RHP goes commercial.

Art with purpose. Powered by profit.

For too long, I have watched the arts sector struggle. I have seen Black and Brown-led organisations burn out, not be trusted with a fair slice of the funding pie, and disappear off the map altogether. We have become reliant on grants and expected to make great art while navigating an increasingly precarious landscape.

So, I asked myself, "What if I imagined RHP as a thriving, independent company, one that is self-sustaining and has the ability to invest in my communities without external funders or agendas?" This question led to a new model.

Today is Day One of Rafia Hussain Productions making that dream a reality, and frankly, I’m thrilled.

Building a Self-Sufficient Future

We are establishing Rafia Hussain Productions Ltd and The RHP Nonprofit CIC. The new commercial entity, RHP Ltd, will focus on large-scale, audience-driven productions; plays and musicals for major venues. Profits from these ventures will be reinvested into The RHP Nonprofit CIC, making it self-sufficient and protecting its work from the fluctuating nature of traditional grant funding.

This means our commercial success will directly fund our investment in developing Black, Brown, and Rochdale artists. Our fully-funded, autonomous non-profit arm can then focus purely on artist and sector development programmes, meaning more consistency, more flexibility, and more resources to champion marginalised artistic voices.

My Vision for the Arts

This isn't just a pipe dream; it's based on years of producing experience from in-house, independent companies, artist development and most recently, training on West End and Broadway producing from programmes like Stage One and The Business of Broadway. I'm merging creative ambition with a robust business strategy.

I believe this model is not just a solution for us; it's a blueprint for other purpose-driven companies to achieve both artistic excellence and genuine financial independence. Artistic integrity and commercial success are not mutually exclusive; they are powerful, complimentary forces that can secure our future. I want to see more collaboration between the subsidised and commercial sectors, and I want RHP to bridge that gap, funding our mission at a scale and consistency that grants alone could never provide.

Thank you for joining us on this exciting new chapter. I can't wait to share more in the next blog post.

- Rafia