The Royal Academy of Arts

Analysis

The Royal Academy of Arts is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in August 2008, 18 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, the prevention or relief of poverty and arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under poverty relief. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 06298947). It says it makes grants to individuals and provides buildings/facilities/open space.

In the financial year ending August 2025, The Royal Academy of Arts reported income of £37.1m and spending of £40.7m, spending 110% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from August 2021 to August 2025, income grew from £36.7m to £37.1m (+1.1%), an average of +0.3% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to August 2022, when income rose by 18%. Over the whole period it spent 94% of the income it received.

Among 15,276 England and Wales charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, The Royal Academy of Arts 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 Calico Homes Limited (£35.2m), The Cyrenians Ltd (£38.0m) and ODI Global (£34.8m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 48%, trading 30% and charitable activities 22%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £636k. Charitable activities took 73% of spending and raising funds 27%. It employed 334 people.