The Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-Upon-Avon
Analysis
The Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-Upon-Avon is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Warwickshire. It was registered in April 1963, 63 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. It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides services.
In the financial year ending March 2025, The Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-Upon-Avon reported income of £82.0m and spending of £84.4m, spending 103% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £36.1m to £82.0m (+127%), an average of +23% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2023, when income rose by 72%. 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 Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-Upon-Avon sits at the 100th 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 100th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (£76.7m), The Institute of Physics (£85.3m) and The Royal Society of Chemistry (£75.6m).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 78%, trading 9.4%, donations and legacies 8.2% and investments 2.3%. Charitable activities took 89% of spending and raising funds 2.3%. Reserves of £3.1m would cover about 0 months of spending at that rate. It employed 1,029 people.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 8.2%
- Charitable activities 78%
- Trading 9.4%
- Investments 2.3%
- Other 2.4%
In the charity's own words
To conserve, advance and disseminate the dramatic heritage of Shakespeare and advance and improve the dramatic art in the UK and throughout the world; producing and presenting dramatic performances of all kinds and teaching, training and other educational activities. These objectives are achieved by the production of plays by Shakespeare, other classic playwrights and commissioning new work.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology | Oxfordshire | £76.7m |
| The Institute of Physics | London | £85.3m |
| The Royal Society of Chemistry | London | £75.6m |
| The Royal Collection Trust | London | £85.3m |