Outset - Contemporary Art Fund
Analysis
Outset - Contemporary Art Fund is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in January 2004, 22 years ago. Its declared purposes cover arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 04870490). It says it makes grants to individuals and makes grants to organisations.
In the financial year ending December 2025, Outset - Contemporary Art Fund reported income of £328k and spending of £226k, leaving 31% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from August 2021 to December 2025, income fell from £998k to £328k (-67%), an average of -24% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2024, when income dropped by 59%. Over the whole period it spent 103% 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, Outset - Contemporary Art Fund sits at the 89th percentile: it is larger than about 89% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 86th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre (£328k), Tywi Gateway Trust (£329k) and Foxlowe Arts Centre Ltd (£328k).
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Other 100%
In the charity's own words
Promoting access to works of contemporary art through arranging visits, exhibitions, public facilities and other events at which works of contemporay art may be exhibited and studied; Securing contemporary works of art for presentation or loan to public art collations, museums and galleries.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre | London | £328k |
| Tywi Gateway Trust | Carmarthenshire | £329k |
| Foxlowe Arts Centre Ltd | Staffordshire | £328k |
| Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance Trust | Twickenham | £330k |