2025 Shortlisted Nominee
Community Organisation Award: Race, Religion & Faith
The Mango Ensemble is a small award-winning theatre company founded post-pandemic to challenge the lack of diversity and opportunity in UK theatre. Inspired by the founder’s mixed Indian heritage, the company produces 1-2 socio-political plays annually, touring disadvantaged and rural areas to revive regional theatre. They champion the global majority & working-class artists through paid mentorships for directors, writers, and producers, many of whom have gone on to national success. Their pay-what-you-can workshops and events offer affordable access for underrepresented artists to learn and connect. Since inception, they’ve delivered two national tours, worked with 10 state schools, employed and/or supported 200+ young creatives, won multiple awards, and aim to hire over 60% global majority artists. Their productions focus on political stories that confront systemic issues and redefine British identity, such as colonialism, climate justice and the rise of far-right rhetoric.