Sound Connections: London-based charity developing young people's music-making and creative potential through mentoring, training, and industry access programmes. Comparable mentoring-driven model for underrepresented young creatives in a specific arts vertical.
• Creative Youth Network: Bristol-based youth charity supporting young people's creative development through arts programmes, mentoring, and industry pathways. Comparable mission, beneficiary profile, and mentoring-led approach, though geographically focused on the South West.
• National Youth Theatre: Long-established UK charity providing young people from all backgrounds access to theatre and creative industries through training, mentoring, and production opportunities. Directly comparable mission around democratising access to creative careers.
• Awards for Young Musicians: UK charity supporting young musicians from low-income backgrounds through awards, mentoring, and career development support. Narrower creative-sector focus but directly comparable mission around removing financial and social barriers to creative careers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ArtsEmergency
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arts-emergency
• Instagraminstagram.com/artsemergency

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Arts Emergency