Battersea Arts Centre

Analysis

Battersea Arts Centre is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in July 1981, 45 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. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 01569115). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space, provides services and other charitable activities.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Battersea Arts Centre reported income of £4.6m and spending of £5.7m, spending 125% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income fell from £5.8m to £4.6m (-21%), an average of -5.8% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2023, when income dropped by 18%. Over the whole period it spent 116% 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, Battersea Arts Centre sits at the 98th percentile: it is larger than about 98% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 98th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Portsmouth Historic Quarter Trust (£4.6m), Academy of St Martin in the Fields (£4.6m) and The Royal Drawing School (£4.5m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 46%, trading 36% and charitable activities 17%. Charitable activities took 77% of spending and raising funds 21%. Reserves of £311k would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 64 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.