FORGING THE FUTURE - BUSINESS PLAN 2012 - 2015
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Forest Forge is one of the UK’s leading small-scale theatre companies. It is
based in Hampshire and for the past thirty years it has been creating
innovative and exciting work for the region.
Over the next four years the priority is to continue to create work for and with
the local communities in the New Forest and Hampshire, but with the
understanding that in the present economic climate a strand of the work will
tour both locally and further afield.
The impact of the current economic climate demands a flexible and fast
thinking approach to the business planning process. There will be significant
challenges over the next three years as funders face increasing pressures on
their limited funds and the arts world looks towards a more diverse and
philanthropic approach to fundraising. There are also more pressures on our
audiences’ pockets and the possibility of losing regular audiences and venues
as a result.
The result of the current financial climate means that Forest Forge has made
some strategic decisions around fundraising, including a realignment of
resources to focus on the diversification of income. The recent transferal of
the building to the company as an asset also provides financial support during
a challenging time. Over the life of this plan the company will be drawing on
its financial reserves to help achieve its aims, and to ensure the company
uses this period to increase its profile and sustainability.
But despite all that, it is a time to be ambitious. And so the company has
come up with a new mission statement and three new strands of work. This
combined with a strong integrated Creative Learning programme and the
implementation of a robust fundraising strategy should put the company in
good stead to meet the challenges the funding climate provides.
The new vision is summed up as:
Forest Forge creates work that shares people’s stories and experiences with
the aim of inspiring, engaging and transforming the communities we work
with.
Forest Forge is committed to making theatre accessible by touring work
directly into people’s communities. We make theatre that sometimes,
challenges and is sometimes unexpected, but always inspires.
Forest Forge focuses on:
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Creating inventive theatre that shares people’s stories and experiences
Championing new writing, to help share people’s stories and give a
voice to individuals and communities
Bringing audiences and artists together, as we believe this is the best
way to create engaging, relevant theatre
Intertwining all aspects of our work and challenging the traditional
notions of audience, participant and artist
The company has identified these key objectives for the next four years:
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Creating inspiring, dynamic and high quality work
Linking the touring and creative learning work
Working in partnership
Increasing the profile from Ringwood outwards
Developing income sources
Developing and diversifying audiences and participants
All of these objectives will be met under three new strands of work:
1. Made Here
This strand sees the company:
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Work directly and for long periods of time in communities in the New
Forest and Hampshire
Provide participatory opportunities working alongside professional
artists
Perform in interesting and unusual spaces
Create large-scale performance opportunities with community partners
2. For You
This strand sees the company:
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Work with and for young people and children in providing theatre
provision for this age group
Provide a winter show for the whole family touring to rural venues
Creates stories from the young person’s perspective
Work with other providers in supporting drama provision inside and
outside formal education
3. Forge
This strand sees the company:
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Aspire to be innovative in its work and create cross-art form
productions
Tour new writing both locally, regionally and further afield
Develop digital platforms for productions
Embrace new partnership work in developing new artists
Over the life of this Business Plan Forest Forge will strengthen its
relationship with all of its stakeholders: funders, artists, audiences and
participants as well as seek out new partnerships and explore new ways of
working.
The three new strands of work will enable the company to
embed itself into the local community as well as tour wider to engage with
new audiences. The diversity of the work will also allow the company to
develop new funding streams and provide a more sustainable future.