Lawnmowers Independent Theatre Company

Charity Details

Full Name: The Lawnmowers Independent Theatre Company Field: Arts & Heritage
Founded: 1986
Headquarters: Tyne & Wear, NEB 1NS
Charity No.: 1084229

History and Activities

The Lawnmowers Independent Theatre Company is a theatre company was established in 1986 with a vision of creating an arts space run for and by people with learning disabilities. The company works with people both locally and internationally to run projects that provide create outlets or research the role participatory arts can facilitate accessible learning. Lawnmowers is run principally by volunteers, who, in 2017 donated 36,225 hours.

In 2017 the charity gave dramatic performances to 5,500 people and delivered 411 arts-based training workshops. Lawnmowers estimate that since 2000 a cumulative 133,000 people have benefited from charitable activities, either by engaging in participatory workshops or engaging with performances. The charity operates from Swinburn House in Gateshead which boasts a state-of-the-art dance studio, rehearsal facilities and a living space. Projects include; Theatre for Change (inclusive story sharing), Beat This (a loud percussion group) and Moving Styles (an energetic evening dance group).

One of the founding principles of the Lawnmowers Independent Theatre Company is to be seen and heard by the local community through performances and educative outreach projects. The Outreach Team has engaged enthusiastically with a variety of schools and organisations to express the daily lives of people with learning difficulties in an interactive way. The success and importance of outreach projects have been recognised by The Arts Council. Lawnmowers was named as one of the Arts Council’s 829 National Portfolio Organisations. Such organisations are characterised as being exceptionally inspirational in their communities.

The principal funding sources of the charity are by way of grant income from private charitable trusts. The largest funder of the charity in 2017 was the Arts Council (£60,000) although the Esmee Fairburn Foundation (£29,649) and the Ballinger Charitable Trust (£15,000) also made significantly large grants to support the work of the charity.  The company is currently undertaking a long-term project it calls its revolution programme with the aim of increasing its core membership, achieving mainstream social inclusion for people with learning difficulties and trying to diversify its income streams, thereby reducing its reliance on grant income.

Vital Statistics (year to 31/04/2017)

Website
http://thelawnmowers.co.uk

References