Every number represents a person, an artist, a partnership or a community whose life has been enriched through the arts.
Over the last five years:
REACH
Connecting people with inspiring artistic experiences across the UK and internationally.
121,380 - Audience members
11,460 - Workshop participants
410 - Performances
35 - New shows
1,650 - Creative workshops
16 - Countries reached
SUPPORTING ARTISTS
Supporting artists to develop their practice, build careers and realise ambitious ideas.
2,310 - Artists engaged
32 - Mentoring and professional development opportunities
WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP
Working with organisations, venues and festivals to create greater impact together.
45 - Partner organisations
320 - Venues
25 - Festivals
MEASURING IMPACT
The difference our work makes to the people and communities we work with.
91% Participants reported that Key Club (Monthly arts club for autistic young people) helped them feel accepted and valued.
100% Key Club parents and carers felt their participants needs were well catered for and supported.
100% of respondents agreed that Turtle Opera (music and drama for autistic young people) had a positive impact on participants' musical, creative and social development.
- Musically: 60% strongly agreed, 40% agreed
- Creatively: 80% strongly agreed, 20% agreed
- Socially: 80% strongly agreed, 20% agreed
THEIR WORDS
JOY-4-SCHOOLS [Neurodivergent/DISABILITY ARTS]
"It is so rare to find an organisation that has such a clear understanding of the needs of our community. Everyone was made to feel welcomed and valued and the students went away feeling like superstars." Teacher, Special Educational Needs School
"I arrived feeling anxious and unsure, but I left feeling confident, inspired and proud of myself. I made genuine friendships, discovered new ways to express myself creatively and realised the importance of staying connected to others who understand my experiences. HIV doesn't have to be a barrier in life." Participant
KEY CLUB [AUTISM]
"If there was no Key Club I don't think I'd be the same person I am today. I don't know what would have happened to get me out of the house and interacting with people, especially people my own age." Participant
"When she goes into new situations now she's not nearly as daunted because of Key Club. She's learned to take her time getting to know people. As a parent, that's what we want – to know your child can cope in those situations." Parent
SADIQ ALI COMPANY - TELL ME
"The show was truly beautiful and deeply moving. It was handled with so much sensitivity, honesty, and care, and the emotional impact was incredibly strong. You could feel how much heart went into every detail, and the story was told in a way that felt both intimate and universal. It’s rare to see a subject treated with this much respect and emotional depth. Congratulations to the whole team on creating something so powerful." Audience member
TURTLE SONG [DEMENTIA]
"Thank you for bringing joy to my mum, for accepting her just as she is and for making her truly happy. I hadn't seen her smile like that for a long time. For one day she was my beautiful, intelligent, kind and fun-loving mum again." Daughter of participan
"Participating in Turtle Song opened my eyes to the transformative power of the arts. It inspired me to pursue a career in learning and participation within music and theatre." Student musician
"Fridays mean the world to him. He is truly happy for a while and, as his carer and wife, that is lovely to see. Turtle Song is fantastic – compassionate and uplifting to all of us, both carers and people living with dementia." Partner of a participant
AIK PRODUCTIONS - Sisters360
"The pupils were really engaged - it held their attention brilliantly and contained lots of jumping off points for class discussion. One pupil was beaming and loved seeing 'someone like herself' on stage." Teacher
"I'm from Pakistan and I'm Muslim - Fatima, you look like my cousin, I had so much fun.The Best Show Ever! Come back soon." Audience member
"Key Words didn't just help young people overcome barriers to writing. It helped them overcome barriers to feeling included." Teacher
"I expected the project to improve my students' confidence with writing. What it actually changed was how they saw themselves. They discovered that their ideas, creativity and unique voices had value. That, for me, is inclusion." Teacher
"The students had the chance to have their ideas, their way of being and their voices confirmed and validated in the most joyous celebration of difference and neurodiversity." Teacher
“Saw Tess tonight at Huddersfield - extraordinary! The whole nation should be flocking to see this moving, at times witty, physical interpretation of Hardy's novel. Thank you for the after-show talk too - so generous of you all and illuminating to hear how you adapted the novel and put the performance together.” Audience member
"My year 10 Drama students thoroughly enjoyed seeing Tess by Ockham's Razor at the Malvern Theatres - it was absolutely brilliant, would highly recommend it. They also took part in a workshop delivered by the production's director" Drama teacher
"My daughter has made many friends through Turtle Opera. Her confidence has grown and she no longer feels alone knowing there are other autistic young people like her. I can't thank the project enough." Mother of participant
"Working on Turtle Opera was a wonderful experience. As someone who is autistic myself, the project also helped me overcome some of my own anxieties and reminded me just how important projects like this are, not only for the participants but for everyone involved. It was a privilege to volunteer with such a supportive team." Student musician
"The facilitators created a safe space where students developed their skills with confidence. It was wonderful to see them participating so eagerly and producing something they could be proud of." Teacher
"It sparked my imagination and I learnt some amazing skills." Participant
"I enjoyed the creativity and using our imagination. I learnt about stage design, acting, sound, lighting, directing and producing." Participant
LOOKING AHEAD
We'll continue to create art that matters by supporting artists, removing barriers and enabling more people to experience, create and participate in the arts.
CASE STUDIES
Behind every statistic is a personal story. These case studies show how creative participation can build confidence, develop skills and change lives.
KEY CLUB
Building confidence and resilience
Participant "A" joined Key Club, our monthly creative arts programme for autistic young adults, finding new people and unfamiliar situations challenging. They initially preferred working independently and often needed encouragement to share ideas and work with others.
Over time, their confidence grew. They formed friendships, contributed more to group projects and became increasingly comfortable expressing their opinions and asking for help.
That progress became particularly clear during a Key Club TV project. When their interview partner was unexpectedly absent on filming day, Participant "A" was disappointed but, rather than withdrawing, volunteered to become the News Anchor.
They wrote their own introduction, rehearsed their links and confidently stepped in front of the camera, taking on a role that would once have felt impossible.
Their journey shows how a supportive creative environment can build confidence, resilience and a greater willingness to embrace new experiences.
KEY WORDS
Unlocking hidden potential
Student "C" struggled to find her place at school despite having an extraordinary imagination and creative talent. Her abilities were not always reflected in her schoolwork and much of her creative potential remained untapped.
Through Key Words, she flourished, transforming her ideas into an ambitious science-fiction play and discovering a new confidence in her creativity.
Teachers noticed a greater sense of purpose across her other subjects and a marked development in her writing. Her family also saw the difference and encouraged her to continue exploring her creativity by joining a local theatre group.
What began as a playwriting project opened the door to greater confidence, creative expression and continued engagement with the arts.
TURTLE SONG
Rediscovering joy through music
Peter lives with Young-Onset Frontotemporal Dementia, which can leave him anxious and struggling with his speech. At Turtle Song, however, his wife sees a remarkable transformation.
A former choir member, Peter enthusiastically suggests ideas for songs and sings with what one student musician described as his "good set of pipes". During the sessions he becomes calmer, happier and more engaged, reconnecting through music with a part of himself that had seemed lost.
After three years of attending, Fridays have become the highlight of his week.
"Fridays mean the world to him. He is truly happy for a while and, as his carer and wife, that is lovely to see." Wife of participant
Intern placements
"Since my placement with Turtle Key Arts in 2014, all of my work has been with young people and music workshops. I would never have realised this was what I wanted to do if it weren't for those projects. I've since accepted a job facilitating arts workshops in prisons and I certainly wouldn't be here without Turtle Key Arts. I'm incredibly grateful that you give students opportunities like these." Student volunteer
