Manchester International Festival
Analysis
Manchester International Festival is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Manchester. It was registered in April 2006, 20 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 05292793). It says it provides services.
In the financial year ending March 2025, Manchester International Festival reported income of £24.2m and spending of £25.8m, spending 106% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from September 2020 to March 2025, income grew from £12.8m to £24.2m (+89%), an average of +17% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2024, when income rose by 110%. Over the whole period it spent 94% 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, Manchester International Festival sits at the 100th percentile: it is one of the largest 1% in its cause. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 100th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Theatre Royal (Plymouth) Limited (£23.4m), The Architectural Association (Incorporated) (£24.8m) and National Library of Wales (£22.3m).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 58%, charitable activities 22% and trading 19%. Charitable activities took 70% of spending and raising funds 20%. Reserves of £13.1m would cover about 6 months of spending at that rate. It employed 210 people.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 58%
- Charitable activities 22%
- Trading 19%
- Investments 0.3%
In the charity's own words
Organising and staging a biennial arts festival of performances, exhibitions and special events, commissioning new work for the public benefit. Organising and staging performances between Festivals. Touring selected commissions to venues and arts festivals in the UK and the rest of the world. In 2023 we transitioned to our permanent venue in Manchester -Aviva Studios,home of Factory International.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| Theatre Royal (Plymouth) Limited | Plymouth | £23.4m |
| The Architectural Association (Incorporated) | London | £24.8m |
| National Library of Wales | Aberystwyth | £22.3m |
| The Polonsky Foundation | London | £24.9m |