Bristol Music Trust

Cultural organisation promoting music and the arts, and responsible for developing a vibrant programme of music and events at Bristol Beacon; and for supporting young people through music education activities in Bristol and the South West.

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Activities & Mission

Areas of Operation

Where this charity is registered to operate, as self-declared to the Charity Commission. These are regulatory classifications, not a list of active programmes, and don't necessarily indicate fundraising activity in each location.

Local Authority

Bristol City

Financial Information

Latest Income

£14,361,982

Latest Expenditure

£13,275,187

Financial Efficiency

Program Ratio 64.4%

% of income going directly to charitable activities

Higher than 20% of UK Arts charities with income over £10M (sample: 125). How is this calculated?

Overall Efficiency 69.7%

% of expenditure going to programs (vs overhead)

Higher than 11% of UK Arts charities with income over £10M. How is this calculated?

Administrative Ratio 0.4%

Overhead (fundraising + governance) as % of total expenditure

Lower overhead than 88% of UK Arts charities with income over £10M. (Lower overhead is generally read as more efficient.) How is this calculated?

Latest Financial Breakdown

Income Sources

Donations & Legacies £6,013,486

Charitable Activities £6,153,066

Other Trading £1,865,741

Investments £329,689

Other Income £0

Expenditure Categories

Charitable Expenditure £9,248,027

Raising Funds £34,963

Governance £22,500

Grants to Institutions £0

Other Expenditure £3,992,197

Financial Trend

Annual Returns

As filed with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Most recent filing covers the financial year ending 2025.

Financial Year	Income	Expenditure	Charitable Spending	Net Assets	Reserves	Staff
2025	£14,361,982	£13,275,187	£9,248,027	£4,264,158	£515,468	230 / 2
2024	£11,210,713	£11,233,039	£5,921,927	£3,177,363	£519,253	177 / 0
2023	£6,694,538	£6,723,123	£4,739,104	£3,199,689	£479,532	128 / 0
2022	£15,004,403	£15,668,962	£15,507,359	£3,228,274	£918,538	131 / 0
2021	£15,318,723	£14,145,609	£13,998,708	£3,892,833	£594,888	126 / 3

Staff column shows: Employees / Volunteers

Frequently asked questions about Bristol Music Trust

What does Bristol Music Trust do?

How much income did Bristol Music Trust report in 2025?

Bristol Music Trust reported total income of £14.36m and reported expenditure of £13.28m for the financial year ending 2025, based on the most recent annual return filed with the Charity Commission.

How efficient is Bristol Music Trust?

Bristol Music Trust has a program ratio of 64.4%, meaning that share of its income goes directly to charitable activities. This is higher than 20% of UK Arts charities with income over £10M (sample of 125 charities). See our methodology for how this is calculated.

When was Bristol Music Trust registered as a charity?

Bristol Music Trust was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 28 March 2011 as charity number 1140898. It has been registered for 15 years.

Who runs Bristol Music Trust?

Bristol Music Trust is governed by a board of 13 trustees. Trustees are legally responsible for the charity's governance and are listed in full on its profile.

Where does Bristol Music Trust operate?

Bristol Music Trust operates in Bristol City, as recorded in its Charity Commission filing.

Is Bristol Music Trust a registered charity?

Yes — Bristol Music Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 1140898.