Charity Accounts Intelreading the accounts so you don’t have to

THE PAUL MELLON CENTRE FOR STUDIES IN BRITISH ART

Registered charity 313838 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as MELLON CENTRE, THE PAUL MELLON CENTRE FOR STUDIES IN BRITISH ART (LONDON) LIMITED, THE PMC

The Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art was established for charitable purposes to advance the education in, & appreciation & understanding of British art history & architecture, in the UK & elsewhere by engaging in & promoting research, publishing books & journals, holding academic events & education programmes, providing library & archive resources, & awarding grants & fellowships.

Causes: Education/training · Arts/culture/heritage/science · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · website · Get email alerts

Latest income
£8.3m
Latest spending
£6.9m
Registered
1970
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that unrestricted reserves totalled £13,246,231, with free reserves of £9,480,605, which the trustees consider broadly in line with the annual operating budget as per their reserves policy. The charity relies heavily on endowment income from Yale University, which provides financial stability but exposes the organisation to USD:GBP exchange rate fluctuations and changes in endowment tax rates. The trustees and auditors confirm that the charity has adequate resources to continue its activities for the foreseeable future with no material uncertainties.

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

What the accounts disclose

Largest income source: Income from endowment at Yale (93% of income)
“Income from endowment at Yale” — page 41
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves policy: equivalent to the current year’s operating budget (held: £9.5m)
“The PMC maintains a reserve held in GBP that is equivalent to the current year’s operating budget.” — page 22
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Payments to trustees: One trustee, Professor Timothy Barringer, was paid £1,055 relating to publication royalties. The Centre also paid for meeting subsistence expenses for two trustees totalling £31.
“Acting in their academic capacity, one trustee, Professor Timothy Barringer was paid £1,055 (£2024:£nil) relating to publication royalties, and the Centre paid for meeting subsistence expenses for two trustees totalling £31 (2024: £nil).” — page 46
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Income from Yale University
“During the year the charity received income of £7,791,537 (2024: £7,150,698) from Yale University, the entity responsible for establishing the charity. The University releases endowment monies to the charity from monies originally received from alumnus, Mr Paul Mellon.” — page 47
“During the year the charity received £175,482 (2024: £165,255 ) from Yale University Press, in relation to revenue share and publishing royalties. Yale University Press is a subsidiary of Yale University, the entity responsible for establishing the charity.” — page 47
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Income from Yale University Press
“During the year the charity received income of £7,791,537 (2024: £7,150,698) from Yale University, the entity responsible for establishing the charity. The University releases endowment monies to the charity from monies originally received from alumnus, Mr Paul Mellon.” — page 47
“During the year the charity received £175,482 (2024: £165,255 ) from Yale University Press, in relation to revenue share and publishing royalties. Yale University Press is a subsidiary of Yale University, the entity responsible for establishing the charity.” — page 47
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Payments to Yale University Press
“During the year the charity received income of £7,791,537 (2024: £7,150,698) from Yale University, the entity responsible for establishing the charity. The University releases endowment monies to the charity from monies originally received from alumnus, Mr Paul Mellon.” — page 47
“During the year the charity received £175,482 (2024: £165,255 ) from Yale University Press, in relation to revenue share and publishing royalties. Yale University Press is a subsidiary of Yale University, the entity responsible for establishing the charity.” — page 47
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Sayer Vincent LLP. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

Corporate structure

Company officers (Companies House)

Current officers of the charity’s own company per the Companies House register, cross-checked against the Charity Commission trustee list by name. A director not on the trustee list is usually a timing or naming difference between the two registers — check both records before drawing conclusions.

Official officers record.

Property (HM Land Registry)

2 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.

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 30/06/2025)

Total income
£8.3m
Total spending
£6.9m
Reserves (reported)
£13.2m
Employees
40

Reported reserves equal ~23.0 months of spending — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (94% 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: 0.0% of total income — below the median for charities its size (5.2%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Australia · Austria · Belgium · Canada · Croatia · France · Germany · Greece · Hong Kong · India · Ireland · Italy

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
30/06/2025£8.3m£6.9m
30/06/2024£7.4m£6.4m
30/06/2023£7.2m£6.4m
30/06/2022£5.8m£5.5m
30/06/2021£5.6m£4.8m

Common questions

Is THE PAUL MELLON CENTRE FOR STUDIES IN BRITISH ART financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that unrestricted reserves totalled £13,246,231, with free reserves of £9,480,605, which the trustees consider broadly in line with the annual operating budget as per their reserves policy. The charity relies heavily on endowment income from Yale University, which provides financial stability but exposes the organisation to USD:GBP exchange rate fluctuations and changes in endowment tax rates. The trustees and auditors confirm that the charity has adequate resources to continue its activities for the foreseeable future with no material uncertainties. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Sayer Vincent LLP.

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
HUO FAMILY FOUNDATION (UK) LIMITED1£2.3m
THE FOYLE FOUNDATION1£119k
THE STEVENSON FAMILY'S CHARITABLE TRUST1£25k
THE ALBERT DAWSON EDUCATIONAL TRUST1£23k
ALTAJIR TRUST1£20k
LLOYD'S REGISTER FOUNDATION1£10k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with THE WALPOLE SOCIETY.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
THE PAUL MELLON CENTRE FOR STUDIES IN BRITISH ART£8.3m——unclear—no doubt
THE WALPOLE SOCIETY FY2025£103k—0unclear—no doubt
The Centre for British Photography FY2025£217k—0unclear—no doubt
THE ALBERT DAWSON EDUCATIONAL TRUST FY2025£119k—0unclear—no doubt
THE INGRAM ART FOUNDATION FY2025£152k——unclear—no doubt
THE COURTAULD INSTITUTE OF ART FUND FY2025£434k—0within—no doubt

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