The Arts Emergency Service
Analysis
The Arts Emergency Service is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Manchester. It was registered in June 2013, 13 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 07655709). It says it provides other finance, provides human resources and provides services.
In the financial year ending June 2025, The Arts Emergency Service reported income of £818k and spending of £973k, spending 119% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from June 2021 to June 2025, income grew from £524k to £818k (+56%), an average of +12% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to June 2023, when income rose by 38%. Over the whole period it spent 100% 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 Arts Emergency Service sits at the 94th percentile: it is larger than about 94% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 93rd percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Readipop (£818k), Ripon Museum Trust (£819k) and Ballet Lorent Limited (£817k).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 99%. Charitable activities took 97% of spending and raising funds 0.0%. Reserves of £300k would cover about 4 months of spending at that rate. It employed 20 people.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 99%
- Investments 0.0%
- Other 0.7%
In the charity's own words
The Charity's objects are to promote the Arts and Higher Education and to encourage, maintain and develop public education and appreciation of the Arts and Higher Education, to remove barriers to young people who wish to study an Arts degree and to promote, improve, develop and maintain the appreciation of the Arts.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| Readipop | Reading | £818k |
| Ripon Museum Trust | Ripon | £819k |
| Ballet Lorent Limited | Newcastle Upon Tyne | £817k |
| Gorse Hill Studios Creative Community | Manchester | £819k |