The Tenebrae Choir

Analysis

The Tenebrae Choir is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Cambridge. It was registered in May 2011, 15 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 07549890). It says it makes grants to individuals and other charitable activities.

In the financial year ending August 2025, The Tenebrae Choir reported income of £1.6m and spending of £1.7m, spending 104% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to August 2025, income grew from £318k to £1.6m (+412%), an average of +50% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income rose by 137%. Over the whole period it spent 92% 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, The Tenebrae Choir sits at the 96th percentile: it is larger than about 96% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 95th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Taunton Theatre Association Limited (£1.6m), The Anti-Apartheid Legacy Trust (£1.6m) and The Sussex Archaeological Society (£1.6m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 75% and donations and legacies 22%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £100k. Charitable activities took 100% of spending and raising funds 0.0%. Reserves of £550k would cover about 4 months of spending at that rate. It employed 7 people.