Tobacco Factory Arts Trust

Analysis

Tobacco Factory Arts Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Bristol. It was registered in May 2003, 23 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 04536120). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides services.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Tobacco Factory Arts Trust reported income of £1.4m and spending of £1.5m, spending 107% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £1.1m to £1.4m (+35%), an average of +7.8% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income rose by 44%. Over the whole period it spent 92% 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, Tobacco Factory Arts Trust sits at the 96th percentile: it is larger than about 96% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 95th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The St Michael Steiner School Ltd (£1.4m), Theatr Brycheiniog Cyf (£1.4m) and The Burlington Magazine Publications Limited (£1.4m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 75%, donations and legacies 20% and investments 1.1%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £24k. Charitable activities took 98% of spending and raising funds 1.2%. Reserves of £272k would cover about 2 months of spending at that rate. It employed 34 people.

Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.