Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra Trust

Analysis

Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in December 2000, 26 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, 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 03608496). It says it makes grants to individuals, makes grants to organisations and provides other finance.

In the financial year ending August 2025, Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra Trust reported income of £3.1m and spending of £2.7m, spending 87% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from August 2021 to August 2025, income grew from £1.1m to £3.1m (+191%), an average of +31% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to August 2022, when income rose by 84%. Over the whole period it spent 93% 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, Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra Trust sits at the 98th percentile: it is larger than about 98% 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 Open College of the Arts (£3.1m), Sinfonia Smith Square (£3.1m) and Laidlaw Opera Trust (£3.1m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 59% and charitable activities 41%. Charitable activities took 99% of spending and raising funds 0.0%. Reserves of £1.2m would cover about 5 months of spending at that rate. It employed 12 people.