The Academy of Ancient Music

Analysis

The Academy of Ancient Music is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Cambridge. It was registered in March 2001, 25 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 04109942). It says it makes grants to individuals and provides services.

In the financial year ending August 2025, The Academy of Ancient Music reported income of £1.2m and spending of £1.2m, spending 104% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from August 2021 to August 2025, income grew from £757k to £1.2m (+52%), an average of +11% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to August 2024, when income rose by 69%. 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, The Academy of Ancient Music sits at the 95th percentile: it is larger than about 95% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 94th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Theatre de Complicite Education Limited (£1.1m), National Opera Studio (£1.2m) and Young Bristol (£1.1m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 72%, donations and legacies 26%, trading 1.3% and investments 1.2%. Charitable activities took 85% of spending and raising funds 11%. Reserves of £1.3m would cover about 13 months of spending at that rate. It employed 7 people.