Kent Music

Analysis

Kent Music is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Ashford. It was registered in July 2005, 21 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 05464855). It says it provides services, provides advocacy/advice/information and acts as an umbrella or resource body.

In the financial year ending August 2025, Kent Music reported income of £4.1m and spending of £3.6m, spending 88% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from August 2021 to August 2025, income grew from £3.0m to £4.1m (+38%), an average of +8.3% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to August 2023, when income rose by 31%. Over the whole period it spent 83% 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, Kent Music 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 98th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Institute of Contemporary Arts Limited (£4.1m), The Chamber Orchestra of Europe (£4.1m) and Kiln Theatre (£4.0m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 98% and investments 1.5%. Charitable activities took 99% of spending and raising funds 0.0%. Reserves of £2.5m would cover about 8 months of spending at that rate. It employed 130 people.