City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Also known as: C B S O Society Limited, Cbso
Promoting concerts in Birmingham. Taking part in concerts at other venues in the UK and around the world. Broadcasting and recording work. Extensive education programme. Running 3 unpaid professional choruses and an auditioned youth choir in partnership with Birmingham Music Services. Management of CBSO Centre, the Orchestra's administration and rehearsal home and medium sized performance venue.
Activities & Mission
Promoting concerts in Birmingham. Taking part in concerts at other venues in the UK and around the world. Broadcasting and recording work. Extensive education programme. Running 3 unpaid professional choruses and an auditioned youth choir in partnership with Birmingham Music Services. Management of CBSO Centre, the Orchestra's administration and rehearsal home and medium sized performance venue.
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.
Show all 7 areas of operation Hide areas of operation
Country
Region
Financial Information
Financial Efficiency
Higher than 94% of UK Arts charities with income £1M to £10M (sample: 780). How is this calculated?
Higher than 47% of UK Arts charities with income £1M to £10M. How is this calculated?
Lower overhead than 36% of UK Arts charities with income £1M to £10M. (Lower overhead is generally read as more efficient.) How is this calculated?
Latest Financial Breakdown
Income Sources
Expenditure Categories
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 | £8,595,617 | £10,699,834 | £10,090,705 | £3,915,567 | £4,679,746 | 118 / 439 |
| 2024 | £10,084,311 | £11,328,700 | £10,663,192 | £2,630,712 | £4,621,062 | 115 / 294 |
| 2023 | £9,332,269 | £11,766,902 | £11,356,225 | £1,170,955 | £3,369,997 | 109 / 281 |
| 2022 | £9,272,000 | £9,630,000 | £9,346,000 | -£1,197,000 | £3,059,000 | 111 / 208 |
| 2021 | £6,881,000 | £6,258,000 | £5,967,000 | -£2,683,000 | £2,656,000 | 103 / 208 |
Staff column shows: Employees / Volunteers
Frequently asked questions about City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
What does City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra do?
Promoting concerts in Birmingham. Taking part in concerts at other venues in the UK and around the world. Broadcasting and recording work. Extensive education programme. Running 3 unpaid professional choruses and an auditioned youth choir in partnership with Birmingham Music Services. Management of CBSO Centre, the Orchestra's administration and rehearsal home and medium sized performance venue.
How much income did City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra report in 2025?
City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra reported total income of £8.60m and reported expenditure of £10.70m for the financial year ending 2025, based on the most recent annual return filed with the Charity Commission.
How efficient is City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra?
City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra has a program ratio of 117.4%, meaning that share of its income goes directly to charitable activities. This is higher than 94% of UK Arts charities with income £1M to £10M (sample of 780 charities). See our methodology for how this is calculated.
When was City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra registered as a charity?
City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 4 May 1977 as charity number 506276. It has been registered for 49 years.
Who runs City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra?
City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra is governed by a board of 14 trustees. Trustees are legally responsible for the charity's governance and are listed in full on its profile.
Where does City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra operate?
City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra operates across 7 areas, including Belgium, Germany, Ireland and 4 others. The full list is shown on its profile.
Is City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra a registered charity?
Yes — City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 506276.
Details
BERKLEY STREET
BIRMINGHAM
B1 2LF
Registry Information
Is this your charity?
Add your logo, photos and tell the story behind the numbers in your own words. Free for our first 50 launch partners.
Claim this listing Learn more about premium profilesOther notable Arts charities
Major UK charities in the same primary sector, drawn from the curated priority cohort.
Trustees
Also governs 1 other charity
Also governs 1 other charity
Sectors & Classifications
Also Known As
- C B S O Society Limited
- Cbso
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Data & trust
- Register data refreshed
- 14 May 2026
- Methodology
- How metrics are calculated