Belgrade Theatre Coventry and Rifco Theatre Company are joining forces in a new partnership to put British South Asian stories and talent centre stage.
Launching in 2026, this collaboration is driven by a shared mission: to reflect, celebrate, and elevate the British South Asian experience on stage.
The announcement was made at See It First: Elevating the British South Asian Voice – Belgrade Theatre – a special event hosted at the Belgrade, which brought together artists, producers and creatives to explore the future of British South Asian storytelling in UK theatre.
Building on the success of Rifco’s recent smash-hit Frankie Goes to Bollywood (2024), this multi-year collaboration will launch daring new productions, spark artistic innovation, share expertise, and deepen engagement with South Asian communities across Coventry and the West Midlands.
Pravesh Kumar MBE, Artistic Director of Rifco Theatre Company, said, “We’re thrilled to be partnering with the Belgrade Theatre in such a transformative and meaningful way. Coventry’s South Asian communities are rich with untold stories, authentic voices, and bold creative potential. This partnership gives us a powerful platform to nurture talent, reach wider audiences, and create ambitious theatre – including new musicals – that truly reflects the spirit, diversity and dynamism of modern Britain.”
Artistic Director of Belgrade Theatre Corey Campbell and Laura Elliot, Chief Executive of Belgrade Theatre, said, “We’re proud to enter into this long-term partnership with Rifco, one of the UK’s most important British South Asian theatre companies. This work is about more than programming – it’s about shared vision, a commitment to representation, and placing Coventry at the heart of a national conversation about identity, creativity and community.”
Running from April 2026 the Rifco–Belgrade partnership will be rooted in shared values of equity, representation, artistic excellence and meaningful community engagement. It will advance both organisations’ goals across four key areas: artistic development, audience growth, workforce development, and civic impact. This multi-year collaboration will amplify underrepresented voices, nurture the next generation of talent, and reimagine what theatre can mean to the communities it serves.
Key elements of the partnership include:
- Annual main house productions
- A sustained artist development programme – Rifco Associates – championing emerging British South Asian talent in Coventry and the West Midlands through mentoring, placements and showcases.
- Year-round participation and engagement work, from workshops to rehearsed readings and cultural celebrations, built with and for Coventry’s South Asian communities
- Use of shared infrastructure and resources to increase efficiency and raise production values
- New commissions and revivals
The partnership will also see Rifco lend its creative and cultural insight to help the Belgrade evolve its programming and strengthen ties with Coventry’s richly diverse communities. In turn, the Belgrade will offer creative space, production expertise, and civic reach – while Rifco brings its acclaimed expertise in culturally resonant storytelling and grassroots audience building.
Together, through targeted outreach, ambassador schemes and bespoke engagement around every production, the two companies aim to forge new connections, grow audiences across the region, and firmly position Coventry as a national hub for British South Asian theatre-making.
(Left to right) Ameet Chana – Associate Director of Rifco Theatre Company, Pravesh Kumar MBE – Artistic Director of Rifco Theatre Company, George Warren – Executive Producer of Rifco Theatre Company, Laura Elliot – Chief Executive of Belgrade Theatre, Corey Campbell – Artistic Director of Belgrade Theatre.