ARDENT THEATRE COMPANY

Registered charity 1161320 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

We are committed to producing theatre that speaks about the world we live in; both newly commissioned writing and established text with a contemporary relevance. We also support the careers of recently trained artists, from outside London, to address some of the barriers that prevent them entering the industry.

Objects

TO ADVANCE, IMPROVE, DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN PUBLIC EDUCATION IN, AND APPRECIATION OF, THE ART OF DRAMA BY ANY MEANS THE TRUSTEES SEE FIT, INCLUDING THROUGH THE PRESENTATION OF PUBLIC PERFORMANCES.

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

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

Registered contact address: Newham, London, England (from the postcode on the register)

Latest income

£142k

Latest spending

£115k

Registered

2015

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a net income of £26,775 for the year ended 31 March 2025, a significant improvement from the previous year's deficit, driven by reduced charitable activity costs. Total funds carried forward increased to £91,606, with unrestricted reserves standing at £31,608 against a designated fund of £25,000. The trustees confirm the charity has 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

Reserves policy: 3 months operating costs plus 10% (reserves figure: £32k)

“The policy is to maintain a reserve fund equivalent to 3 months operating costs plus 10%. The trustees have designated an additional £25,000 to be held in unrestricted reserves to mitigate potential annual cash flow risks.” — page 10

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 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
Paying staff
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Social media policy and procedures

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.

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2025

Volunteers: 2
Government income: £12,366 — grants £12,366 (2); 9% of the £141,789 total gross income on the same return

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2024

Volunteers: 16
Government income: £11,740 — grants £11,740 (1); 6% of the £202,005 total gross income on the same return

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2023

Volunteers: 13
Government income: £61,105 — grants £61,105 (3); 26% of the £234,472 total gross income on the same return

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

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Ardent Theatre Company (matched by registered charity number).

Funders the charity credits

Named as funders/supporters on the charity’s own website (the charity’s claim, distinct from accounts-verified grants).

The Backstage Trust — “every donation to Ardent through The Big Give will be matched £1-for-£1 by The Backstage Trust — doubling your impact instantly.” (source page)

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

Trustees · trustee networks

David Richard Harrischair · trustee of 1 other charity
Chama Kaala Aimable-Kapumpa
Daniel Mark Sellick
Georgina May Pacifico
Juliet Louise Knight
Thomas Jack Mason

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

Operates in: Throughout London

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/03/2025	£142k	£115k
31/03/2024	£202k	£292k
31/03/2023	£234k	£135k
31/03/2022	£103k	£86k
31/03/2021	£8k	£15k

Common questions

Is ARDENT THEATRE COMPANY financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a net income of £26,775 for the year ended 31 March 2025, a significant improvement from the previous year's deficit, driven by reduced charitable activity costs. Total funds carried forward increased to £91,606, with unrestricted reserves standing at £31,608 against a designated fund of £25,000. The trustees confirm the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Who funds ARDENT THEATRE COMPANY?

Funders whose own accounts filings name ARDENT THEATRE COMPANY as a grant recipient include PAUL HAMLYN FOUNDATION, THE FENTON ARTS TRUST, THE GROCERS' CHARITY, CHAPMAN CHARITABLE TRUST, KATIE BRADFORD ARTS TRUST.

Known funders

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

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
PAUL HAMLYN FOUNDATION	FY2023	£144k	Arts Access and Participation Fund
THE FENTON ARTS TRUST	FY2024	£5k
THE GROCERS' CHARITY	FY2022	£5k	Arts & Heritage
THE FENTON ARTS TRUST	FY2023	£3k
CHAPMAN CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£2k
KATIE BRADFORD ARTS TRUST	FY2025	£2k

Government & lottery funding

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

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	18/01/2023	£67k	"Anti-apartheid: grassroots protest and activism in the 1980s"
UK government	28/10/2021	£25k	Culture Recovery Fund: Emergency Resource Support

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.

Funder	Similar charities funded	Amount to them
THE HAROLD HYAM WINGATE FOUNDATION	2	£15k
THE THEATRES TRUST CHARITABLE FUND	2	£12k
THE GOLSONCOTT FOUNDATION	2	£1k
AKO FOUNDATION	1	£750k
THE HOLLOWAY FOUNDATION	1	£470k
JOHN LYON'S CHARITY	1	£150k
THE T. S. ELIOT FOUNDATION	1	£118k
BACKSTAGE TRUST	1	£100k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with ALTERNATIVE THEATRE COMPANY LIMITED.

ALTERNATIVE THEATRE COMPANY LIMITED income £2.7m
ALMEIDA THEATRE COMPANY LIMITED income £7.1m
THE HAVERING THEATRE TRUST LIMITED income £4.7m
THE COMPANY PRESENTS LIMITED income £36k
ARTLESS THEATRE TRUST income £107k
THE ARDEN THEATRE GROUP income £72k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
ARDENT THEATRE COMPANY	£142k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
ALTERNATIVE THEATRE COMPANY LIMITED FY2026	£2.7m	—	0	above	—	no doubt
ALMEIDA THEATRE COMPANY LIMITED FY2025	£7.1m	£140,001 - £150,000	—	above	41.7%	no doubt
THE HAVERING THEATRE TRUST LIMITED FY2025	£4.7m	£60,001 - £70,000	—	above	—	no doubt
THE COMPANY PRESENTS LIMITED FY2025	£36k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
ARTLESS THEATRE TRUST FY2025	£107k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt

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