Bristol Music Trust

Analysis

Bristol Music Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Bristol. It was registered in March 2011, 15 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, 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 07531978). It says it makes grants to organisations, provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides services.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Bristol Music Trust reported income of £14.4m and spending of £13.3m, spending 92% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income fell from £15.3m to £14.4m (-6.2%), an average of -1.6% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2024, when income rose by 67%. Over the whole period it spent 98% 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, Bristol Music Trust sits at the 99th 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 99th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The National Literacy Trust (£14.3m), Chetham's Hospital School and Library (£14.4m) and Sandwell Leisure Trust (£14.2m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 43%, donations and legacies 42%, trading 13% and investments 2.3%. Charitable activities took 70% of spending and raising funds 0.3%. Reserves of £515k would cover about 0 months of spending at that rate. It employed 230 people.