The Lowry Centre Trust

Analysis

The Lowry Centre Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Salford. It was registered in March 1996, 30 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 03168108). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides services.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Lowry Centre Trust reported income of £30.5m and spending of £35.0m, spending 115% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £12.0m to £30.5m (+153%), an average of +26% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2023, when income rose by 90%. Over the whole period it spent 104% 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, The Lowry Centre Trust sits at the 100th percentile: it is one of the largest 1% in its cause. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 100th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Eden Trust (£29.7m), The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (£30.9m) and The London Symphony Orchestra Limited (£28.8m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 66%, trading 27% and donations and legacies 7.1%. Charitable activities took 76% of spending and raising funds 23%. Reserves of £9.8m would cover about 3 months of spending at that rate. It employed 303 people.