ROYAL SOCIETY OF PAINTERS IN WATER COLOURS

Registered charity 258348 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as ROYAL WATERCOLOUR SOCIETY

The Society is committed to uphold and advance the historic and contemporary art of watercolour painting.The members of the Society support and contribute to the work of their London home, Bankside Gallery, through exhibitions, workshops and educational events.The Society's art collections and archives are maintained and made available as a resource for artists, scholars and a worldwide public.

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

Latest income
£262k
Latest spending
£297k
Registered
1969
Accounts read
FY2024

Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts

The accounts state that the charity held unrestricted reserves of £901,007 against a policy target of two years' expenditure, which the Council considers sufficient. However, the charity reported a net deficit from activities of £35,147 before investment gains, noting that limited income sources have historically been insufficient to cover activity costs.

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

What the accounts disclose

Fundraising cost ratio: 3.6% of fundraised income — near the median for charities its size (2.9%)
During the year under review, total income amounted to £261,534 (2023: £187,925). The cost of raising funds in the year was £9,504 (2023: £10,554) — page 9
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves policy: two years (held: £901k)
Council currently recognises the need to set aside amounts to ensure the continuance of the following activities, for a minimum period of two years. — page 6
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

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

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

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/12/2024£262k£297k
31/12/2023£188k£267k
31/12/2022£413k£179k
31/12/2021£228k£138k
31/12/2020£200k£118k

Common questions

Is ROYAL SOCIETY OF PAINTERS IN WATER COLOURS financially healthy?

Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that the charity held unrestricted reserves of £901,007 against a policy target of two years' expenditure, which the Council considers sufficient. However, the charity reported a net deficit from activities of £35,147 before investment gains, noting that limited income sources have historically been insufficient to cover activity costs. Its FY2024 accounts were independently examined.

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 BANKSIDE GALLERY LIMITED.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
ROYAL SOCIETY OF PAINTERS IN WATER COLOURS£262k0unclear3.6%no doubt
BANKSIDE GALLERY LIMITED FY2024£448kunclearno doubt
THE SOCIETY OF BOTANICAL ARTISTS LIMITED FY2025£218k0unclearno doubt
ROYAL SOCIETY OF PAINTER-PRINTMAKERS FY2024£123k0unclearno doubt
THE CONTEMPORARY ART SOCIETY FY2025£2.1maboveno doubt
THE ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN FY2024£1.7m£100,000 - £119,999unclearno doubt

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