New Earth Theatre

What New Earth Theatre does

New Earth Theatre is a UK-registered charity (No. 1047991) and the country's leading British East and Southeast Asian (BESEA) touring theatre company, founded in 1995 and headquartered in London at 46 Oxford Drive, Magdalen Street, SE1 2FB. It operates a portfolio spanning theatrical productions, free artist training (the New Earth Academy delivered across London, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Leeds, and York), seed commissions through the New Earth Associates programme, the annual Constellation Creatives Bursary, and heritage work including the Living Archive Project with the V&A and a 15-season museum residency at Royal Museums Greenwich. Productions are developed with major UK cultural institutions including Bush Theatre, Shakespeare's Globe, The Lowry, Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse, Birmingham Hippodrome, Tara Theatre, and Curious Directive.

The business model is a hybrid charitable arts model. Earned income streams include theatre ticket sales at partner venues, paid workshops and masterclasses (Self-Taping workshop at £16.63, Cultivate Workshop Series at suggested £15 donation, anniversary event tickets from £30), and merchandise including a £20 30th Anniversary Book. The primary income, however, is fundraising: Arts Council England NPO funding, multi-year grants from Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, National Lottery Heritage Fund, Garrick Charitable Trust, The Leche Trust, and Noël Coward Foundation, plus individual giving (including a 30th Anniversary Campaign targeting £30,000) and corporate sponsorship. Academy courses are free at point of access, with travel bursaries available, meaning the training programme is fully grant-funded rather than tuition-driven. Customer segments span BESEA artists (primary beneficiaries), general theatre audiences, theatre industry partners, and the cultural/heritage sector.

In 2025, the organization reached 9,420 audience members, employed 141 artists, and trained or developed 340 artists through 8 academies delivering 322 hours of free training with 88 BESEA participants. The company is currently in a leadership transition: Ailin Conant was appointed Artistic Director and Co-CEO in May 2024, succeeding Kumiko Mendl, while Executive Director and Co-CEO Lian Wilkinson departed on 14 November 2025. The 2026 season announces expansion into York via York Theatre Royal, the Heartwood collaboration with Curious Directive and NHS Blood and Transplant, and the world premiere of The Hungry Ghost at Bush Theatre.

Name

New Earth Theatre

Legal name

New Earth Theatre

Website

https://newearththeatre.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

New Earth Theatre is the UK's leading British East and Southeast Asian (BESEA) touring theatre charity, producing BESEA-led theatre, running free training academies across six UK cities, awarding annual bursaries, and partnering with major UK cultural institutions. It serves BESEA artists, theatre audiences, and the cultural heritage sector.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts / Theatre

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

akta.pro primary industry

Theatre Education, Training & Conservatories (MPAGABAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Media Arts & Performance (Film, Stagecraft, Lighting, Sound) (EDAMAAAJ), Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB)

Keywords

• Theatre productions
• Performing arts training
• Artist development
• Live performance venue
• Cultural education

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Theatre Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticket sales for productions at partner venues. Productions include mainstage theatre at venues like Bush Theatre, Arcola Theatre, and touring to regional theatres.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations from individual donors, corporate sponsors, and trust/foundation grants. The organization is a registered charity (No. 1047991) actively running fundraising campaigns including a 30th Anniversary Campaign to raise £30,000.
3. Training Programme Services: Free training programmes funded by grants and donations. All Academy courses are free at point of access to reduce financial barriers for participants.
4. Merchandise and Publications: Sale of 30th Anniversary Book celebrating three decades of the company's work. Sold at £20 and above.
5. Event Revenue: Revenue from events including anniversary celebrations, workshops, and masterclasses. Tickets for events like 30th Anniversary Party priced from £30.
6. Workshop Fees: Cultivate Workshop Series offering acting and writing workshops as fundraisers. Suggested donation of £15 per workshop.
7. Training Workshops: Introduction to Self-Taping workshop priced at £16.63 for actors new to self-taping.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

New Earth Theatre is the UK's leading British East and Southeast Asian (BESEA) touring theatre company, producing and touring mainstage theatre productions at partner venues across the UK. It runs the New Earth Academy, a portfolio of free specialist training programmes (Performers Academy, Performers Academy Plus, Theatre Makers Academy, Performing Shakespeare Academy, Writers Academy Plus) for emerging BESEA artists. The organisation also delivers the annual Constellation Creatives Bursary, masterclasses, digital installations, museum-based performances, and seed commissions that together form a pipeline from training through to professional production.

Product overview

New Earth Theatre is the UK's leading British East and South East Asian (BESEA) touring theatre company offering a multi-faceted portfolio of products and services. The core offerings include Theatre Productions (transformative BESEA work with industry partners) and the New Earth Academy (flagship free training intensive with multiple programmes: Performers Academy, Performers Academy Plus, Theatre Makers Academy in various UK cities, Performing Shakespeare Academy, and Writers Academy Plus). Supporting products include the annual Constellation Creatives Bursary, Masterclasses for professional development, Digital & Installations (including Sonic Phở and museum programmes), the New Earth Associates seed-commissioning programme, BESEA Reads play reading sessions, Living Archive heritage project, and the 30th Anniversary commemorative book. The company operates a pipeline model where productions, training academies, artist development programmes, and sector development initiatives work together to support BESEA artists from training through to professional production.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Theatre Productions Main BESEA-led theatre productions created in partnership with established arts organisations, exploring BESEA narratives with complexity and touring nationwide to venues including Bush Theatre, Arcola Theatre, Sheffield Theatres and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse.
• New Earth Academy Flagship free training intensive offering Performers Academy, Performers Academy Plus, Theatre Makers Academy, Performing Shakespeare Academy and Writers Academy Plus across UK cities (London, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Leeds, York, Newcastle) for ESEA artists aged 18+.
• Constellation Creatives Bursary Annual industry-panelled bursary for promising BESEA drama school graduates, providing £1,000 plus a Spotlight subscription, casting workshops with The Acting Habit, and a headshot session with Jeremy Ang Photography.
• Masterclasses Professional development opportunities including TV Writing Workshop, Acting for Camera, Voice and Speech, Meisner Technique and playwriting workshops for BESEA artists.
• Digital & Installations Digital projects including Sonic Phở (audio dining experience), Tsunagu/Connect Live and community engagement experiences in museums and public spaces.
• Museums Programme Festivals, play readings and immersive promenade performances platforming BESEA work at museums and cultural institutions, including the James Robson Character Encounter at Cutty Sark and National Maritime Museum (now in its 15th season).
• Living Archive Project Heritage project documenting 30 years of BESEA theatre history, supported by the V&A and National Lottery Heritage Fund, including an exhibition and oral history collection.
• New Earth Associates Seed-commissioning programme and creative incubator for emerging BESEA artists and companies, including the Twisted Roots Festival celebrating British East and Southeast Asian arts heritage.
• BESEA Reads Series of free informal play reading and discussion sessions exploring contemporary BESEA approaches to traditional Western theatre canon and ESEA diaspora theatre.
• NET 30th Anniversary Book Special commemorative book celebrating three decades of New Earth Theatre's dedication, growth and shared achievements, sold from £20 in-person or by post.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9,420 audiences reached in 2025
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Curious DirectivecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Ground-breaking collaboration with Norwich-based Curious Directive on Heartwood production, in partnership with Norfolk and Norwich Festival and NHS Blood and Transplant. Featuring majority BESEA cast and creative team.
• Bush TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Producing partner for The Hungry Ghost world premiere in October. The Hungry Ghost is a queer horror rom-com by debut playwright Mei Leng Yew, starring Olivier-nominated Mei Mac. Bush Theatre Studio will host the production.
• Shakespeare's GlobecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partner for Climate Playwriting Prize 2026 as Associate Company. Also partner for R&D sharing and discussion as part of Shakespeare and Race Festival. Ongoing collaboration for BESEA artist development.
• The LowrycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026NW Strategic Lead Partner for New Earth Academy. Hosting Theatre Makers Academy in Salford and Greater Manchester. Part of 2026 Academy delivery network.
• Royal Central School of Speech and DramacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Academy partner hosting Performers Academy and Performing Shakespeare Academy in London. Partner for Beyond Representation symposium.
• HOME ManchestercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Academy partner and regional hub for New Earth Academy. Venue partner for Writers Academy Plus table reads. Partnership with additional support for Greater Manchester-based playwrights.
• Factory International/Aviva StudioscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Academy partner for New Earth Academy 2026, supporting Theatre Makers Academy in Greater Manchester region.
• Birmingham HippodromecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Academy partner and regional hub for Midlands. Hosting Performers Academy Birmingham and Writers Academy Plus support with dedicated slot for Midlands-based playwright.
• Liverpool Everyman & PlayhousecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Academy partner for New Earth Academy and venue partner for productions. Hosting Theatre Makers Academy Liverpool. BESEA Artist Hub for North West.
• York Theatre RoyalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026New regional hub for New Earth Academy 2026, hosting Theatre Makers Academy York - a debut partnership.
• Sheffield TheatrescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partner for Open Works Festival with ringfenced four dedicated seed commissions for BESEA artists. Hosting Twisted Roots Festival work-in-progress showcase.
• HeadlongcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026R&D partner for 2026 season. Co-commissioning AJ Yi for new play based on 'The Ballad of Mulan'. Partner for Beyond Representation symposium.
• Zoo ComajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026R&D partner for 2026 season creative programme.
• Tara TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026R&D partner and co-presenter of Seedlings Climate Festival with Kali Theatre. Partner for Beyond Representation symposium.
• Kali TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Co-presenter of Seedlings Climate Festival with Tara Theatre and New Earth Theatre. Festival exploring climate crisis impact in global south.
• PollinatemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partner for climate change and climate justice table-reads and workshops for BESEA artists.
• Fern CulturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partner for Climate Playwriting Prize 2026 and climate storytelling workshops. Bringing climate justice lens to initiative.
• The Bagri FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partner for Inter-Waves Asian Art Mobility Forum, part of Bagri Samaya Series. Day-long symposium on international collaboration in theatre between UK and Asia.
• KakilangcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Co-presenter of Inter-Waves Asian Art Mobility Forum with The Bagri Foundation.
• Horizons CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Supporting organization for New Earth Academy 2026.
• V&A MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Archive training partner for Living Archive Project covering 30 years of BESEA theatre history.
• Park TheatremajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partner for TV Writing Workshop with Ins Choi (creator of Kim's Convenience). Hosted Kim's Convenience production.
• Arcola TheatremajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Producing partner for The Apology by Kyo Choi in association with The North Wall.
• StoryhousemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Producing partner for Miss Julie adaptation by Amy Ng.
• Royal Museums Greenwich (Cutty Sark and National Maritime Museum)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Long-standing partner for James Robson Character Encounter, the first ESEA character in a British museum Character Encounters programme. Running for 15th season in 2026.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Paines Plough: Touring theatre company specialising in new writing, producing work in non-traditional spaces. Peer in partnership-driven touring model and small-team, high-output operating approach.
• Yellow Earth Theatre: British East Asian touring theatre company — direct peer in the BESEA-specific theatre space and historically linked to New Earth (New Earth was previously known as Yellow Earth).
• Graeae Theatre Company: Disability-led touring theatre company combining productions with training programmes for disabled artists. Closely analogous in combining production output with sector development and artist training.
• Eclipse Theatre: UK Black-led touring theatre company with a parallel mission of developing Black creative talent. Comparable in mission, scale, and reliance on Arts Council and foundation funding.
• Tiata Fahodzi: UK touring theatre company producing work by and about African and African diaspora artists. Direct peer in identity-led, touring, partnership-driven theatre model addressing under-representation.
• Tara Theatre: London-based touring theatre company focused on South Asian and diaspora stories. Direct peer in identity-led touring theatre model; also an active programming partner of New Earth Theatre on the Seedlings Climate Festival.
• Kali Theatre: UK touring theatre company developing and platforming South Asian women's voices. Closely comparable in mission, scale, and partnership-driven touring model; co-presents Seedlings Climate Festival with New Earth.

Broad incumbents

• Headlong Theatre: Major UK touring theatre company and active R&D partner of New Earth. Larger incumbent with overlapping touring/producing model and shared co-commissioning relationships.
• Bush Theatre: London new-writing theatre venue and producing partner for The Hungry Ghost world premiere. Larger incumbent; comparable in BESEA programming intent but broader in scope and owned-venue-based.

Regional players

• Pentabus Theatre: Rural touring theatre company producing new work for village halls and community venues across England. Comparable in small-team touring model and Arts Council NPO funding structure, though geographically focused on rural rather than BESEA audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/newearththeatre
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCEXNbNyj9dyNrXnEPDQnLrA
• Facebookfacebook.com/NewEarthTheatre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/new-earth-theatre
• Instagraminstagram.com/newearththeatre

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 New Earth Theatre