How ITC Streamlined Membership and Events with CiviCRM
The Independent Theatre Council (ITC) is a membership organisation that supports over 450 performing arts companies and producers across the UK. From legal advice to networking and training, ITC plays a crucial role in helping independent theatre thrive.
But until recently, their digital systems were holding them back.
Why ITC Needed a Change
With a growing membership and increasing demand for online services, ITC’s previous systems – WooCommerce and a custom-built database – were no longer fit for purpose. They struggled with clunky workarounds, disjointed data, and a lack of support when things went wrong.
As Zoe Bateman, ITC’s General Manager, put it:
“I absolutely did not want a new website when it was suggested… but I’m really glad we did it. It has made my life a lot easier and given us more ability to engage meaningfully with our members.”
Enter CiviCRM – and a New Website to Match
In 2024, ITC partnered with Pooka & Co to rebuild their systems from the ground up. The result? A WordPress-based website fully integrated with CiviCRM.
This integration now powers:
- A secure members’ portal where organisations can manage their profiles, subscriptions and bookings
- A members directory that updates automatically based on membership status
- Smart Groups and segmented email lists for targeted communications
- Scheduled reminders and templated emails for events and membership renewals
- Seamless integration for payments
- A streamlined membership application process
What They’ve Achieved with CiviCRM
Here are some of the key features ITC now uses daily:
- Membership database – with organisations and individuals connected and searchable
- Event management – for public and members-only events, including bookings and reminders
- Automated emails – acceptance messages, invoices, newsletters and alerts
- Front-end sync – real-time updates between the website and CRM
- Access control – different team members have access to what they need
- Data centralisation – no more spreadsheets or scattered records
Lessons Learned (and What’s Next)
For a small team with limited capacity, the transition to CiviCRM has been remarkably smooth. Having been closely involved in the build, the team felt confident using the system from day one. Rachel Hepworth, Communications and Services Coordinator, reflects:
“It works for us. And what’s really nice is it’s got the potential for us to grow into it even more by using more of the functionality. It feels quite a safe system to use, it’s been great to adopt.”
While they haven’t yet tapped into all the features (like logging phone advice calls or pulling detailed reports), they’re planning to expand usage once a full year of data is available.
Final Thoughts
For ITC, CiviCRM hasn’t just replaced an old system – it’s transformed how they work and how they show up for members. In Zoe’s words:
“I used to be embarrassed to tell people to go to the website. Now I’m proud of it. It’s dramatically improved my working life – which is a weird thing to say about a website, but it has.”
Want to Hear the Full Story?
Zoe and Rachel’s reflections on adopting CiviCRM are full of honest insights, practical tips, and a few laughs too. From initial scepticism to full-scale success, it’s a brilliant example of how small teams can make a big digital leap.
Watch the full conversation on YouTube here:
