Manchester City of Literature
Analysis
Manchester City of Literature is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Manchester. It was registered in May 2020, 6 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 12002661). It says it provides services, provides advocacy/advice/information and acts as an umbrella or resource body.
In the financial year ending March 2025, Manchester City of Literature reported income of £265k and spending of £284k, spending 107% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £160k to £265k (+65%), an average of +13% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income rose by 56%. Over the whole period it spent 103% 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, Manchester City of Literature sits at the 88th percentile: it is larger than about 88% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 84th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Nuneaton Arts CIO (£265k), The Deborah Day Theatre School Trust (£265k) and Cambridge Music Festival Limited (£264k).
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Other 100%
In the charity's own words
Our vision is to create an innovative, distinctive, equitable, globally connected city of reading and writing. We want Manchester to be a city where diverse voices are celebrated, creative talent is nurtured and where literary activity changes lives. We do this by uniting the collective strength and voice of writers and all those involved in literary activities across Manchester.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| Nuneaton Arts CIO | Warwickshire | £265k |
| The Deborah Day Theatre School Trust | Hertfordshire | £265k |
| Cambridge Music Festival Limited | Cambridge | £264k |
| Pimlico Musical Foundation | London | £265k |