Firstsite Limited

Analysis

Firstsite Limited is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Colchester. It was registered in January 1994, 32 years ago. Its declared purposes cover arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 02884347). It says it other charitable activities.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Firstsite Limited reported income of £2.4m and spending of £2.4m, spending 100% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £1.9m to £2.4m (+25%), an average of +5.7% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income rose by 50%. Over the whole period it spent 97% of the income it received.

Among 17,634 England and Wales charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, Firstsite Limited sits at the 97th percentile: it is larger than about 97% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 97th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Creative Kernow Limited (£2.4m), We Are Unlimited Arts (£2.4m) and Applied Microbiology International (£2.4m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 69%, trading 28% and charitable activities 3.2%. Charitable activities took 42% of spending and raising funds 54%. Reserves of £538k would cover about 3 months of spending at that rate. It employed 52 people.

Data notes from the register: The latest annual return was received after its deadline.