The 27-year-old founder of a Nottingham-based theatre company and cultural studio has been named one of the most exceptional young entrepreneurs in the UK.
Edward Boott, 27, fell in love with acting at school, joined a youth theatre, and went on to study drama at college. He launched Nonsuch Studios in 2013, aged just 20. It now employs 6 people and generates audiences of 50,000 plus every year.
Nonsuch’s theatre and creative projects are transformative for people and communities. Its programmes include an over 65’s project and outreach across the East Midlands, (‘Do Your Thing’ youth project for 16-25 year olds), and supporting a women’s self-development programme.
When Nonsuch outgrew its first space – a business unit – the business could have simply “limped on.” Instead Edward secured investment from Key Fund, a “responsible finance” provider, enabling Nonsuch to relocate to a 9000 sq. ft. property in Hockley with five studios, co-working office space, café, and smaller project spaces.
It now generates an income by renting office, performance and rehearsal spaces to partners including Nottingham Playhouse; by running a popular café; and through a membership scheme, enabling Nonsuch to run exhibitions, community festivals, film screenings, talks, dance, live music and theatre.
Edward’s team work with community groups and charities, using the power of creativity to boost confidence, improve health and wellbeing, reduce isolation, bring people together, boost self-resilience and share cultural differences.
Income has doubled since moving to the new building. Edward’s ambition is for Nonsuch to continue to challenge the way traditional organisations operate. It is, he says, a new type of arts organisation: self-sufficient rather then dependent on Arts Council funding, and therefore able to experiment and be driven by the communities it works with.
Nonsuch’s positive impacts with communities and people, along with its resilience and self-sufficiency has so impressed an independent panel of business experts, including James Pickford of The Financial Times newspaper, that this week Edward was named one of just 4 UK finalists for a “Young Entrepreneur of the Year” Award.
The Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards, funded by the Citi Foundation, are an annual celebration of Britain’s microentrepreneurs that have accessed “responsible” business finance.
Edward Boott, CEO and artistic director of Nonsuch, said:
“Being a finalist in these incredible awards is such amazing news. Nonsuch Studios has grown into the amazing space, venue and community it is from the hard work of our incredible team and it’s so wonderful for to be recognised in this way.”
Jane Austin of Key Fund commented:
“Edward and Nonsuch are such deserving finalists – the fabulous new creative venue, theatre and kitchen is the culmination of huge amounts of hard work by Edward and the team. Everything they do screams quality, and they operate with a real fizz of positivity that reaches audiences, kitchen customers, community partners and project participants alike. They make a real difference with their trademark pizazz and entrepreneurial vitality!”
The UK’s 5.6 million microenterprises – businesses with 9 or fewer staff – account for 96% of all businesses, and employ over 9 million people. Some would not exist at all without the financial and business support they access from the UK’s ethical “responsible finance” sector, which in 2019 lent £171 million to thousands of credit-worthy businesses and social enterprises rejected by or unable to access finance from mainstream lenders.
“Young entrepreneurs like Edward play a vital role in strengthening communities throughout the UK by creating jobs, unlocking opportunities, and addressing social and environmental challenges,” said Bob Annibale, Global Director, Citi Inclusive Finance and Community Development.
“The Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards recognise the positive impact they are having on a local and national scale, and these exceptional finalists and the responsible finance providers which supported them all contribute to the economic, social and environmental vibrancy of their communities. We are proud to support the Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards and the eighth cohort of finalists in the UK.”
Theodora Hadjimichael, Chief Executive of Responsible Finance, said:
“With impressive entrants from all over the UK, entrepreneurs and their businesses needed to be truly remarkable to make the shortlist. Edward and Nonsuch demonstrate the value of fresh ideas and working differently to the way traditional organisations operate. Nonsuch also demonstrates the impact of responsible finance providers, embedded within the communities they serve.”
Edward must now wait until 9 July 2020 when the winners of the Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards will be announced.
Read about the other finalists here.