South London Fine Art Gallery and Library

Analysis

South London Fine Art Gallery and Library is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in May 1966, 60 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 trust. It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides services.

In the financial year ending March 2025, South London Fine Art Gallery and Library reported income of £2.3m and spending of £2.6m, spending 112% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income fell from £2.4m to £2.3m (-2.4%), an average of -0.6% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2024, when income rose by 35%. Over the whole period it spent 106% 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, South London Fine Art Gallery and Library sits at the 97th percentile: it is larger than about 97% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 97th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Alfred Gillett Trust (£2.3m), AL Elevation (£2.3m) and Modern Electric Tramways Limited (£2.3m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 48%, charitable activities 39% and trading 13%. Charitable activities took 75% of spending and raising funds 24%. Reserves of £107k would cover about 0 months of spending at that rate. It employed 69 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.