Newbiggin Arts Centre

Registered charity 1163002 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as THE LITTLE GEM ARTS & CRAFTS GALLERY

Newbiggin Arts Centre's objective is to advance education in Art and Crafts for the local community; in particular, but not exclusively, by providing tuition and art/craft facilities.

Objects

THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION IN ARTS AND CRAFTS FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT OF PEOPLE LIVING IN NORTHUMBERLAND PARTICULARLY BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY BY PROVIDING TUITION AND ART/CRAFT FACILITIES.

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

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

Registered contact address: Northumberland, North East, England (from the postcode on the register)

Latest income

£89k

Latest spending

£74k

Registered

2015

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that unrestricted reserves increased to £20,801, though the trustees note this falls well short of their stated policy target of £24,500 for three months of expenditure. The charity reports a net decrease in unrestricted funds for the year but confirms it is prepared on a going concern basis with adequate resources for the foreseeable future.

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

What the accounts disclose

Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy

“We recognise, as a new charity, we still fall well short of this level of reserves and it will take time to achieve.” — page 14

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
Conflicting interests
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
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
Trustee expenses 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.

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/12/2025

Volunteers: 12
Government income: £49,820 — grants £49,820 (2); 56% of the £89,241 total gross income on the same return

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/12/2024

Volunteers: 12
Government income: £45,077 — grants £45,077 (7); 53% of the £85,845 total gross income on the same return

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/12/2023

Volunteers: 10
Government income: £5,000 — grants £5,000 (1); 11% of the £45,472 total gross income on the same return

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

Funders the charity credits

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

The North East Combined Authority (North East CA) — “Supported by: The North East Combined Authority (North East CA) was formed on 7 May 2024. It is led by Elected Mayor Kim McGuinness and the …” (source page)
UK Government — “This project is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.” (source page)
UK Shared Prosperity Fund — “This project is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund aims to improve pride …” (source page)

Trustees · trustee networks

Stephen Wilkinsonchair
Rebekah Cooper
SUSAN CASE
Susan Andrew
Valerie Hearn

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

Operates in: Northumberland

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/12/2025	£89k	£74k
31/12/2024	£86k	£87k
31/12/2023	£45k	£52k
31/12/2022	£47k	£54k
31/12/2021	£23k	£10k

Common questions

Is Newbiggin Arts Centre financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that unrestricted reserves increased to £20,801, though the trustees note this falls well short of their stated policy target of £24,500 for three months of expenditure. The charity reports a net decrease in unrestricted funds for the year but confirms it is prepared on a going concern basis with adequate resources for the foreseeable future. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Who funds Newbiggin Arts Centre?

Funders whose own accounts filings name Newbiggin Arts Centre as a grant recipient include THE BERNICIA FOUNDATION, THE JOICEY TRUST, THE CATHERINE COOKSON CHARITABLE TRUST.

Known funders

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

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
THE BERNICIA FOUNDATION	FY2026	£5k
THE JOICEY TRUST	FY2026	£2k
THE CATHERINE COOKSON CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£250	Arts and Culture

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	20/03/2024	£100k	Art for All
Community Foundation North East	11/08/2022	£5k	Grant to Newbiggin Arts Centre
Community Foundation North East	20/01/2022	£2k	A grant to Newbiggin Arts Centre
Community Foundation North East	18/05/2018	£3k	Core costs

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 THEATRES TRUST CHARITABLE FUND	1	£5k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with ARTS AND CRAFTS COMMUNITY CENTRE.

ARTS AND CRAFTS COMMUNITY CENTRE income £40k
NEW CUT ARTS income £281k
ART SPACE income £497k
THE BOLLINGTON ARTS CENTRE income £67k
NEWCASTLE ARTS CENTRE TRUST LTD income £175k
WARE ARTS CENTRE LIMITED income £229k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
Newbiggin Arts Centre	£89k	—	0	below	—	no doubt
ARTS AND CRAFTS COMMUNITY CENTRE FY2025	£40k	—	0	above	—	no doubt
NEW CUT ARTS FY2025	£281k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
ART SPACE FY2026	£497k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
THE BOLLINGTON ARTS CENTRE FY2026	£67k	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
NEWCASTLE ARTS CENTRE TRUST LTD FY2025	£175k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt

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