River Capital Investment Manager Jonathan Nelson and Christopher Campbell Director NW1 Theatre School
Press Release:
NW1 Theatre School Limited, a performing arts education provider in Lancashire, has secured a five-figure investment from NPIF II – River Capital & GC Business Finance Smaller Loans, which is managed by River Capital & GC Business Finance as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II.
Founded in 2016 by Christopher Campbell, NW1 Theatre School has grown from an initial cohort of four students to over 260 students across its four sites. It provides comprehensive training in theatre, song, dance, and production, with programmes grounded in the prestigious LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) curriculum.
Students at the school have the ability to train for television and film acting alongside radio presenting, showcasing the school’s wide variety of opportunity.
The funding will enable NW1 Theatre School to create ten new jobs across its four locations in Lytham St Annes, Blackpool, Kirkham, and Preston, increase marketing activity, and facilitate refurbishments. It will also allow for essential equipment purchases that will lead to an increase in its programmes, including the introduction of new dance classes, such as Acro and Jazz.
The school hires fully qualified, degree-educated teachers ensuring that the students receive only the highest quality training, which the school sees as imperative to its growth.
Having established itself as a vital part of the region’s cultural landscape and having maintained a strong commitment to accessibility and inclusion, the school has also demonstrated its community engagement through charitable initiatives, including raising over £5,000 for mental health charity YoungMinds and supporting the Fylde Food Bank.
Christopher Campbell, Director of NW1 Theatre School, said: “This investment marks a significant milestone in NW1 Theatre School’s journey. It will allow us to enhance our facilities and expand our program offerings, creating more opportunities for young people across Lancashire to develop their performing arts skills in an inclusive, supportive environment.”
Jonathan Nelson, Investment Manager at River Capital, said: “NW1 Theatre School has shown impressive growth and demonstrates strong potential for further expansion. The social impact of their work is significant, providing inclusive performing arts education across different communities in Lancashire.”
Sue Barnard, senior manager at the British Business Bank, said: It’s fantastic to see NPIF II being able to support NW1 Theatre School who will now be able to enhance their program offerings and create more opportunities for young people across Lancashire. This shows that NPIF II can support a wide range of sectors including creative businesses in the North that are generating both cultural and economic value in the region.”
The £660m Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II covers the entire North and provides loans from £25k to £2m and equity investment up to £5m to help a range of small and medium sized businesses to start up, scale up or stay ahead.
The purpose of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II is to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the North. The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II will increase the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for Northern smaller businesses, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and help to break down barriers in access to finance.
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