ART AT THE HEART OF LEARNING LTD

What ART AT THE HEART OF LEARNING LTD does

Art at the Heart of Learning Ltd is a UK-registered private social enterprise founded in 2015 by Kamaljit Suman and Mukesh Kumar, headquartered in Solihull, West Midlands. Operating under a dual-entity structure alongside its sister Community Interest Company, Art at the Heart CIC (collectively 'AATH Enterprises'), the company delivers in-person creative and cultural education to children, young people, and adults in the West Midlands. The Ltd entity handles paid art classes and courses (Art Club, ArtLab, Youth Arts for ages 7+, Me & My Pencil drawing courses, short workshops), while the CIC entity delivers publicly funded community projects, cultural festivals (Holi, Diwali, Refugee Week, Bangladesh Victory Day), Arts Award qualifications (accredited via Trinity College London), and the government HAF (Holiday Activities and Food) Programme for children eligible for benefit-related free school meals.

The company runs no proprietary technology platform; its digital infrastructure is built on WordPress for content, WooCommerce for the Arts Shop e-commerce module, and Eventbrite for class and event bookings. Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining per-session paid course fees (with multi-session discounts such as 'book 6 sessions for the price of 5'), grant income from Arts Council England, Solihull Council, Birmingham City Council, and the EU Social Fund, plus a developing Workplace Consultancy line for B2B wellbeing projects. Delivery is anchored at The Core theatre in Solihull and extends to community venues including Dickens Heath Library and St Margaret's Church Olton, supplemented by school partnerships (Langley Primary, Ormiston Sandwell Community Academy).

The organisation claims nearly 30 years of combined founder experience in arts education, an active volunteer base of roughly 50 contributors delivering approximately 4,655 volunteer hours per year, and 7,445 cumulative reported volunteer hours between 2017 and 2023. It is recognised through multiple awards including the 2011 TES FE Award for Outstanding Innovation in Teaching and Learning, a 2020 Queen's Award for Voluntary Service shortlisting, and the 2022 Solihull Civic Honours Award for Making a Difference to Young People. In 2026 it extended into an arts-and-neuroscience collaboration with Aston University's Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment for Healing Arts Birmingham Week.

Name

ART AT THE HEART OF LEARNING LTD

Legal name

Art at the Heart of Learning Ltd

Website

https://www.artattheheartcic.org/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Art at the Heart of Learning Ltd is a Solihull-based UK social enterprise (founded 2015) that delivers in-person art classes, holiday camps, and community cultural projects to children, young people, and adults in the West Midlands, operating alongside its grant-funded sister CIC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Arts Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161)

akta.pro primary industry

Visual Arts Instruction (Drawing, Painting, Sculpture) (EDAMAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC), Visual Arts (Drawing, Painting, Illustration) (EDAAAGAA), Arts & Crafts Workshops (Painting, Pottery, Ceramics, Sculpture) (THAJAKAA)

Keywords

• Arts education classes
• Community arts programmes
• Creative workshops
• Youth arts activities
• Arts award qualifications

Headquarters

HQ city

Solihull

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Art Classes and Courses (Art at the Heart of Learning Ltd): Paid art classes and courses for children and adults (Art Club, ArtLab, Youth Arts, Me&MyPencil workshops) delivered by Art at the Heart of Learning Ltd. Booking and payment via bank transfer; 'book 6 sessions for the price of 5' discount mentioned.
2. Publicly Funded Projects and Grants (Art at the Heart CIC): Grant-funded community projects, festivals, and community events delivered through Art at the Heart CIC. Funders include Arts Council England, EU Social Fund, Birmingham City Council, Solihull Council, and others. Some activities fully funded/free for participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Art at the Heart of Learning Ltd delivers paid in-person art classes and creative workshops for children, young people, and adults in Solihull and the West Midlands, including Art Club, ArtLab, Youth Arts, Me & My Pencil, Short Courses, Summer Camp and an Arts Award Centre. Alongside these paid courses, the sister CIC runs publicly funded festivals, HAF holiday activities, school partnership programmes and community art projects for children eligible for free school meals. An Arts Shop sells art supplies to participants and the wider public.

Product overview

Art at the Heart of Learning Ltd operates as a social enterprise providing creative and cultural education through multiple program streams. The core offerings include Art Club, ArtLab, and Youth Arts (art clubs and courses for children and young people aged 7+), supplemented by Me & My Pencil drawing courses and Short Courses. The company delivers seasonal programs including Summer Holiday Camps and HAF (Holiday Activities and Food) Activities Programme. An Arts Shop sells art supplies. Activities support Arts Award qualifications, and the organization runs Community Projects including Diwali, Holi, and other cultural events. The company operates alongside sister organization Art at the Heart CIC, which handles publicly funded projects and grant-funded community programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Art Club: Regular art classes for children and young people at The Core, Solihull
• ArtLab
• Youth Arts
• Me & My Pencil
• Summer Solidays
• HAF Activities

Products and services

• Art Club Term-time art clubs for children aged 7-13 delivered at The Core, Solihull, providing structured art education with a focus on developing skills in drawing, painting and creative expression. Features Arts Award Centre accreditation.
• ArtLab Creative art workshops for children aged 8-12 combining experimental techniques with artistic learning through fun and adventure.
• Youth Arts Advanced arts programme for teens and young people focusing on expressive drawing, colour work, and large-scale artistic projects.
• Me & My Pencil A 6-week drawing course teaching step-by-step techniques for creating realistic drawings, including animals, portraits and detailed subjects; delivered at Dickens Heath Library.
• Short Courses Art workshops and short courses for various age groups, covering topics from Snow Leopard drawing to adult painting workshops.
• HAF Activities Programme Holiday Activities and Food Programme providing free creative activities for children eligible for benefits-related free school meals, including fashion design, mosaic work, nature activities and drawing workshops.
• Summer Camp Week-long holiday camps for children aged 8-12, themed as 'A Week in the Life of an Art Student' with creative adventures and artistic skill development.
• Arts Award Arts Award Centre delivering arts credentials and qualifications through Trinity College London, supporting young people to develop arts leadership skills.
• Arts Shop E-commerce store offering art supplies including brushes, drawing media, general art materials, paints and pastels, and sketchbooks/journals.
• Everyday Creativity Monthly creativity and wellbeing calendars with daily prompts, plus free downloadable tutorials for origami, colouring sheets and craft activities, distributed via the Everyday Creativity Facebook community.
• Community Projects Community art initiatives including Covid-19 Community Projects, Reading Friends, Refugee Week, Holi festival events, Diwali celebrations, Bangladesh Victory Day Project, and Big as a Bus community artworks.
• Workplace Consultancy Arts-based consultancy services for organisations, schools and workplaces, offering tailored art projects to address wellbeing and creativity challenges.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,005 hours of community arts activities delivered
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Aston University — Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment (IHN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2026Art at the Heart CIC partnered with Aston University's Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment (IHN) for Healing Arts Birmingham Week 2026, collaborating on 'Healing Arts Birmingham: Art, Neuroscience & Wellbeing' — an initiative to make cognitive neuroscience accessible to the public through arts.
• Solihull CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolihull Council fully funds adult painting workshops (October–December 2024) for Olton, Lyndon and Shirley communities. The council also administers the HAF (Holiday Activities and Food) programme, for which Art at the Heart delivers free art activities for FSM-eligible children.
• Arts Council EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts Council England provides funding support for summer programmes (Summer Solidays) and community projects alongside HAF funding.
• The Core, SolihullcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Courtyard Gallery in The Core, Solihull is the primary venue for Art Club, ArtLab, and Youth Arts. The organisation operates in partnership with The Core theatre, which provides family-friendly facilities including lift access to all levels.
• Birmingham City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBirmingham City Council funded arts and health projects, including Chinese New Year art competitions and community initiatives. Emergency Response Fund and Culture Recovery Fund supported the organisation through the COVID-19 pandemic.
• EU Social FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU Social Fund is listed as a funding and collaborative partner supporting community arts education initiatives.
• Trinity College London (Arts Award)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArt at the Heart is an Arts Award Centre and delivers Arts Award qualifications in partnership with Trinity College London. Data needs to be shared with Trinity College to process Arts Awards.
• Birmingham City UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a collaboration partner. STEAM House (Birmingham City University) referenced as a collaborative initiative.
• Common PurposeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a collaboration partner — a leadership development organisation that develops leaders across cities and sectors.
• Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship (CREME)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a collaboration partner — academic research centre focused on ethnic minority entrepreneurship.
• Higher Level Skills MatchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a collaboration partner — skills and enterprise programme.
• Langley Primary SchoolminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed as a collaboration partner — school through which Art at the Heart delivers art education activities.
• Ormiston Sandwell Community AcademyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed as a collaboration partner — academy through which Art at the Heart delivers art education activities.
• Solihull BIDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolihull Business Improvement District — listed as a collaboration partner supporting local business and community engagement in Solihull.
• Tektura WallcoveringsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTektura provides art paper and materials for community art projects. Selected designs from their range of world-class artist papers were made available for origami and art activities (Project Hanami, Youth Arts).
• Touchwood, SolihullminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTouchwood shopping centre in Solihull houses The Core theatre where Art at the Heart operates. Listed as a collaboration partner.
• University of BirminghamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a collaboration partner — university with which Art at the Heart has partnered on cultural education initiatives.
• World Wildlife FundminorOthersA portion of Snow Leopard Drawing Workshop proceeds support adoption of an endangered Snow Leopard through WWF. Charitable cause partnership for the Christmas creative workshop.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Arts Council England: National development agency for arts, museums, and libraries in England. Comparable as a sector enabler and current funder of Art at the Heart, rather than a direct competitor; relevant for ecosystem context.
• NSEAD (National Society for Education in Art and Design): UK subject association supporting art, craft, and design education across all phases. Comparable as a peer ecosystem body in arts education, providing CPD and advocacy, but not a direct service competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Turner Contemporary: UK contemporary art gallery operating learning and community-engagement programmes. Comparable as a broader incumbent with overlapping community-arts and learning programming, though at a different scale and curatorial remit.
• Tate: Major UK art-gallery institution with associated learning and community-engagement programmes. Comparable as a broader sector incumbent in arts education and community engagement, but operating at national scale across multiple sites.

Regional players

• A New Direction: London-based organisation supporting arts and cultural opportunities for children and young people. Comparable as a peer arts-education intermediary working with schools, councils, and cultural partners, though operating in a different region.
• Impact Arts: Scotland-based community arts charity delivering creative programmes with children, young people, and communities. Comparable as a peer community-arts organisation serving disadvantaged young people, but operating in a different UK region.

Direct peers

• AccessArt: UK arts-education charity providing visual-arts teaching resources and programmes for schools and young people. Comparable as a peer arts-education organisation serving a similar children/young-people audience via structured visual-arts curricula.
• Create London: UK creative-arts charity focused on empowering children and young people through participatory arts. Directly comparable as a community-led arts-education provider with similar mission, school partnerships, and youth-arts programming.
• The Big Draw: UK charity promoting drawing as a universal language of learning and creativity through community events and festivals. Comparable as a community-engagement arts-education charity with shared mission of widening access to visual arts.
• Artswork: UK arts-education charity developing creative opportunities for children and young people, particularly through schools and community settings. Comparable as a peer youth-arts education organisation with similar regional delivery model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/artattheheartcic
• Instagraminstagram.com/artattheheartcic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/art-at-the-heart-cic

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 ART AT THE HEART OF LEARNING LTD