ARTSPACE LIFESPACE

Registered charity 1168150 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

To promote art for the benefit of the public by the establishment and maintenance of facilities for artists from a variety of artistic practices to create works, to collaborate, and to present and perform those works for the public.We secure interesting, unusual and difficult buildings in which we build workshops, studio spaces, offices, galleries, cafe?s, performance and training facilities.

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

Latest income

£775k

Latest spending

£693k

Registered

2016

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a net surplus of £82,541 for the year ended 30 September 2025, with total funds increasing to £328,516. While the charity faces operational risks regarding the temporary nature of its venue leases and a deficit at its flagship 'The Island' site, the trustees confirm adequate resources to continue operating for the foreseeable future.

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

What the accounts disclose

Fundraising cost ratio: 12.6% of fundraised income, as disclosed

“Income from: Total 2024 |Total 2025| Difference Donations & Grants |£76,683 £79,820 £3,137 Charitable Activities]£587,143 £679,246 |£92,103 Other Trading £0 £13,515 £13,515 Investments £2,507 £2,778 £471 Total Income £666,133 £775,359 |£109,226 Expenditure on: Total 2024 |Total 2025| Difference Raising Funds £12,250 £9,784 (£2,466)” — page 13

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves policy: three months of unrestricted expenditure (held: £189k)

“Target free reserves (min. 3 months of opex) £161,205” — page 19

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Artspace Lifespace Enterprises Limited paid £6,258 to Artspace Lifespace.

“In the financial year ended 30 September 2025, Artspace Lifespace Enterprises Limited paid £6,258 (2024: £10,939) to Artspace Lifespace, and £816 (2024: ENil) was due from the charity at the year end. In addition, Artspace Lifespace paid £Nil (2024: ENil) to Artspace Lifespace Enterprises Limited and Artspace Lifespace Enterprises Limited paid £Nil (2024: E£Nil) to Artspace Lifespace in respect of overheads. There are no other related party transaction other than those disclosed throughout the financial statements.” — page 40

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Trading subsidiary: Artspace Lifespace Enterprises Limited

“ASLS operates a wholly-owned subsidiary, Artspace Lifespace Enterprises Limited (Company No. 10396284), which handles trading activities on behalf of the charity.” — page 21

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Funders the charity credits

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

Bristol City Council Cultural Investment Programme — “We are grateful for the support of our core funders Bristol City Council Cultural Investment Programme , Garfield Weston Foundation and The …” (source page)
Garfield Weston Foundation — “We are grateful for the support of our core funders Bristol City Council Cultural Investment Programme , Garfield Weston Foundation and The …” (source page)
The Nisbet Trust — “We are grateful for the support of our core funders Bristol City Council Cultural Investment Programme , Garfield Weston Foundation and The …” (source page)
Arts Council England — “Arts Council England has supported projects including Futur Ville, We Are From Dust Sculpture Park, and putting the ‘Art’ back into the depa…” (source page)
Awards for All — “Previous project funders also include Awards for All, the Architectural Heritage Fund, Historic England, the John James Foundation, the Post…” (source page)
Architectural Heritage Fund — “Previous project funders also include Awards for All, the Architectural Heritage Fund, Historic England, the John James Foundation, the Post…” (source page)
Historic England — “Previous project funders also include Awards for All, the Architectural Heritage Fund, Historic England, the John James Foundation, the Post…” (source page)
John James Foundation — “Previous project funders also include Awards for All, the Architectural Heritage Fund, Historic England, the John James Foundation, the Post…” (source page)
Postcode Lottery — “Previous project funders also include Awards for All, the Architectural Heritage Fund, Historic England, the John James Foundation, the Post…” (source page)
Quartet — “Previous project funders also include Awards for All, the Architectural Heritage Fund, Historic England, the John James Foundation, the Post…” (source page)

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

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 30/09/2025)

Total income

£775k

Total spending

£693k

Cost of raising funds

£10k

Reserves (reported)

£305k

Employees

Reported reserves equal ~5.3 months of spending — above the median for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (88% 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: 1.3% of total income — below the median for charities its size (4.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

Aran Dasan
Ben Stephenson
JAMES SPENCER RENNIE FRANCIS
Kara Delos Reyes
Melissa Blackburn
Rhiannon Jones
WILLIAM ANTHONY PENHAUL

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

Operates in: Throughout England

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
30/09/2025	£775k	£693k
30/09/2024	£666k	£606k
30/09/2023	£472k	£540k
30/09/2022	£374k	£350k
30/09/2021	£409k	£299k

Common questions

Is ARTSPACE LIFESPACE financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a net surplus of £82,541 for the year ended 30 September 2025, with total funds increasing to £328,516. While the charity faces operational risks regarding the temporary nature of its venue leases and a deficit at its flagship 'The Island' site, the trustees confirm adequate resources to continue operating for the foreseeable future. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Government & lottery funding

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

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
Postcode Lottery	03/04/2023	£21k	Unrestricted Funding
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	25/04/2019	£10k	"Ashton Court Mansion - People's Mansion - Heritage Programme"
The National Lottery Community Fund	30/01/2019	£10k	Crafting Communities Together
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	14/03/2018	£9k	"The Geoffrey Train"