Tees Active is delivering a revitalised cultural and community service through the Forum Theatre in Billingham, in partnership with Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. The service is designed for the local community, regional audiences, and community groups, offering a diverse programme of performances, events, and inclusive cultural experiences. It’s part of a broader portfolio of leisure and wellbeing services delivered across the borough. Taken: 9th September 2019 New Forum seating and carpets: Cllr Jim Bealle with Forum Derek (blue shirt) Cooper and John Davey (purple shirt) Image Byline: Dave Charnley Photography. The challenge The Forum Theatre, like many standalone cultural venues, faced challenges around underutilisation, funding, and community engagement. Traditional private sector delivery models often lack the adaptability, local relevance and desire to invest in customer and operational support costs needed for long-term sustainability. Tees Active, a charitable trust dedicated to raising the physical and mental wellbeing of communities in Stockton-on-Tees, took over the operation of the Forum Theatre at the start of April 2023. The theatre is a Grade II listed building which was opened by HRH Queen Elizabeth II in 1967 and is owned by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. Tees Active has embedded the theatre within a broader community-first ethos combining vibrant programming with operational expertise and a strong commitment to social value. Innovation in public service delivery Tees Active brings a blended model of commercial agility and social purpose. Its innovation lies in cross-subsidising cultural and community services through a sustainable leisure portfolio, reinvesting all surpluses into local wellbeing and embedding social value into every aspect of service delivery, from environmental sustainability to health equity. “The impact Tees Active has had since they took over the operation of the Forum Theatre has been sensational. Their professional and sustainable approach has delivered enjoyable and inclusive cultural experiences for the wider community, whilst creating valuable jobs to help boost the local economy.” Councillor Nigel Cooke, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure and Culture How the service was designed and developed The refreshed service was designed and driven by Tees Active which was fully supported by the local authority. A detailed plan informed by community insight and Tees Active’s experience in delivering inclusive, high-impact services was critical to the success of the project. Tees Active invested in the workforce to increase the knowledge and skills of the team to help deliver an enhanced theatre that was rebranded, refurbished, and repositioned as a multi-purpose cultural venue, with a refreshed programme that includes national touring acts, local productions, and accessible events for all ages and abilities. The Forum Theatre is operated by Tees Active under a long-term partnership agreement with Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. Tees Active has invested over £300,000 into improving the theatre since taking it on – and created 21 new jobs. It has decorated and refurbished all of the front and back of house areas and dressing rooms, invested in energy and CO2 reducing technology, replaced the stage lighting, installed a new PA system and other new lighting and special effects equipment, and invested into staff training, branding and marketing. Funding is a blend of earned income from ticket sales and events, local authority support, and reinvestment of surpluses from Tees Active’s wider operations. As a non-profit distributing leisure trust, all profits are reinvested to deliver high quality services for the community. Impact metrics Tees Active inherited the Theatre’s existing programme and theatre school. Since taking over the theatre on 1st April 2023:Theatre tickets sold increased by 11% in 2024-25The number of community organisations and groups using the theatre increased by 45% in 2024-25Theatre school participants (young people from 16 to 21 years old) have grown by 96% in 2024-25, with a further 19 young people ready to enrolTees Active generated £13.9 million in social value in 2023/24 – a 20.8% increase on the previous year How this contributes to sustainable economic growth and other government priorities Tees Active’s model supports Levelling Up by improving access to culture and wellbeing. It contributes to inclusive growth by creating local employment, supporting communities and enhancing community cohesion as well as driving carbon reduction and sustainable operations. It also supports economic growth for the day and night times economies in the town centre, attracting footfall and potentially increasing visitor spend for the local area. Specific policy changes which would help scale this approach more widely Recognition of genuine social enterprises as strategic public service partners in national policy and procurement frameworks.Longer-term commissioning cycles to enable sustainable planning and investment and access to capital funding for social enterprises managing public assets like theatres and leisure centres. What next? “Social enterprises like Tees Active deliver public services that are not only efficient and sustainable but deeply rooted in community need. We don’t just save money, we create value that lasts.” Leon Jones, Tees Active’s Managing Director • More case studies of social enterprise innovation
Tees Active is delivering a revitalised cultural and community service through the Forum Theatre in Billingham, in partnership with Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. The service is designed for the local community, regional audiences, and community groups, offering a diverse programme of performances, events, and inclusive cultural experiences. It’s part of a broader portfolio of leisure and wellbeing services delivered across the borough. Taken: 9th September 2019 New Forum seating and carpets: Cllr Jim Bealle with Forum Derek (blue shirt) Cooper and John Davey (purple shirt) Image Byline: Dave Charnley Photography. The challenge The Forum Theatre, like many standalone cultural venues, faced challenges around underutilisation, funding, and community engagement. Traditional private sector delivery models often lack the adaptability, local relevance and desire to invest in customer and operational support costs needed for long-term sustainability. Tees Active, a charitable trust dedicated to raising the physical and mental wellbeing of communities in Stockton-on-Tees, took over the operation of the Forum Theatre at the start of April 2023. The theatre is a Grade II listed building which was opened by HRH Queen Elizabeth II in 1967 and is owned by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. Tees Active has embedded the theatre within a broader community-first ethos combining vibrant programming with operational expertise and a strong commitment to social value. Innovation in public service delivery Tees Active brings a blended model of commercial agility and social purpose. Its innovation lies in cross-subsidising cultural and community services through a sustainable leisure portfolio, reinvesting all surpluses into local wellbeing and embedding social value into every aspect of service delivery, from environmental sustainability to health equity. “The impact Tees Active has had since they took over the operation of the Forum Theatre has been sensational. Their professional and sustainable approach has delivered enjoyable and inclusive cultural experiences for the wider community, whilst creating valuable jobs to help boost the local economy.” Councillor Nigel Cooke, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure and Culture How the service was designed and developed The refreshed service was designed and driven by Tees Active which was fully supported by the local authority. A detailed plan informed by community insight and Tees Active’s experience in delivering inclusive, high-impact services was critical to the success of the project. Tees Active invested in the workforce to increase the knowledge and skills of the team to help deliver an enhanced theatre that was rebranded, refurbished, and repositioned as a multi-purpose cultural venue, with a refreshed programme that includes national touring acts, local productions, and accessible events for all ages and abilities. The Forum Theatre is operated by Tees Active under a long-term partnership agreement with Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. Tees Active has invested over £300,000 into improving the theatre since taking it on – and created 21 new jobs. It has decorated and refurbished all of the front and back of house areas and dressing rooms, invested in energy and CO2 reducing technology, replaced the stage lighting, installed a new PA system and other new lighting and special effects equipment, and invested into staff training, branding and marketing. Funding is a blend of earned income from ticket sales and events, local authority support, and reinvestment of surpluses from Tees Active’s wider operations. As a non-profit distributing leisure trust, all profits are reinvested to deliver high quality services for the community. Impact metrics Tees Active inherited the Theatre’s existing programme and theatre school. Since taking over the theatre on 1st April 2023:Theatre tickets sold increased by 11% in 2024-25The number of community organisations and groups using the theatre increased by 45% in 2024-25Theatre school participants (young people from 16 to 21 years old) have grown by 96% in 2024-25, with a further 19 young people ready to enrolTees Active generated £13.9 million in social value in 2023/24 – a 20.8% increase on the previous year How this contributes to sustainable economic growth and other government priorities Tees Active’s model supports Levelling Up by improving access to culture and wellbeing. It contributes to inclusive growth by creating local employment, supporting communities and enhancing community cohesion as well as driving carbon reduction and sustainable operations. It also supports economic growth for the day and night times economies in the town centre, attracting footfall and potentially increasing visitor spend for the local area. Specific policy changes which would help scale this approach more widely Recognition of genuine social enterprises as strategic public service partners in national policy and procurement frameworks.Longer-term commissioning cycles to enable sustainable planning and investment and access to capital funding for social enterprises managing public assets like theatres and leisure centres. What next? “Social enterprises like Tees Active deliver public services that are not only efficient and sustainable but deeply rooted in community need. We don’t just save money, we create value that lasts.” Leon Jones, Tees Active’s Managing Director • More case studies of social enterprise innovation