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SUNDERLAND MUSIC, ARTS & CULTURE TRUST

Registered charity 1150733 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as SUNDERLAND MAC TRUST · filing overdue (register status)

The Charity's activities are to promote urban or rural regeneration in areas of social and economic deprivation particularly in Sunderland and its surrounding areas . The Trustees will use the following means and any other that they may from time to time determine . To preserve historic buildings , to advance the arts , to advance education in science , engineering , history and cultural heritage

Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · Arts/culture/heritage/science · Economic/community Development/employment · Recreation · website · Get email alerts

Latest income
£746k
Latest spending
£828k
Registered
2013
Accounts read
FY2024

Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts

The accounts state that unrestricted reserves stood at £10,392,336 at the year end, with the trustees noting that the capital development phase of the Culture Quarter project is complete and that they will seek to accrue reserves going forward. The charity remains dependent on loan funding from Leighton Management and rental income to maintain operations, but the trustees and auditors confirm there are no material uncertainties regarding its ability to continue as a going concern.

Automated summary of the FY2024 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Payments to trustees: Ross Millard received £19,137 for services as artistic director of Summer Streets Festival.
“During the year, the Trust paid £19,137 (2023: £13,016) to Ross Millard, trustee, for his role as the artistic director of the Summer Streets Festival, a project supported by the Trust.” — page 34
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Payments of £19,137 to Ross Millard, trustee, for his role as artistic director of the Summer Streets Festival.
“During the year, the Trust paid £19,137 (2023: £13,016) to Ross Millard, trustee, for his role as the artistic director of the Summer Streets Festival, a project supported by the Trust.” — page 34
“During the year, the Trust paid £1,624,391 (2023: £nil) to Pub Culture Ltd, a company in which Paull Callaghan, trustee, is a director, in relation to ticket sales collected on behalf of Pub Culture and £33,142 (2023: £3,627) in relation to recharged expenses.” — page 34
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Payments of £1,624,391 to Pub Culture Ltd, a company in which Paul Callaghan, trustee, is a director, in relation to ticket sales and recharged expenses.
“During the year, the Trust paid £19,137 (2023: £13,016) to Ross Millard, trustee, for his role as the artistic director of the Summer Streets Festival, a project supported by the Trust.” — page 34
“During the year, the Trust paid £1,624,391 (2023: £nil) to Pub Culture Ltd, a company in which Paull Callaghan, trustee, is a director, in relation to ticket sales collected on behalf of Pub Culture and £33,142 (2023: £3,627) in relation to recharged expenses.” — page 34
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Donations of £225,000 received from Paul Callaghan, trustee.
“During the year, the Trust paid £19,137 (2023: £13,016) to Ross Millard, trustee, for his role as the artistic director of the Summer Streets Festival, a project supported by the Trust.” — page 34
“During the year, the Trust paid £1,624,391 (2023: £nil) to Pub Culture Ltd, a company in which Paull Callaghan, trustee, is a director, in relation to ticket sales collected on behalf of Pub Culture and £33,142 (2023: £3,627) in relation to recharged expenses.” — page 34
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by UNW LLP. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

Corporate structure

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Sunderland Music, Arts and Culture Trust (matched by registered charity number).

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.

Official officers record.

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/10/2024)

Total income
£746k
Total spending
£828k
Reserves (reported)
£125k
Employees
2

Reported reserves equal ~1.8 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (86% 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: 0.0% of total income — below the median for charities its size (4.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Sunderland

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/10/2025——
31/10/2024£746k£828k
31/10/2023£417k£727k
31/10/2022£1.4m£717k
31/10/2021£4.1m£258k

Common questions

Is SUNDERLAND MUSIC, ARTS & CULTURE TRUST financially healthy?

Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that unrestricted reserves stood at £10,392,336 at the year end, with the trustees noting that the capital development phase of the Culture Quarter project is complete and that they will seek to accrue reserves going forward. The charity remains dependent on loan funding from Leighton Management and rental income to maintain operations, but the trustees and auditors confirm there are no material uncertainties regarding its ability to continue as a going concern. Its FY2024 accounts were audited by UNW LLP.

Government & lottery funding

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

FunderDateAmountPurpose
The National Lottery Heritage Fund09/06/2026£156k"Mackem Music Memories: the history of Sunderland Music City"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund26/05/2020£19k"COVID19 Sunderland Music, Arts and Culture Trust"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund18/11/2014£2.7m"The Fire Station, Sunderland"