The Association for Cultural Exchange Limited

Analysis

The Association for Cultural Exchange Limited is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Cambridge. It was registered in April 1980, 46 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, arts/culture/heritage/science, environment/conservation/heritage and economic/community development/employment, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00604757). It says it makes grants to individuals, makes grants to organisations and provides buildings/facilities/open space.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Association for Cultural Exchange Limited reported income of £7.6m and spending of £7.7m, spending 101% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £1.7m to £7.6m (+355%), an average of +46% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income rose by 175%. 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 Association for Cultural Exchange 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 University of Southampton Students' Union (£7.6m), Yorkshire Sculpture Park (£7.6m) and UK Storyhouse Limited (£7.6m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from trading 96%, investments 2.1% and charitable activities 1.3%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £2,329. Charitable activities took 7.7% of spending and raising funds 92%. Reserves of £7.4m would cover about 12 months of spending at that rate. It employed 4 people.