The Orpheus Centre
Non-profit OrganizationsEngland, United Kingdom51-200 Employees
The Orpheus Centre is an independent specialist college based in Godstone, Surrey, focusing on developing independence skills through performing and visual arts for young adults with learning or physical disabilities. It offers a personalised study programme for students aged 18 to 25, combining arts, communication and social interaction training with supported housing and a personal care service, with students staying up to three years. The current cohort numbers 69 students, including 20 who live in on-site supported housing, and the curriculum includes English, Maths and IT alongside arts and work-skills qualifications. The centre's impact extends through performances by its students at notable venues, including the House of Lords and the Royal Albert Hall, and collaborations with schools, prisons, community groups and businesses. It operates with an entrepreneurial spirit, seeking new and effective ways of working in the arts, learning and social care sectors. In September 2024, the charity announced the appointment of a new chief executive.