Take Art Ltd

What Take Art Ltd does

Take Art Ltd is a UK registered charity (No: 298671) and private company (No: 02203943) founded in 1987, headquartered at The Mill, Flaxdrayton Farm, South Petherton in Somerset. The organisation runs a community-embedded rural touring model that delivers live performance, dance, theatre, music and early-years arts programming to rural and underserved communities through a network of volunteer promoters in village halls, pubs, cafes and libraries across Somerset and the wider South West. Since 1987 it has staged over 3,200 shows in 260 villages, paid more than 3,250 artists over £1m in fees and reached 200,000+ audience members; Executive Director Ralph Lister and Rural Touring Programme Manager Danny Pedler lead a small hybrid team (currently recruiting a part-time Project Co-ordinator for the Circus Around And About + project).

Name

Take Art Ltd

Legal name

Take Art

Website

https://takeart.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Take Art is a Somerset-based UK charity (founded 1987) running a community-embedded rural touring model that brings live performance, early-years, dance, theatre and music programmes to village halls, pubs, cafes and libraries across Somerset and the wider South West.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Arts Touring Services

NAICS

Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB)

Keywords

• Rural arts touring
• Community theatre
• Early years arts
• Performing arts charity
• Creative learning programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

South Petherton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Funding & Grants: Core operational and project funding from Arts Council England National Lottery touring project grants and Somerset local authorities. All early years projects are funded project-by-project. Additional funding from Youth Music (Energiser Fund 2024-2027), National Lottery Community Fund, Somerset Community Fund, European Horizon Connect NEB programme, South Petherton Parish Council, and Rayne Foundation.
2. Charitable Donations: Donations accepted via CAF Online platform. Legacy giving partnership with The Goodwill Partnership enabling supporters to leave gifts in wills to support future arts in Somerset.
3. Rural Touring Scheme — Subsidised Artist Fees: Artist fees, usually unaffordable for smaller venues, are subsidised through the scheme to make them affordable to communities. The scheme is funded by Somerset local authorities. Take Art acts as the intermediary, not the primary payer.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Take Art Ltd is a rural touring arts charity that organises and delivers professional performing arts programmes in village halls and community venues across the South West of England. Its work spans theatre, dance, music, circus, early years, and creative learning, delivered through a network of volunteer village promoters, and is supported by public arts funding and charitable grants.

Product overview

Take Art Ltd is a Somerset-based charitable arts organization operating as a single unified organization offering multiple interconnected arts programs and community initiatives. The core offerings include Rural Touring (bringing live performances to village venues), Early Years (creativity programs for young children), Dance, Theatre, Music, and International programs. Major project-based initiatives include Circus Around And About (touring circus), Cultivate (community/nature projects), and SoundWaves Network SW (early years music). The organization functions as an agency delivering high-quality arts performance and participatory experiences across Somerset and the South West, with specialisms in rural touring, early years, dance, theatre, and music.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rural Touring

Quantifiable outcome

• 3200+ shows delivered since 1987 in 260 villages
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• The Goodwill PartnershipminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership enabling supporters to leave gifts in their wills to support the future of the arts in Somerset.
• Great Mead Pilot — Connect SomersetminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 202510-month pilot (March–December 2025) transforming a 6.4-acre area in Chard into a community space. Collaborative partnership including Connect Somerset, Holyrood Academy, Chard Town Council, Chard Community Hub, Somerset Wildlife Trust, ARK at Egwood, WATCH CIC, and Take Art.
• Extraordinary BodiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Co-developed accessibility resources for the Circus Around And About 2 project, including webinars, top tips, case studies, and films on the social model of disability for rural venues and organisations. Resources remain freely available as a legacy resource.
• SPARSE (Supporting & Promoting the Arts in Rural Settlements of Europe)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Co-funded by Creative Europe programme of the European Commission, led by Take Art. Partners in UK, Estonia (SA Eesti Tantsuagentuur), Italy (Associazione Marchigiana Attività Teatrali), Lithuania (Fish Eye), Romania (Shoshin Theatre), Norway (Vestland County Council), Sweden (Riksteatern Varmland), England (Carn to Cove). Created rural touring toolkits, films, and evaluation reports. Three annual tours completed November 2021. SPARSE Plus proposal in development with 16 members from 12 countries.
• Circus City (Bristol)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMain joint partner in the Circus Around And About + (CAAA+) South West touring circus project (2027-2028). Working with Take Art to deliver 36 performance days by 6 touring companies plus workshop and residency programmes for young people and families, with a focus on increasing Disabled audiences.
• ArtsreachminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRural touring agency for Dorset; presenting partner for CAAA+.
• Beaford ArtsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRural touring agency for North Devon; presenting partner for CAAA+. Previously commissioned dance film 'Burnout' through the Rural Touring Dance Initiative.
• Bridport Arts CentreminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue-based organisation; presenting partner for CAAA+.
• Carn 2 CoveminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRural touring agency for Cornwall; presenting partner for CAAA+.
• Cinderford ArtspaceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommunity touring partner working with local groups in Cinderford, Forest of Dean; presenting partner for CAAA+.
• Guildhall, GloucesterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue-based organisation in Gloucester; presenting partner for CAAA+.
• School of LarksminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommunity touring partner and circus school in Stroud, Gloucestershire; presenting partner for CAAA+.
• Strike a LightminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommunity touring partner working with local groups in central Gloucester; presenting partner for CAAA+.
• Super CultureminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArts development agency in North Somerset with a focus on Weston-Super-Mare; presenting partner for CAAA+.
• Villages in ActionminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRural touring agency for East and West Devon; presenting partner for CAAA+.
• CircomediaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBristol Circus School; associate partner for CAAA+. Will host presentations about rural and community touring and create a curtain raiser performance.
• National Centre for Circus Arts (NCCA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLondon-based National Centre for Circus Arts; associate partner for CAAA+. Will host presentations about rural and community touring and create a curtain raiser.
• Octagon Music HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic hub for Somerset and Dorset; funded partner enabling Take Art to support early years music and creative practice across both counties through projects and bespoke training.
• Somerset CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal authority partner in Little People Big Ideas and ongoing community arts programmes.
• Groundswell ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership hosting Sing Our Story songwriting sessions in South West England, following a model delivered in urban London for 15 years. Subject to securing further funding.
• RuritageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHorizon 2020 Rural Regeneration project. Take Art invited as partner following SPARSE collaboration. Explores rural heritage and cultural regeneration.
• Perform EuropeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch project funded by Creative Europe exploring sustainable touring options in Europe. Take Art working with Crying Out Loud to deliver 24 performances in 10 countries during 2022.
• Crying Out LoudminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with Take Art in Perform Europe project to deliver 24 performances in 10 countries during 2022.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/takeart
• Instagraminstagram.com/takeartorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/take-art-ltd

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 Take Art Ltd