PHOTOWORKS

Registered charity 1053208 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as CROSS CHANNEL PHOTOGRAPHIC MISSION

Promoting the practice and understanding of photography in England by commissioning and producing new work over four main areas of activity: exhibitions, publications, research and education initiatives. Photoworks sets the agenda, proving a benchmark of quality and orginality for the widest possible audience on a national and international stage.

Causes: Arts/culture/heritage/science · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£492k

Latest spending

£655k

Registered

1996

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that total income decreased to £492,185 from £567,595 in the prior year, while total expenditure increased to £654,603, resulting in a net outgoing resource of £162,418. The charity holds unrestricted reserves of £133,100, which the trustees designate specifically to cover six months of wind-down costs. Despite the deficit, the trustees report that the charity is in a healthy position with adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Largest income source: Arts Council of England core funding (70% of income)

“Funding received from the Arts Council amounts to approximately 70% of the total yearly income.” — page 12

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves policy: six months of wind-down costs (held: £133k)

“Furthermore, Photoworks holds a separate amount of reserves to cover the organisation's 6 month wind-down costs.” — page 12

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook · instagram

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2024)

Total income

£568k

Total spending

£639k

Cost of raising funds

£27k

Reserves (reported)

£393k

Employees

Reported reserves equal ~7.4 months of spending — above the median for charities its size (median 7.0 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (62% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 4.8% of total income — above the median for charities its size (2.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

Deborah Cooper
Helen Nicola St Cyr
Louise Mary Fedotov-Clements
Melissa Carole McVeigh
Michael Holland
Natasha Caruana
Peter Pupender Max Kandhola
Sinead Esler Patel

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/03/2025	£492k	£655k
31/03/2024	£568k	£639k
31/03/2023	£505k	£564k
31/03/2022	£464k	£416k
31/03/2021	£527k	£376k

Common questions

Is PHOTOWORKS financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that total income decreased to £492,185 from £567,595 in the prior year, while total expenditure increased to £654,603, resulting in a net outgoing resource of £162,418. The charity holds unrestricted reserves of £133,100, which the trustees designate specifically to cover six months of wind-down costs. Despite the deficit, the trustees report that the charity is in a healthy position with adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Who funds PHOTOWORKS?

Funders whose own accounts filings name PHOTOWORKS as a grant recipient include THE AMPERSAND FOUNDATION.

Known funders

Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
THE AMPERSAND FOUNDATION	FY2025	£30k
THE AMPERSAND FOUNDATION	FY2023	£25k
THE AMPERSAND FOUNDATION	FY2024	£21k	Partnership for residencies and fellowship

Government & lottery funding

Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
The National Lottery Community Fund	17/02/2023	£10k	Being Heard; Being Seen
The National Lottery Community Fund	06/07/2016	£10k	The MPower Project
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	18/02/2016	£48k	"Into the Outside: Building a Contemporary Queer Youth Archive"
The National Lottery Community Fund	04/06/2014	£10k	A View to the Past: An intergenerational project
The National Lottery Community Fund	01/03/2012	£10k	Tales of the City: Digital Stories for Young People in Brighton & Hove