CREATIVE FOLKESTONE

Registered charity 1105174 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as THE CREATIVE FOUNDATION

Creative Folkestone is an arts organisation committed to making great art, and through this we will make Folkestone a great place. The charity promotes creativity through the Creative Quarter, Folkestone Triennial, a festivals programme including the Folkestone Book Festival, Quarterhouse performing arts centre, the Folkestone Artworks collection and a programme of learning and engagement.

Objects

1. THE FOSTERING, PROMOTION AND INCREASE AMONGST THE GENERAL PUBLIC OF THE KNOWLEDGE AND APPRECIATION OF ART, MUSIC AND LITERATURE, BY, IN PARTICULAR THE PROVISION OF (A) EDUCATION (OF ALL TYPES AND AT ALL LEVELS) IN THE FIELDS OF THE VISUAL, CREATIVE AND APPLIED ARTS AND DESIGN; AND(B) STUDIOS, GALLERIES AND OTHER PLACES WHERE ART INCLUDING DRAMATIC AND VISUAL ART), MUSIC AND LITERATURE MAY BE PRACTISED, CREATED OR EXHIBITED;2. THE RELIEF OF POVERTY BY ASSISTING INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN NEED AND WHO ARE UNABLE TO PROCURE SUCH ASSISTANCE FROM THEIR OWN RESOURCES TO SET UP BUSINESSES AND, IN PARTICULAR, BY ASSISTING ARTISTS (WHETHER THROUGH THE PROVISION OF WORK SPACES OR OTHER FACILITIES AND ASSISTANCE, OR OTHERWISE TO BECOME SELF-SUPPORTING THROUGH THEIR ART;3. THE PROVISION OF FACILITIES, IN THE INTERESTS OF SOCIAL WELFARE, FOR RECREATION AND OTHER LEISURE-TIME OCCUPATION WITH THE OBJECT OF IMPROVING CONDITIONS OF LIFE, IN PARTICULAR FOR THE INHABITANTS OF FOLKESTONE AND THE SURROUNDING DISTRICT;4. THE PROMOTION, FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT, OF URBAN OR RURAL REGENERATION IN AREAS OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEPRIVATION (AND IN PARTICULAR FOLKESTONE OLD TOWN) BY ALL OR ANY OF THE FOLLOWING MEANS:(A) THE RELIEF OF POVERTY IN SUCH WAYS AS MAY BE THOUGHT FIT;(B) THE RELIEF OF UNEMPLOYMENT IN SUCH WAYS AS MAY BE THOUGHT FIT, INCLUDING ASSISTANCE TO FIND EMPLOYMENT;(C) THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION, TRAINING OR RETRAINING, PARTICULARLY AMONG UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE, AND PROVIDING UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE WITH WORK EXPERIENCE;(D) THE PROVISION OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, OR BUSINESS ADVICE OR CONSULTANCY IN ORDER TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE IN CASES OF FINANCIAL OR OTHER CHARITABLE NEED THROUGH HELP: (1) IN SETTING UP THEIR OWN BUSINESS, OR (2) TO EXISTING BUSINESSES;(E) THE CREATION OF TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES BY THE PROVISION OF WORKSPACE, BUILDINGS AND/OR LAND FOR USE ON FAVOURABLE TERMS;(F) THE PROVISION OF HOUSING FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CONDITIONS OF NEED AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF HOUSING IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR OR IN CHARITABLE OWNERSHIP PROVIDED THAT SUCH POWER SHALL NOT EXTEND TO RELIEVING ANY LOCAL AUTHORITIES OR OTHER BODIES OF A STATUTORY DUTY TO PROVIDE OR IMPROVE HOUSING;(G) THE MAINTENANCE, IMPROVEMENT OR PROVISION OF PUBLIC AMENITIES;(H) THE PRESERVATION 0F BUILDINGS OR SITES OF HISTORIC OR ARCHITECTURAL IMPORTANCE;(I) THE PROVISION OR ASSISTANCE IN THE PROVISION OF RECREATIONAL FACILITIES FOR THE PUBLIC AT LARGE AND/OR THOSE WHO, BY REASONS OF THEIR YOUTH, AGE, INFIRMITY OR DISABLEMENT, POVERTY OR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES, HAVE NEED OF SUCH FACILITIES;(J) THE PROTECTION OR CONSERVATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT;(K) THE PROVISION OF PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITIES AND CHILDCARE;(L) THE PROMOTION OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND PREVENTION OF CRIME; AND(M) SUCH OTHER MEANS AS MAY FROM TIME TO TIME BE DETERMINED, SUBJECT TO THE PRIOR CONSENT OF THE CHARITY COMMISSIONERS FOR ENGLAND AND WALES; AND 5. THE FURTHERING OF SUCH OTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSES AS THE TRUSTEES SHALL THINK FIT.

Area of benefit: FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, ESPECIALLY THE INHABITANTS OF SHEPWAY AND THE SURROUNDING DISTRICT

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty · Accommodation/housing · Arts/culture/heritage/science · Environment/conservation/heritage · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · website · Get email alerts

Registered contact address: Folkestone and Hythe, South East, England (from the postcode on the register)

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a deficit of £266,706 for the year ended 31 March 2025, compared to a surplus in the prior year. Per the trustees' report, the charity holds significant property assets valued at £15.1 million and maintains unrestricted free reserves of £1,789,353, which fall within its stated policy target range of £250,000 to £400,000.

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

What the accounts disclose

Accounts audited by RSM UK Audit LLP. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

• Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
• Complaints handling
• Complaints policy and procedures
• Conflicting interests
• Financial reserves policy and procedures
• Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
• Internal risk management policy and procedures
• Investing charity funds policy and procedures
• Investment
• Paying staff
• Risk management
• Safeguarding policy and procedures
• Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
• Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
• Social media policy and procedures
• Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
• Volunteer management

From the charity’s annual return (Part A, self-declared)

Answers and figures the charity gave in Part A of its annual return to the Charity Commission. They are self-declared: not verified by the Commission or by this site. Only positive answers and figures are listed; items not listed are simply not shown.

Source: this charity’s annual returns on the Charity Commission register.

Corporate structure

• Trading subsidiary: THE CREATIVE FOUNDATION (TRADING) LIMITED Companies House 04564573
• Registered company of the charity Companies House 04566484

Company officers (Companies House)

Current officers of the charity’s own company per the Companies House register, cross-checked against the Charity Commission trustee list by name. A director not on the trustee list is usually a timing or naming difference between the two registers — check both records before drawing conclusions.

• WATKINS, Mark — director, appointed 23/09/2024not on trustee list
• SHRIVER, David Mark Owings — director, appointed 26/06/2024on trustee list
• NESBITT, Judith Elizabeth May — director, appointed 27/06/2022on trustee list
• STONE, Vanessa Ann — director, appointed 08/03/2021on trustee list
• DE HAAN, Alison Paula, Lady — director, appointed 25/02/2016not on trustee list
• IRONSIDE, Andrew Thomson — director, appointed 15/11/2013on trustee list
• UPTON, Alastair David — director, appointed 16/04/2013on trustee list
• HUDSON, Paul David — director, appointed 22/09/2009on trustee list
• RADNOR, William 9th Earl Of, Earl — director, appointed 12/02/2009on trustee list
• DEUCHAR, Stephen, Dr — director, appointed 12/02/2009not on trustee list
• DE HAAN, Roger Michael, Sir — director, appointed 08/01/2003not on trustee list
• ANSELL, Stephen Edward — secretary, appointed 28/04/2025

Official officers record.

Property (HM Land Registry)

55 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (3 freehold). All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)

Reported reserves equal ~2.2 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 4.7 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (90% 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: 2.6% of total income — below the median for charities its size (5.3%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

• Sir Roger De Haanchair · trustee of 3 other charities
• ANDREW IRONSIDE
• DAVID SHRIVER
• Judith Nesbitt · trustee of 1 other charity
• LADY ALISON DE HAAN · trustee of 2 other charities
• Mark Watkins
• PAUL HUDSON
• Sir Stephen Deuchar CBE · trustee of 1 other charity
• Vanessa Ann Stone
• WILLIAM RADNOR

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

Operates in: Kent

Income and spending

Common questions

Shared trustees with funders

Register facts shown side by side: a person serves as trustee of both this charity and a funder whose accounts record grants to it. Shared trusteeship is lawful and common; well-run charities manage it through declared-interest procedures.

• LADY DE HAAN — trustee here and at THE ROGER DE HAAN CHARITABLE TRUST
• Sir Roger De Haan — trustee here and at THE ROGER DE HAAN CHARITABLE TRUST

Known funders

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

Government & lottery funding

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

Funders of similar charities

Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with CREATIVE CULTURE TRUST CIO.

• CREATIVE CULTURE TRUST CIO income £51k
• Wolverhampton Arts Centre income £959k
• CREATIVE LAND TRUST income £950k
• PETHERTON ARTS TRUST LIMITED income £153k
• Creative Oundle income £114k
• CREATIVE FUTURES (UK) LIMITED income £411k

Side by side with its peers

Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.