MIDLANDS ARTS CENTRE
Registered charity 528979 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as CANNON HILL TRUST, CANNON HILL TRUST LIMITED, MAC, MAC BIRMINGHAM
Midlands Arts Centre, MAC, exists to make innovative, creative arts activities an important part of people's lives. MAC is the most visited arts centre in the Midlands, with almost 1,000,000 visitors a year who come to MAC to enjoy theatre performances, music, comedy, plays for children, literature and poetry events, courses, family shows, films, dance performances and free exhibitions.
Causes: Education/training · Arts/culture/heritage/science · website · Get email alerts
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the charity incurred a deficit of £451,272 for the year ended 31 March 2025, driven by a shortfall in unrestricted funds and provisions for historic liabilities. Despite this, the trustees confirm the charity remains a going concern, supported by unrestricted reserves of £713,484 and confirmed funding through 2026. The organization highlights a strong reliance on Arts Council England grants and ongoing support from trusts and foundations to sustain operations.
Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.
What the accounts disclose
Largest income source: Arts Council England (18% of income)
“MAC has a strong reliance on Arts Council England revenue grant (18%).” — page 29
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves policy: adequate to maintain financial stability (held: £713k)
“The unrestricted reserves figure of £713,484 has been reviewed by the Trustees. They have determined, on the basis of detailed budget and financial planning through to the end of the financial year that this level is adequate to maintain financial stability.” — page 29
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Linda Jones, Trustee, is a partner of Pinsent Masons LLP, a firm the charity used in the year ending 31 March 2025 for the provision of specialist advice in relation employee relations. Pro-bono fees donated by Pinsent Masons are disclosed in note 2 to the accounts.
“Linda Jones, Trustee, is a partner of Pinsent Masons LLP, a firm the charity used in the year ending 31 March 2025 for the provision of specialist advice in relation employee relations. Pro-bono fees donated by Pinsent Masons are disclosed in note 2 to the accounts.” — page 64
“Owen Dutton, Trustee is a Legal Director of Eversheds Sutherland, a firm the Charity has a corporate sponsorship arrangement with, amounting to £7,500 pa.” — page 64
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Owen Dutton, Trustee is a Legal Director of Eversheds Sutherland, a firm the Charity has a corporate sponsorship arrangement with, amounting to £7,500 pa.
“Linda Jones, Trustee, is a partner of Pinsent Masons LLP, a firm the charity used in the year ending 31 March 2025 for the provision of specialist advice in relation employee relations. Pro-bono fees donated by Pinsent Masons are disclosed in note 2 to the accounts.” — page 64
“Owen Dutton, Trustee is a Legal Director of Eversheds Sutherland, a firm the Charity has a corporate sponsorship arrangement with, amounting to £7,500 pa.” — page 64
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Trading subsidiary: Midlands Arts Centre Trading Limited
“The charitable company owns 100% of the share capital of Midland Arts Centre Trading Limited which provides catering services, event sales, venue hires and retail activities.” — page 53
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Accounts audited by Forvis Mazars LLP. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.
In the news
Recent coverage mentioning this charity by name (automated match; headlines belong to their publishers).
Property (HM Land Registry)
1 registered title in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (0 freehold); recorded price paid £973k. All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook · instagram
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)
Cost of raising funds
£1.8m
Reported reserves equal ~0.8 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).
Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (38% 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: 31.3% of total income — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 5.2%) (benchmarks).
- Ros Robinschair
- Arfa Ruhee
- Councillor Matt Bennett
- Dr Haseena Lockhat · trustee of 1 other charity
- Gurdip Singh Bhangoo
- Linda Jane Jones
- Michael William Jones · trustee of 1 other charity
- Michelle Williams
- Mike Williams
- Neil McGowan
- STEPHANIE DALE
- Selina Brown
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: Birmingham City
Income and spending
Common questions
Is MIDLANDS ARTS CENTRE financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity incurred a deficit of £451,272 for the year ended 31 March 2025, driven by a shortfall in unrestricted funds and provisions for historic liabilities. Despite this, the trustees confirm the charity remains a going concern, supported by unrestricted reserves of £713,484 and confirmed funding through 2026. The organization highlights a strong reliance on Arts Council England grants and ongoing support from trusts and foundations to sustain operations. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Forvis Mazars LLP.
Who funds MIDLANDS ARTS CENTRE?
Funders whose own accounts filings name MIDLANDS ARTS CENTRE as a grant recipient include THE NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR YOUTH MUSIC, THE THEATRES TRUST CHARITABLE FUND, THE SAINTBURY TRUST, THE EDWARD AND DOROTHY CADBURY TRUST, DR RADCLIFFE'S TRUST.
Known funders
Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.
Government & lottery funding
Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).
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.
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Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with MILTON KEYNES ARTS CENTRE LTD.
Side by side with its peers
Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.