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SOUTHBANK CENTRE

Registered charity 298909 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · Wikidata: Q2339207 · Wikipedia · also known as PURCELL ROOM, QUEEN ELIZABETH HALL, ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL, THE HAYWARD, THE SOUTH BANK CENTRE

Arts Centre

Objects

1. THE PROMOTION OF THE ARTS FOR THE GENERAL BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC AND IN PARTICULAR THE MAINTENANCE AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOUTH BANK ESTATE AS A CENTRE FOR THE ARTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PEOPLE IN GREAT BRITAIN IN GENERAL AND OF LONDON IN PARTICULAR. 2. THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE KNOWLEDGE, UNDERSTANDING AND PRACTICE OF THE ARTS AT THE SOUTH BANK ESTATE OR ANY PART OF IT. 3. THE PROVISION AND SUPPORT OF SUCH CULTURAL ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE ARTS AS THE TRUSTEES CONSIDER DESIRABLE AT THE SOUTH BANK ESTATE OR ANY PART OF IT.

Area of benefit: GREAT BRITAIN

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: Lambeth, London, England (from the postcode on the register)

Latest income
£58.3m
Latest spending
£63.6m
Registered
1988
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity incurred an operating deficit of £1.4m, reducing free reserves to £5.1m, which is marginally below the stated policy target of £5.55m. Per the trustees' report, the organization remains financially resilient with total reserves of £222m and sufficient cash resources to meet obligations for at least twelve months.

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 (held: £5.1m)
“The current level of £5.07m is marginally lower than our target and we will seek to supplement this during the year to 31 March 2026.”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Donations from Trustees
“Donations from Trustees were £58,250 (2024: £65,243). The American Fund for Southbank Centre Inc. ("American Fund") provides a tax efficient method for Southbank Centre to receive donations from US based donors. During the year, Southbank Centre received USD 263,975 (2024: USD 151,263) from the American Fund.”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Pension scheme deficit: £500k
“An estimated valuation on the current technical provisions basis specific to the scheme shows a deficit of £0.5m and a deficit on a buyout basis of £3.2m.”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Trading subsidiary: Southbank Centre Enterprises Limited
“Southbank Centre Enterprises Limited manages certain commercial activities on the Southbank estate. The results of Southbank Centre Enterprises Limited are consolidated on a line-by-line basis with those of Southbank Centre.” — page 27
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Crowe U.K. LLP. Discloses 3 of 6 completeness components.

Year-over-year changes

Comparing this charity’s FY2024 and FY2025 accounts as analysed by this site.

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.

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: 76
  • Government income: £18,355,333 — contracts £83,333 (1), grants £18,272,000 (2); 31% of the £58,274,000 total gross income on the same return
  • Employees paid over £60,000: 42 (£60,001–£70,000: 22; £70,001–£80,000: 8; £80,001–£90,000: 3; £100,001–£110,000: 4; £110,001–£120,000: 1; £130,001–£140,000: 1; £150,001–£200,000: 2; £200,001–£250,000: 1)
  • Has a trading subsidiary

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

  • Government income: £18,096,000 — grants £18,096,000 (2); 34% of the £53,921,000 total gross income on the same return
  • Employees paid over £60,000: 31 (£60,001–£70,000: 14; £70,001–£80,000: 5; £80,001–£90,000: 3; £90,001–£100,000: 2; £100,001–£110,000: 2; £110,001–£120,000: 1; £120,001–£130,000: 1; £140,001–£150,000: 1; £150,001–£200,000: 1; £200,001–£250,000: 1)
  • Has a trading subsidiary

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

  • Government income: £19,673,000 — grants £19,673,000 (2); 37% of the £53,282,000 total gross income on the same return
  • Employees paid over £60,000: 25 (£60,001–£70,000: 10; £70,001–£80,000: 3; £80,001–£90,000: 3; £90,001–£100,000: 3; £100,001–£110,000: 1; £110,001–£120,000: 1; £120,001–£130,000: 1; £130,001–£140,000: 1; £150,001–£200,000: 2)
  • Has a trading subsidiary

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

In the news

Recent coverage mentioning this charity by name (automated match; headlines belong to their publishers).

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Southbank Centre (matched by registered charity number).

UK research funding (UKRI Gateway to Research)

Property (HM Land Registry)

8 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (0 freehold). All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.

Trustpilot: Southbank Centre scores 2.7/5 from 21 reviews (source) — reviews usually concern the charity’s shops or services, not its charitable performance.

Advertised salaries (public job ads)

Roles this charity has advertised on CharityJob, matched on the exact employer name. A different source from the statutory pay bands above: these are asking salaries for vacancies, not what anyone was paid.

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)

Total income
£58.3m
Total spending
£63.6m
Cost of raising funds
£1.4m
Reserves (reported)
£5.1m
Employees
539

Reported reserves equal ~1.0 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 4.6 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Other trading activities (39% 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: 2.4% of total income — below the median for charities its size (3.7%) (benchmarks).

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
31/03/2025£58.3m£63.6m
31/03/2024£53.9m£56.6m
31/03/2023£53.3m£53.9m
31/03/2022£43.2m£42.4m
31/03/2021£36.2m£37.2m

Common questions

Is SOUTHBANK CENTRE financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity incurred an operating deficit of £1.4m, reducing free reserves to £5.1m, which is marginally below the stated policy target of £5.55m. Per the trustees' report, the organization remains financially resilient with total reserves of £222m and sufficient cash resources to meet obligations for at least twelve months. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Crowe U.K. LLP.

Who funds SOUTHBANK CENTRE?

Funders whose own accounts filings name SOUTHBANK CENTRE as a grant recipient include THE ROTHSCHILD FOUNDATION, PRISM THE GIFT FUND, THE KARLSSON JATIVA CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, THE RORY AND ELIZABETH BROOKS FOUNDATION, WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS.

Known funders

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

FunderYearAmountPurpose (as stated by the funder)
THE ROTHSCHILD FOUNDATIONFY2023£100k
PRISM THE GIFT FUNDFY2024£65kArt and Cultural Heritage
THE ROTHSCHILD FOUNDATIONFY2022£61k
THE KARLSSON JATIVA CHARITABLE FOUNDATIONFY2024£50kYouth singing programme
THE KARLSSON JATIVA CHARITABLE FOUNDATIONFY2023£50kYouth singing programme
THE KARLSSON JATIVA CHARITABLE FOUNDATIONFY2022£50k
THE RORY AND ELIZABETH BROOKS FOUNDATIONFY2023£35k
ATKIN CHARITABLE FOUNDATIONFY2025Unverified read£30k
WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTSFY2023£29kNote 7
THE T. S. ELIOT FOUNDATIONFY2024£25kDirect UK Grants
THE T. S. ELIOT FOUNDATIONFY2022£25k
THE T. S. ELIOT FOUNDATIONFY2025£25kDirect UK Grants
THE T. S. ELIOT FOUNDATIONFY2023£25kDirect UK Grants
KUSUMA TRUST UKFY2024£25kImagine Festival 2024
KUSUMA TRUST UKFY2023£25kImagine Festival 2024
THE HENRY MOORE FOUNDATIONFY2023£10k
THE JOHN S COHEN FOUNDATIONFY2025£8kEducation & Academic
THE RORY AND ELIZABETH BROOKS FOUNDATIONFY2024£5k
WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTSFY2024£4k
THE ROYAL FOUNDATION OF THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALESFY2025£2kHomewards programme delivery
THE CORCORAN FOUNDATIONFY2025£1k
THE KAMINI AND VINDI BANGA FAMILY TRUSTFY2021£1k
THE MATERIAL WORLD FOUNDATION LIMITEDFY2021Unverified read£813

Grants marked “Unverified read” were flagged by automated checks as possibly misread from the funder’s filed accounts. They are listed, but left out of the totals, counts and funder relationships this site computes.

Government & lottery funding

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

FunderDateAmountPurpose
City Bridge Foundation29/08/2024£51kGrant to Southbank Centre
UK government29/03/2023£757kArts Council Collection Management
UK government20/01/2023£1.2mInvestment funds
UK government20/01/2023£667kInvestment funds
UK government20/10/2022£16.8mNational Portfolio Organisations
City Bridge Foundation17/10/2022£100kGrant to Southbank Centre
UK government02/03/2022£750kArts Council Collection Management
UK government09/12/2021£18.7mNational Portfolio Organisations
UK government07/05/2021£605kInvestment Funds
The Mercers' Company26/06/2019£100kGrant to Southbank Centre
UK government03/09/2018£757kArts Council Collection Management
Greater London Authority30/08/2018£700kSouthbank Undercroft Transformation Project
Sport England03/04/2018£100kImprove and expand existing skate park
UK government21/06/2017£18.7mNational Portfolio Organisations
The National Lottery Heritage Fund22/07/2014£5.0m"Saving Southbank Centre's 60's Buildings"
City Bridge Foundation16/07/2014£4kGrant to Southbank Centre
City Bridge Foundation26/04/2012£120kGrant to Southbank Centre
The National Lottery Heritage Fund15/03/2011£46k"Festival '51 View Points (replaces pre-application title of Festival of Britain)"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund26/11/2009£950k"Royal Festival Hall Organ Project"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund24/01/2003£22.2m"Royal Festival Hall: Restoration and Renovation (Auditorium)"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund14/07/1999£450k"Royal Festival Hall Restoration"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund23/07/1996£30k"Royal Festival Hall- Restoration and Refurbishment"

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.

FunderSimilar charities fundedAmount to them
BAGRI FOUNDATION1£698k
THE FREELANDS FOUNDATION LIMITED1£109k
THE GOLSONCOTT FOUNDATION1£29k
THE VALENTINE CHARITABLE TRUST1£20k
THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE FUND1£18k
THE ALICE ELLEN COOPER-DEAN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION1£15k
THE ADRIAN SWIRE CHARITABLE TRUST1£10k
DORSET COMMUNITY FOUNDATION1£10k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with WARE ARTS CENTRE LIMITED.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
SOUTHBANK CENTRE£58.3m——below—no doubt
WARE ARTS CENTRE LIMITED FY2026£229k—0above—no doubt
DORCHESTER ARTS FY2025£618k—0above—no doubt
Culture& Arts and Heritage FY2025£523k—0unclear—no doubt
WEST ACRE ARTS FOUNDATION LIMITED FY2025£86k—0above—no doubt
ART SPACE FY2026£497k—0unclear—no doubt

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