The Shakespeare Globe Trust

Analysis

The Shakespeare Globe Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in February 1974, 52 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 01152238). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space, provides services and sponsors or undertakes research.

In the financial year ending October 2025, The Shakespeare Globe Trust reported income of £31.5m and spending of £27.7m, spending 88% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from October 2021 to October 2025, income grew from £13.6m to £31.5m (+132%), an average of +23% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to October 2023, when income rose by 56%. Over the whole period it spent 94% 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 Shakespeare Globe Trust 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 Blenheim Palace Heritage Foundation (£31.0m), Royal Institute of British Architects (£32.4m) and The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (£30.9m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 74%, trading 14%, donations and legacies 9.4% and investments 2.2%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £286k. Charitable activities took 84% of spending and raising funds 3.9%. Reserves of £6.1m would cover about 3 months of spending at that rate. It employed 364 people.