Seekers Create

What Seekers Create does

Seekers Create is a Portsmouth-based Community Interest Company (social enterprise) that delivers participatory creative arts programmes to engage schools, community groups, local councils, charities, universities, and businesses. Founded in 2019 and led by co-directors Clair Martin and Steve Baker, the organisation applies asset-based community development principles to design and run workshops, community murals, interactive trails (walkshops), and large public-facing events including We Shine, Pompey Games, Victorious Festival, and Portsmouth 100 Sparks. Notable programmes include the Seek Your Spark colouring book and workshop series, the KoCreate neurodivergent creative group (delivered with Flow Observatorium, Room One, and Portsmouth Autism Community Forum), and the Seekers Social Travel Club supporting young people with additional needs.

The organisation does not operate a software platform; its core delivery consists of physical creative outputs—murals, trails, installations, and a colouring book—augmented by QR-code-enabled interactive trails, digital maps, and social media content. Outputs have scaled materially: the People of Paulsgrove mural was co-designed with over 1,000 residents; the Guildhall Doodle Towers installation attracted 6,000+ contributors at Comicon Portsmouth 2024; and 17,000 colouring books were distributed to primary school children across approximately 50 schools as part of Portsmouth 100 Sparks.

Revenue is generated through three streams: commissioned creative engagement services from councils, schools, charities, and universities (project-by-project pricing, no public list); restricted grant funding, notably from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for heritage trail projects; and consumer product sales of the Seek Your Spark Community Colouring Book at £5.99 per unit. The organisation is founder-owned with no external equity, operates regionally across Portsmouth, Hampshire, and Gosport, and acquires clients through community networks, partner amplification, public events, and direct institutional relationships.

Name

Seekers Create

Legal name

Seekers Social Enterprise C.I.C

Website

https://seekerscreate.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Seekers Create is a Portsmouth-based Community Interest Company that delivers participatory creative arts programmes—including murals, workshops, and interactive trails—to engage schools, councils, charities, universities, and community groups across Hampshire.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Arts and Creative Engagement Services

NAICS

Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAMAAAD

Crafts & Maker Arts (Ceramics, Textiles, Jewelry, Mixed Media)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Arts & Creative Enrichment (Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Dance)

SECONDARYTHAJAKAA

Arts & Crafts Workshops (Painting, Pottery, Ceramics, Sculpture)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Workshops & Classes (Arts, Crafts, Skills & Local Lessons)

Keywords

• Community engagement services
• Participatory arts workshops
• Community mural design
• Heritage trail creation
• Creative consultation

Headquarters

HQ city

Portsmouth

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Commissioned Creative Engagement Services: Seekers Create is commissioned by councils, schools, charities, universities, and businesses to design and run creative workshops, murals, walkshops, and interactive trails. These are fee-for-service engagements where clients pay for creative consultation and community engagement delivery.
2. Grant and Lottery Funding: Seekers Create receives grant funding from organizations such as the National Lottery Heritage Fund to deliver specific community projects including the Spice Island Trail, Follow Shirley's Flag Trail, and Celebrating 100 Years of the Portsmouth Club. These are restricted-use project grants.
3. Product Sales: Seekers Create sells products such as the Seek Your Spark Community Colouring Book at £5.99 per unit, with free monthly workshops included with purchase.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Seekers Create is a Portsmouth-based social enterprise that designs and delivers creative community development services — including co-designed murals, walkshops, interactive heritage trails, and inclusive workshops — commissioned by councils, schools, charities, universities, and businesses. The work uses participatory arts and asset-based community development to engage people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds, producing tangible community assets and engagement data. Ancillary offerings include a consumer colouring book and a weekly neurodivergent creative group (KoCreate).

Product overview

Seekers Create is a social enterprise offering creative community development services through a portfolio of interconnected programmes and products. The core offerings include community murals, interactive trails, and creative workshops designed to bring people together and build stronger communities. Key products include the Seek Your Spark Community Colouring Book (a purchasable product with associated free workshops), various heritage trails (Spice Island Trail, Victoria Park Trail, Portsmouth 100 Sparks trails), and the KoCreate neurodivergent creative group. The company also delivers bespoke engagement programmes for councils, schools, charities, and businesses, with offerings ranging from murals and workshops to the DoodleBox mental health game and travel training services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Seek Your Spark: Community colouring book and workshop programme in collaboration with Spark Community Space, promoting creativity, connection, and well-being.
• KoCreate
• Seekers Social Travel Club

Products and services

• Seek Your Spark Community Colouring Book A community colouring book designed to inspire joy, self-expression, and mindfulness through creative colouring pages, sold at £5.99 per unit with access to free monthly Seek Your Spark workshops. Aimed at community members, schools, and families across Portsmouth.
• Creative Community Development Workshops Inclusive creative workshops designed to engage people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds in community engagement activities, including mural-making, walkshops, and interactive trails. Commissioned by councils, schools, charities, universities, and businesses.
• Community Murals Co-designed community murals created through participatory workshops with local residents and partners across Portsmouth, including the People of Paulsgrove, The Peacock of Pride, Love & Hope Community Mural, Banya Rainbow Phoenix, and Guildhall Doodle Towers. Delivered for councils, charities, and community partners.
• Victoria Park Interactive Trail Family adventure trail featuring the Guardians of Victoria Park story, with downloadable maps and colouring books for children to explore and discover animal guardians. Aimed at families and children in Portsmouth.
• Spice Island Trail Self-guided heritage trail through Old Portsmouth exploring maritime history, created collaboratively with local communities and young volunteers as part of a National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported project. Aimed at residents, visitors, schools, and heritage audiences.
• KoCreate Weekly creative group run by and for neurodivergent people in Portsmouth and nationally via Zoom, providing a friendly, accepting space for creative activities. Co-delivered with Flow Observatorium and Room One.
• DoodleBox / BUG OFF! Game Creative game designed to help young carers express themselves through colour, doodles, and voice to address mental health challenges using creative self-defence. Aimed at young carers and mental health support settings.
• Portsmouth 100 Sparks City-wide creative programme celebrating Portsmouth's centenary with colouring books, Port to Port digital trail, Pride of Portsmouth lion trail, and Pompey Games event. Aimed at Portsmouth residents, schools, and visitors.
• Seekers Social Travel Club Initiative helping young people, especially those with additional needs, gain skills and confidence to navigate public transport independently through training and safe space networks. Delivered in partnership with SEND Faces.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 local residents and schoolchildren co-created the People of Paulsgrove mural.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

31 partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and supporting.

• Portsmouth City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortsmouth City Council works with Seekers Create on community engagement projects including murals at Hilsea Lido and other civic creative initiatives. The council is a repeat commissioner and strategic partner for community cohesion work.
• Portsmouth CreatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortsmouth Creates is a not-for-profit organisation that leads city-wide creative initiatives including In Our Words 2025 and We Shine Portsmouth. Seekers Create is a key delivery partner on multiple Portsmouth Creates projects, including Where We Live and the Change Maker Project.
• Spark Community SpacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpark Community Space is a charity dedicated to combating social isolation, operating hubs in Southsea and Fratton. Seekers Create partners with Spark Community Space on Portsmouth 100 Sparks and hosts Seek Your Spark monthly workshops at Spark Community Space. Both organisations are co-founders of the Portsmouth 100 Sparks initiative alongside Shaping Portsmouth.
• Shaping PortsmouthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShaping Portsmouth is a not-for-profit business leadership organisation. Together with Seekers Create and Spark Community Space, Shaping Portsmouth co-founded the Portsmouth 100 Sparks city-wide creative programme, combining creativity, business leadership, and community support.
• University of PortsmouthkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Portsmouth partners with Seekers Create on multiple projects including student engagement, trail making, and creative events. The University of Portsmouth Careers and Employability Service refers student volunteers to Seekers Create and collaborates on recruitment events. Seekers have worked with the university on Spice Island Trail and other heritage projects.
• Mountjoy LtdkeyGTM or Marketing PartnerMountjoy Ltd is a construction and engineering company that sponsored the HOPE lioness sculpture as part of the Pride of Portsmouth Lion Trail. Seekers Create designed and delivered the mural in collaboration with Mountjoy and five of their community partner organisations.
• Portsmouth Music HubkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortsmouth Music Hub partnered with Seekers Create on the Change Maker Project, bringing together hundreds of young people across eight schools. The collaboration combined music, storytelling, and doodling to explore how young people can be changemakers in their community, culminating in a performance at New Theatre Royal.
• BH LivekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerBH Live is a charitable social enterprise providing leisure venues and event spaces. They partner with Seekers Create to deliver the Pompey Games event at the Mountbatten Leisure Centre, with BH Live providing the venue, equipment, and activity delivery while Seekers leads creative engagement, design, and storytelling.
• SEND FaceskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEND Faces is a Portsmouth-based organisation supporting families of children with special educational needs and disabilities. Seekers Create partners with SEND Faces on the Seekers Social Travel Club to co-create resources and experiences that empower young people with additional needs to travel independently and access cultural spaces.
• Practice Plus GroupsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPractice Plus Group is a leading independent healthcare provider in the UK. They are the named sponsor of the Seek Your Spark Community Colouring Book project, which promotes wellbeing, creativity, and inclusivity. Their contribution made the project and its free monthly workshops possible.
• Room OnekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoom One is a space managed by autistic people for autistic people in Portsmouth. It hosts the weekly KoCreate creative sessions, providing the physical venue and peer support environment for neurodivergent adults to participate in creative activities.
• Flow ObservatoriumkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlow Observatorium is a Portsmouth-based equality and diversity charity set up with Arts Council England funding in 2017, aiming to become a national hub led by neurodivergent people. In conjunction with Portsmouth Autism Community Forum and Room One, Flow Observatorium runs the KoCreate weekly creative group for neurodivergent people, facilitated by autistic artist Jon Adams. The project was initially funded by a Thriving Communities grant through The You Trust and continues via Flow Observatorium's Arts Council England funding.
• Portsmouth Autism Community Forum (PACF)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortsmouth Autism Community Forum (PACF) co-founded the KoCreate collective together with Flow Observatorium, Room One, and Seekers Create, contributing to the governance and community connection of the neurodivergent creative programme.
• Solent UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolent University collaborates with Seekers Create on sustainability, team development, and community trail projects. The university has been involved in discussions about guiding teams through change and supporting the development of self-led trail methodologies.
• Sea CadetssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSea Cadets is a national youth organisation operating from Portsmouth. Seekers Create has worked with Sea Cadets on the Spice Island Trail and participated as judges on the Sea Cadets 'Walking Into History' trail-making competition alongside Citizan.
• 1851 Trust / INEOS Team UKsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe 1851 Trust, based at INEOS Team UK in Portsmouth, hosts Seekers Create's mid-point conference and trail adventure events. The partnership provides access to a premium venue for Seekers' community and collaborator events.
• Highbury CollegesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHighbury College works with Seekers Create on trail-making projects including the My Dog Sighs trail. Students from the college participate as volunteers and contributors to creative community projects.
• CitizansupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCitizan collaborates with Seekers Create on heritage trail projects including the 'Walking Into History' competition with Sea Cadets. The partnership focuses on encouraging young people to create and explore heritage trails.
• Morning Star TrustsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMorning Star Trust provides sailing adventures around the Solent for Seekers Create teams and young volunteers. The partnership enriches Seekers' experiential learning and team-building programmes with maritime activities.
• Hampshire Chamber of CommercesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHampshire Chamber of Commerce has engaged with Seekers Create on discussions around guiding teams through change and supporting business community development in the Portsmouth area.
• Lloyd's Register FoundationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLloyd's Register Foundation has connected with Seekers Create to share information about their work and discuss potential collaboration around digitising archives and making heritage accessible to communities.
• Google Digital GaragesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeekers Create has participated in Google Digital Garage events in Portsmouth, learning about YouTube creator strategies and digital marketing skills, and has engaged with YouTube creators at Google Digital Garage events.
• Portsmouth Grammar SchoolsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortsmouth Grammar School has collaborated with Seekers Create on trail-making and heritage projects as part of the Seekers conference trail adventure and other community initiatives.
• Comserv (UK) LtdsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerComserv (UK) Ltd is a sponsor of the People of Paulsgrove mural project and the So Paulsgrove Trail, contributing to the funding and delivery of community art in Paulsgrove.
• Hampshire Flag CompanysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerHampshire Flag Company is the Flagship Sponsor of Portsmouth 100 Sparks, providing sponsorship support for the city-wide centenary creative programme.
• Spinnaker TowersupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSpinnaker Tower is a Gold Sponsor of Portsmouth 100 Sparks and serves as the southern endpoint and featured landmark of the Port to Port digital trail.
• Royal Academy of ArtssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe KoCreate collective, of which Seekers Create is a partner, has collaborated with the Royal Academy of Arts on neurodivergent creative projects, expanding the reach and credibility of its neurodivergent arts programming.
• Pompey in the CommunitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPompey in the Community is one of the five Mountjoy community partner organisations that contributed to the HOPE lioness mural, bringing participants to the collaborative creative workshops led by Seekers Create.
• Motiv8supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMotiv8 is one of the five Mountjoy community partner organisations that contributed participants to the HOPE lioness mural workshops. Motiv8 supports young people in Portsmouth, aligning with Seekers' community development focus.
• The Parenting NetworksupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Parenting Network is one of the five Mountjoy community partner organisations that contributed to the HOPE lioness mural project, bringing family and community perspectives to the collaborative artwork.
• Politely Rebellious Next Gen CICsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolitely Rebellious Next Gen CIC is one of the five Mountjoy community partner organisations that participated in the HOPE lioness mural workshops. They were also connected to the Baton of Hope initiative as part of the HOPE lion project legacy.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Trigger: Bristol-based participatory arts organisation creating projects with marginalised communities. Direct peer: comparable scale and methodology of co-designed creative programmes funded through public-sector and trust grants.
• Fuel Theatre: London-based producing theatre that develops new participatory performance work with communities. Direct peer: applies the same asset-based, co-creation methodology to deliver arts programmes in partnership with local authorities and community organisations.
• Create London: London-based charity focused on creative engagement with communities experiencing disadvantage. Direct peer: similar model of commissioning creative programmes to address social isolation and community participation, working across ages and abilities.
• People's Powerhouse: Greater Manchester-based social enterprise convening communities around creative and civic engagement. Comparable in combining community-led creative practice with local-authority and cross-sector partnerships.
• Superact: UK social enterprise delivering creative engagement programmes for health, inclusion and community outcomes. Compares as a direct peer in commissioned community creative engagement with public and third-sector clients.
• Heart of Glass: St Helens-based participatory arts organisation that uses co-created creative practice with communities. Direct peer: comparable UK community-led creative development model delivering co-designed programmes with local residents and partners.
• Forma: UK producer of participatory live art and performance rooted in community collaboration. Direct peer: comparable producer of co-created socially engaged art programmes with non-arts partners and communities.

Broad incumbents

• Battersea Arts Centre: Larger London-based arts centre with a long-running community participation programme (including the 'Local' initiative). Compares as a broader incumbent delivering creative community engagement, although operating a venue alongside programming.
• Artsadmin: UK-wide producing organisation supporting socially engaged and participatory artists. Comparable as a broader incumbent enabling and delivering co-created creative projects with community partners, though at greater national scale.
• The Albany: Lewisham community arts centre combining creative participation, performance and engagement with diverse resident groups. Comparable as a broader incumbent combining a venue-based model with community-led creative development.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SeekersCreate
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/seekers-social-enterprize-c-i-c

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Seekers Create