Case study:Achates Generates Income: Sadler’s Wells

Sadler’s Wells’ mission is to make and share dance that inspires everyone, believing dance builds understanding, breaks down barriers, and connects people across cultures, guided by core values of Collaboration, Excellence, Inclusion, and Innovation. In 2025, the organisation opened Sadler’s Wells East, a new purpose-built theatre for dance, as part of the East Bank in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford.

This post-capital period and move into the next chapter of the organisation’s work, offered a moment to interrogate approaches to fundraising and look for new growth opportunities for the next few years.

Achates worked closely with Sadler’s Wells Development team, as well as members of the Board and Development Committee to understand their audiences and the impact of their work on- and off-stage. We then created a three-year detailed Fundraising Strategy with recommendations and financial projections for a further two years. The strategy identified new opportunities and created a roadmap to develop all contributed income streams to address the team’s stretching targets. 

The project also included prospect research and network mapping, financial modelling and, of course, memberships to digital learning platform Achates Community to support the team over the next year.

– Hamble Wallace, Development Director, Sadler’s Wells

Sadler’s Wells East opening February 2025. Architects O’Donnell + Tuomey. Image © Peter Molloy