Brighter Sound Ltd

Analysis

Brighter Sound Ltd is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Manchester. It was registered in November 2013, 13 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, arts/culture/heritage/science and economic/community development/employment, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 05100495). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space, provides services and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Brighter Sound Ltd reported income of £632k and spending of £652k, spending 103% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income fell from £753k to £632k (-16%), an average of -4.3% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2023, when income dropped by 25%. Over the whole period it spent 102% 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, Brighter Sound Ltd sits at the 93rd percentile: it is larger than about 93% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 91st percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Morecambe Bay Partnership (£631k), Artis Community/Cymuned Ltd (£633k) and Frantic Theatre Company Ltd (£630k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 69% and donations and legacies 31%. Charitable activities took 96% of spending and raising funds 2.2%. Reserves of £38k would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 12 people.

Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.