LUNG
LUNG is a UK campaign-led verbatim theatre charity that co-creates touring productions with marginalized communities, publishes plays through Faber & Faber and partners, and runs educational resources, advocacy campaigns, and media content for schools, theatres, and parliament.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersBarnsley, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What LUNG does
LUNG is a UK-registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation (Lung Productions CIO; Charity No. 1187346, Company No. 10054829) headquartered in Barnsley that creates campaign-led verbatim theatre productions touring nationally from theatres to school halls to the Houses of Parliament. Its core product is a growing catalogue of verbatim plays (Woodhill, Who Cares, Trojan Horse, The Children's Inquiry, The 56, Chilcot, E15) co-created with marginalized UK communities and published by Faber & Faber, Bloomsbury, and Salamander Street, with the plays studied on the AQA GCSE Drama Syllabus. Supporting product lines include educational and training resources for teachers, social workers, and policymakers, audio-visual content (the Unmute podcast on Acast, the Who Cares film, and BBC Radio 4 Drama broadcasts including Spice), and award-winning social-justice campaigns such as Woodhill, IPP, How To Build A Family, and Speak Up.
LUNG operates as a non-profit and generates revenue from a diversified mix of streams: individual donations and recurring giving processed through Zeffy, corporate partnerships and legacy gifts managed by a Development Manager, and play publishing royalties through its three publishing partners. Distribution is delivered through national theatre touring, regional and school venue performance, parliamentary performances, the publisher channels (online and book trade), and digital channels including BBC Radio 4, YouTube, and Acast. LUNG is company in residence with the National Theatre and a partner company with The LowrY; the board includes senior figures from the National Theatre, Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester, Royal Northern College of Music, Guildhall School London, the Howard League for Penal Reform, and MEND. Headcount is small (1-10 employees), with Co-Directors Helen Monks and Matt Woodhead leading artistic and strategic direction.
LUNG firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LUNG
- Legal name
- Lung Productions CIO
- Website
- https://lungtheatre.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- LUNG is a UK campaign-led verbatim theatre charity that co-creates touring productions with marginalized communities, publishes plays through Faber & Faber and partners, and runs educational resources, advocacy campaigns, and media content for schools, theatres, and parliament.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LUNG industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts and Theatre Productions
- NAICS
- Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (813990), Sound Recording Industries (5122), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (81399)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community & Amateur Theatre (MPAGABAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Branded Documentary / Nonfiction (Corporate & NGO) (MPADADAK), Public Lectures & Speaker Series (MPAGACAI)
Keywords
Where LUNG is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Barnsley
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
LUNG business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Play Publishing Royalties: Plays are published by Faber & Faber, Bloomsbury and Salamander Street, generating revenue through book sales and licensing fees
- Donations and Individual Giving: Charitable donations from individuals through their website using Zeffy platform, with options for one-time and recurring donations
- Partnership and Sponsorship: Development Manager engages corporate partners, sponsors and legacy gift donors for larger financial support
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
LUNG product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LUNG is a campaign-led verbatim theatre charity that develops high quality verbatim theatrical productions from real testimonies of marginalized communities and tours them nationally across the UK to theatres, school halls, and The Houses of Parliament. The charity supplements these productions with educational and training resources for teachers and social workers, award-winning advocacy campaigns, and community co-creation programs, while plays are published by Faber & Faber, Bloomsbury and Salamander Street.
Product overview
LUNG is a campaign-led arts charity that functions as a single unified offering combining verbatim theatre productions, community engagement programs, advocacy campaigns, and educational resources. The core product is high quality verbatim theatrical productions (The Children's Inquiry, Woodhill, Trojan Horse, Who Cares, Chilcot, E15, The 56) that tour nationally and are published by Faber & Faber. These productions are supported by community co-creation programs (Calling Barnsley, Woodhill Families, Young Carers Creative Makers) and award-winning campaigns (Woodhill, IPP Campaign, How To Build A Family, Speak Up) that drive social change. Educational and training resources for teachers and social workers, along with media content including films and podcasts, extend the theatre's reach. The organisation also operates a charitable giving program enabling individual donations and support. LUNG is a company in residence with the National Theatre and partners with The LowrY.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Theatrical Productions High quality verbatim theatre productions that tour nationally from theatres to school halls to The Houses of Parliament. Includes productions such as The Children's Inquiry, Woodhill, Trojan Horse, Who Cares, Chilcot, E15, and The 56. Designed for general audiences, schools, and policy-makers, with plays studied on the AQA GCSE Drama Syllabus.
- Educational and Training Resources Downloadable educational and training resources designed for teachers, social workers, and people in power, including activity packs and training materials aligned with campaign themes such as Verbatim: In The Rehearsal Room.
- Media Content (Films and Podcasts) Audio-visual content including the Who Cares film, the Unmute podcast distributed via Acast, and Drama on 4 productions aired on BBC Radio 4. Content supports campaign themes and community storytelling for general audiences.
- Play Publications Published plays available for purchase through distribution partners Faber & Faber, Bloomsbury, and Salamander Street. Titles include Calling Barnsley, Unmute, The 56, The Children's Inquiry, Woodhill, Trojan Horse, Who Cares, Chilcot, and E15, reaching academic and general book markets.
Quantifiable outcome
- Productions studied on AQA GCSE Drama Syllabus, reaching national educational audience
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use LUNG
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
LUNG technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
LUNG partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- National TheatrecoreLUNG is a company in residence with the National Theatre, providing significant institutional backing and distribution reach. This partnership elevates LUNG's credibility and provides access to major venues and audiences.
- The LowrYcorePartner company status with The LowrY, a major performing arts centre, providing additional venue access and regional presence.
- Faber & FabercoreMajor theatrical publisher that publishes LUNG's plays, including Woodhill and Calling Barnsley, distributing to academic and general markets.
- Bloomsbury PublishingcorePublishes LUNG productions including Who Cares, Trojan Horse, and The 56, making plays available through theatrical book market.
- Salamander StreetminorIndependent publisher that publishes Unmute and other LUNG works.
- PiPA (Parents & Carers in Performing Arts)minorSector-wide commitment to support parents and carers in performing arts. LUNG has committed to PiPA's five principles for workplace support.
- Howard League for Penal ReformminorBoard member Euginia Lolomari serves as Director of Finance & Operations at The Howard League, connecting LUNG to penal reform advocacy.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
LUNG competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- National Theatre: LUNG's anchor institutional partner and Company-in-Residence host. Comparable as the dominant UK theatrical institution producing touring socially engaged work, educational resources, and digital content.
- Kneehigh Theatre: Established UK touring theatre company with national reach, known for high production values and touring to regional theatres and outdoor venues. Comparable to LUNG as a touring, story-led UK theatre brand with educational outreach.
- Royal Court Theatre: London's leading new-writing theatre with a strong social-justice remit, publishing plays and supporting emerging writers. Comparable to LUNG in championing new writing on social themes, publishing plays, and educational engagement.
- Complicite: Internationally renowned UK touring theatre company producing politically engaged, devised and documentary-influenced work. Comparable in fusing social themes with high production quality and broad touring/distribution reach.
Direct peers
- Headlong: Major UK touring theatre company producing new plays and adaptations with strong social themes, similarly touring to mid-scale regional venues, schools and festivals across the UK.
- Slung Low: Northern England-based touring theatre company producing socially engaged work and community programmes. Comparable in touring to non-traditional venues, community co-creation, and combining artistic with social mission.
- Clean Break: UK theatre company working with women affected by the criminal justice system, producing touring productions and education work. Closely comparable in combining verbatim/testimony-led theatre, prison-reform advocacy and educational resources.
- Cardboard Citizens: Theatre company making work with and for people with experience of homelessness. Comparable to LUNG in using theatre to amplify hidden voices, touring productions, and integrating education and campaign activity.
- Out of Joint: UK touring theatre company founded by Max Stafford-Clark, long established as a leader in new writing and verbatim-style documentary theatre. Highly comparable to LUNG in touring model, new-writing focus and socially engaged repertoire.
Emerging players
- Punchdrunk: UK immersive theatre company producing high-production touring work with strong audience development and educational programming. Comparable to LUNG in touring model and integrating participation/learning strands alongside core productions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
LUNG social profiles
Digital presenceLUNG financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LUNG leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
LUNG funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LUNG 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 LUNG
What does LUNG do?
LUNG is a campaign-led verbatim theatre charity that develops high quality verbatim theatrical productions from real testimonies of marginalized communities and tours them nationally across the UK to theatres, school halls, and The Houses of Parliament. The charity supplements these productions with educational and training resources for teachers and social workers, award-winning advocacy campaigns, and community co-creation programs, while plays are published by Faber & Faber, Bloomsbury and Salamander Street.
Is LUNG a public or private company?
LUNG is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was LUNG founded?
LUNG was founded in 2022. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is LUNG based?
LUNG is headquartered in Barnsley, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does LUNG make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Play Publishing Royalties are the primary driver. The others are donations and Individual Giving and partnership and Sponsorship.
Who are LUNG's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are National Theatre, Kneehigh Theatre, Royal Court Theatre and Complicite. Direct peers are Headlong, Slung Low, Clean Break, Cardboard Citizens and Out of Joint. Punchdrunk is listed as an emerging player.
Does LUNG have an API?
No public API is recorded for LUNG.
What industry is LUNG in?
LUNG's product category is Performing Arts and Theatre Productions. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAD, Community & Amateur Theatre, with a secondary code of MPADADAK, Branded Documentary / Nonfiction (Corporate & NGO). Its NAICS code is 813990 and its SIC code is 7812.