Hay Festival Foundation Ltd
Analysis
Hay Festival Foundation Ltd is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Hereford. It was registered in June 1998, 28 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 03490480). It says it makes grants to organisations and other charitable activities.
In the financial year ending December 2025, Hay Festival Foundation Ltd reported income of £6.9m and spending of £6.4m, spending 93% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £167k to £6.9m (+4025%), an average of +153% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income rose by 2709%. Over the whole period it spent 94% 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, Hay Festival Foundation Ltd sits at the 99th percentile: it is larger than about 99% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 98th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The British Museum Friends (£6.9m), The Anvil Trust Limited (£6.9m) and Royal Geographical Society (With the Institute of British Geographers) (£6.9m).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 93% and donations and legacies 5.8%. Charitable activities took 98% of spending and raising funds 2.1%. Reserves of £868k would cover about 2 months of spending at that rate. It employed 31 people.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 5.8%
- Charitable activities 93%
- Investments 0.8%
In the charity's own words
To further the education and learning of both the Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the other countries around the world in the art or science of literature and poetry, in particular by promoting public festivals. shows, readings and fairs in both the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and such other countries as the Board of Trustees may decide from time to time
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| The British Museum Friends | London | £6.9m |
| The Anvil Trust Limited | Basingstoke | £6.9m |
| Royal Geographical Society (With the Institute of British Geographers) | London | £6.9m |
| We the Curious Limited | Bristol | £7.0m |