History

Bath Arts Workshop was founded in 1969 as a group of community projects.  This included The Natural Theatre Company, which evolved in 1970.  The other projects went their separate ways, leaving The Natural Theatre Company as the trading name for Bath Arts Workshop Ltd.

By the 80s the company had started touring world-wide with its street theatre and indoor shows. The company became a Regularly Funded Organisation for the Arts Council.  In 2000 the company was at its largest when it was the resident street company at The Millennium Dome. 

In 2008 the financial crisis affected the work with corporate clients and in 2011, the company lost its Arts Council core funding. This forced the company to consider its future with reduced staffing and lower resources. In 2013 the long-time Artistic Director Ralph Oswick retired and the General manager moved on.

In Jan 2014 Andy Burden was appointed Executive & Artistic Director and introduced a new strategic future for the company without public subsidy. A new ethos and value system ushered in new creative developments and opportunities with the arrival of many new performers, creating better work and revitalising the Naturals’ reputation.  The reserves were rebuilt, resources brought back up to standard and deficits removed with a full order book.

In 2020 the COVID pandemic proved another significant challenge for the Company.  A survival plan was enacted and the company survived through successful support funding, a quick return to work (especially at The Roman Baths) and some necessary redundancies. The admin team kept actors buoyant with online workshops, information support and virtual “socials”.

As the world emerged from lockdown we invested in a grant funded “off the blocks” programme of training, showcase performances and new outreach work. This gave an income to our performing team and gave us great visibility with all our potential clients. The financial year 2022-3 was a year of taking as much work as possible.  From this, we have assessed where the markets are growing, what proves artistically stimulating and what we have the capacity to deliver with high quality.

Legal

Bath Arts Workshop Ltd trading as Natural Theatre Company is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee.  Bath Arts Workshop Ltd is registered for VAT.  As a registered charity, the organisation is headed by a Board of Trustees made up of highly committed local volunteers who offer a wide range of skills and expertise to the management of the organisation.  Board Meetings are held quarterly.  As a voluntary body they are not involved in the day to day operations of the organisation but have ultimate responsibility for overseeing the affairs of the company. 

MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is to create inclusive, engaging and accessible theatre and interactive performance in the most unexpected places.

CHARITABLE OBJECTS

a) To promote, encourage and increase the appreciation and understanding by the public of the arts generally including dramatic art, visual art, musical art and literary art.

b) To promote education in all sections of the community in the cultural and creative arts.

c) To provide recreational facilities in the interests of social welfare for the public at large and for those in need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity, disablement, or social and economic circumstances.

CHARITY PURPOSE

We enhance the public’s understanding and awareness of performance by sharing our enthusiasm for theatrical arts and expanding the horizons of audiences and artists.

VALUES

At The Natural Theatre, we are passionate about performance without boundaries