Opera North Limited

Analysis

Opera North Limited is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Leeds. It was registered in July 1981, 45 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 01550778). It says it provides services.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Opera North Limited reported income of £18.8m and spending of £19.5m, spending 104% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £17.9m to £18.8m (+5.3%), an average of +1.3% a year. Over the whole period it spent 97% 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, Opera North Limited sits at the 100th 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 Leicester Theatre Trust Limited (£18.5m), Lamda Ltd (£18.8m) and Uclu (£18.4m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 67%, charitable activities 15% and trading 2.4%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £145k. Charitable activities took 94% of spending and raising funds 2.3%. Reserves of £2.3m would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 249 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.