The Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art

Analysis

The Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in November 1970, 56 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 00983028). It says it makes grants to individuals, makes grants to organisations and provides services.

In the financial year ending June 2025, The Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art reported income of £8.3m and spending of £6.9m, spending 84% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from June 2021 to June 2025, income grew from £5.6m to £8.3m (+46%), an average of +10% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to June 2023, when income rose by 25%. Over the whole period it spent 87% 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 Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art sits at the 99th 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 99th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Magna Vitae (£8.1m), The Cheltenham Trust (£8.3m) and The Henry Moore Foundation (£8.0m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 94%, investments 3.4% and trading 2.1%. Charitable activities took 98% of spending and raising funds 0.0%. Grants to other organisations totalled £373k. Reserves of £13.2m would cover about 23 months of spending at that rate. It employed 40 people.