BALTIC FLOUR MILLS VISUAL ARTS TRUST
i) The advancement of the contemporary visual arts and the education of the public in the understanding and appreciation of the arts in general;ii) The provision and maintenance of the BALTIC Flour Mills buildings in Gateshead as a base for the production and presentation of contemporary visual arts and as a fully accessible centre in which the public may explore, understand and enjoy them.
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the charity reported a surplus of £1,532,914 for the year ended 31 March 2025, driven by a £1,012,000 gain from the settlement of defined benefit pension obligations. Per the trustees' report, the charity maintains strong positive cash balances and has a formal reserves policy targeting three months of operating costs. The financial review notes that the surplus included non-recurring items and that the organization is working to build reserves gradually while addressing a deficit budget.
What the accounts disclose
“In the band £100,001 - £110,000” — page 33
“BALTIC maintains a formal reserves policy in accordance with Charity Commission guidance, with the objective of holding unrestricted reserves equivalent to at least three months of operating costs.” — page 11
“The Trust has a wholly owned subsidiary company, Baltic Contemporary Visual Arts Trading Limited, the principal activity of which is the provision of catering, retail, corporate sponsorship and room hire services.” — page 15
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)
Trustees
- Kirsty Langchair
- Anthony Donaldson
- Carsten Staehr
- Hugh Kelly Councillor
- James Gamble
- Jasmina Cibic
- Nicola Catterall
- Professor Kieran Fernandes
- Professor Valerie Jean Barron
- Professor, Dame Janet Beer
- Tania Love
- Tina Gray
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/03/2025 | £6.8m | £6.3m |
| 31/03/2024 | £6.3m | £6.2m |
| 31/03/2023 | £6.0m | £5.5m |
| 31/03/2022 | £4.8m | £4.7m |
| 31/03/2021 | £4.6m | £4.1m |
Common questions
Is BALTIC FLOUR MILLS VISUAL ARTS TRUST financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a surplus of £1,532,914 for the year ended 31 March 2025, driven by a £1,012,000 gain from the settlement of defined benefit pension obligations. Per the trustees' report, the charity maintains strong positive cash balances and has a formal reserves policy targeting three months of operating costs. The financial review notes that the surplus included non-recurring items and that the organization is working to build reserves gradually while addressing a deficit budget. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by S&W Audit.
What does the highest-paid employee of BALTIC FLOUR MILLS VISUAL ARTS TRUST earn?
Per its FY2025 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the £100,001 - £110,000 band.
Who funds BALTIC FLOUR MILLS VISUAL ARTS TRUST?
Funders whose own accounts filings name BALTIC FLOUR MILLS VISUAL ARTS TRUST as a grant recipient include THE HEADLEY TRUST, THE VIRGIN MONEY FOUNDATION, THE PAUL MELLON CENTRE FOR STUDIES IN BRITISH ART, THE AUSTIN AND HOPE PILKINGTON TRUST.
Known funders
| Funder | Year | Amount | Purpose (as stated by the funder) |
|---|---|---|---|
| THE HEADLEY TRUST | FY2025 | £96k | Towards the salary costs of an Assistant Curator. |
| THE VIRGIN MONEY FOUNDATION | FY2022 | £34k | |
| THE PAUL MELLON CENTRE FOR STUDIES IN BRITISH ART | FY2024 | £7k | Publication Grants |
| THE AUSTIN AND HOPE PILKINGTON TRUST | FY2022 | £5k | Quarterly Grants for Institutions - Round Four - The Arts - BAME Communities |
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community Foundation North East | 02/02/2017 | £10k | Towards NHS Art Therapy at BALTIC |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 26/03/2012 | £25k | "BALTIC Turns 10" |
| Northern Rock Foundation | 09/05/2006 | £100k | Grant awarded to BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art (North East) |
| Northern Rock Foundation | 12/07/2005 | £100k | Grant awarded to BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art (Tyne & Wear) |
| Northern Rock Foundation | 07/12/2004 | £100k | Grant awarded to BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art (Tyne & Wear) |
| Northern Rock Foundation | 15/03/2004 | £100k | Grant awarded to BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art (Tyne & Wear) |
| Northern Rock Foundation | 18/03/2003 | £100k | Grant awarded to BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art (Tyne & Wear) |
Funders of similar charities
| Funder | Similar charities funded | Amount to them |
|---|---|---|
| THE YOUTH ENDOWMENT FUND CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £543k |
| IMPETUS - THE PRIVATE EQUITY FOUNDATION | 1 | £111k |
| JOHN LYON'S CHARITY | 1 | £42k |
| THE HAWORTH CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £38k |
| Brian Mercer Trust | 1 | £36k |
| JOHN JAMES BRISTOL FOUNDATION | 1 | £30k |
| NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | 1 | £13k |
| THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE FUND | 1 | £6k |
Charities like this
- NEWCASTLE ARTS CENTRE TRUST LTD
- CASTLEFIELD GALLERY
- ART GENE LIMITED
- NORTHAMPTONSHIRE MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS TRUST
- THE SHOWROOM GALLERY LTD.
- SPIKE ISLAND ARTSPACE LIMITED
Side by side with its peers
| Charity | Income | Top pay band | Staff >£60k | Reserves vs policy | Fundraising cost | Going concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BALTIC FLOUR MILLS VISUAL ARTS TRUST | £6.8m | £100,001 - £110,000 | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| NEWCASTLE ARTS CENTRE TRUST LTD | £175k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| CASTLEFIELD GALLERY | £671k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| ART GENE LIMITED | £404k | — | 0 | above | — | no doubt |
| NORTHAMPTONSHIRE MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS TRUST | £5.6m | — | — | below | — | no doubt |
| THE SHOWROOM GALLERY LTD. | £409k | — | 0 | above | — | no doubt |