Poole Arts Trust Limited

Analysis

Poole Arts Trust Limited is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Poole. It was registered in August 1978, 48 years ago. Its declared purposes cover arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 01368325). It says it provides human resources and provides buildings/facilities/open space.

In the financial year ending March 2026, Poole Arts Trust Limited reported income of £7.7m and spending of £7.9m, spending 103% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2022 to March 2026, income grew from £5.6m to £7.7m (+38%), an average of +8.4% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2024, when income rose by 17%. 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, Poole Arts Trust Limited sits at the 99th percentile: it is larger than about 99% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 99th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Bristol Old Vic and Theatre Royal Trust Limited (£7.6m), Bletchley Park Trust Limited (£7.7m) and Yorkshire Sculpture Park (£7.6m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 70%, donations and legacies 15% and trading 12%. Charitable activities took 81% of spending and raising funds 19%. It employed 148 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.