A Partnership Transforming Lives

At King’s, we celebrate the transformative power of the creative arts which play a crucial role in student development by fostering cross-subject connections, sparking curiosity, fueling creativity, and enhancing communication skills. The arts provide students with transferable skills, preparing them for further education and future careers. Through various dramatic productions, concerts, experts-in-residence, academic visits, and activities, we aim to ignite passions and shape well-rounded individuals.

Our commitment extends beyond King’s through partnerships with local charities. Since 2021, King’s and Polka Theatre have collaborated to enrich the lives of children and the wider Merton community. This partnership has achieved significant milestones, with Polka Theatre welcoming 114,000 visitors, including over 85,000 children, families, and schools, and engaging 20,000 participants in creative learning programmes.

A key aspect of our partnership is supporting Polka’s Curtain Up! initiative, which subsidises theatre access for 90 local children annually. A teacher from the project noted, “Our children come from one of the most deprived wards in the UK, and our parents cannot afford theatre costs. This offers them a great opportunity to experience live theatre for the first time."

This partnership has supported groundbreaking productions and innovative creative learning projects, ensuring Polka Theatre remains a welcoming space for all. Recently, the theatre was recognized as the UK's Most Welcoming Theatre at the 2024 UK Theatre Awards and won three awards at the Merton Business Awards, including Sustainable Impact, Equality and Diversity, and Best Business in Merton 2024.

We deeply value this partnership and its transformative impact on our community and look forward to continuing our collaboration.