Skip to main content Skip to navigation

The Marlowe Trust

Making theatre possible for everyoneWe believe that everyone in our community, regardless of their circumstances or background, should be able to experience the magic of theatre, both as participants and audiences.

Email Charity

Activities & Mission

Making theatre possible for everyoneWe believe that everyone in our community, regardless of their circumstances or background, should be able to experience the magic of theatre, both as participants and audiences.

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

Financial Information

Latest Income
£17,663,777
Latest Expenditure
£17,263,978

Financial Efficiency

Program Ratio 88.8%
% of income going directly to charitable activities

Higher than 52% of UK Arts charities with income over £10M (sample: 125). How is this calculated?

Overall Efficiency 90.8%
% of expenditure going to programs (vs overhead)

Higher than 42% of UK Arts charities with income over £10M. How is this calculated?

Administrative Ratio 8.7%
Overhead (fundraising + governance) as % of total expenditure

Lower overhead than 31% 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 £316,674
Charitable Activities £14,944,453
Other Trading £1,805,290
Investments £353,486
Other Income £243,874

Expenditure Categories

Charitable Expenditure £15,681,642
Raising Funds £1,498,829
Governance £0
Grants to Institutions £0
Other Expenditure £83,507

Financial Trend

Annual Returns

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

One or more years show a significant change in income (over ±100%) compared with the prior year. This usually reflects a merger, transfer of activities, restated accounts, or a one-off legacy — not necessarily a real change in operating scale. See the methodology for context.

The Commission record shows these related events on the register:

  • Asset transfer in in 2026 — The Footlights Trust Canterbury (organisation 4038714)
  • Asset transfer in in 2024 — The Marlowe Theatre Development Trust (organisation 4033029)
Financial YearIncomeExpenditureCharitable SpendingNet AssetsReservesStaff
2025
£17,663,777
£17,263,978£15,681,642£2,656,250£714,445235 / 0
2024
£14,600,710
£14,546,010£13,252,957£2,256,451£2,110,077195 / 0
2023
£15,939,802
£15,723,766£14,578,026£2,201,751£2,055,377176 / 0
2022
£11,760,014
£10,861,211£10,085,725£1,985,715£1,622,760136 / 0
2021
£4,928,952
£4,387,971£4,342,772£1,086,912£940,538164 / 0

Staff column shows: Employees / Volunteers

Frequently asked questions about The Marlowe Trust

What does The Marlowe Trust do?

Making theatre possible for everyoneWe believe that everyone in our community, regardless of their circumstances or background, should be able to experience the magic of theatre, both as participants and audiences.

How much income did The Marlowe Trust report in 2025?

The Marlowe Trust reported total income of £17.66m and reported expenditure of £17.26m for the financial year ending 2025, based on the most recent annual return filed with the Charity Commission.

How efficient is The Marlowe Trust?

The Marlowe Trust has a program ratio of 88.8%, meaning that share of its income goes directly to charitable activities. This is higher than 52% of UK Arts charities with income over £10M (sample of 125 charities). See our methodology for how this is calculated.

When was The Marlowe Trust registered as a charity?

The Marlowe Trust was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 11 September 2018 as charity number 1179882. It has been registered for 8 years.

Who runs The Marlowe Trust?

The Marlowe Trust is governed by a board of 9 trustees. The chair of trustees is JONATHAN Ryerson Douglas CHURCH. Trustees are legally responsible for the charity's governance and are listed in full on its profile.

Where does The Marlowe Trust operate?

The Marlowe Trust operates in Kent, as recorded in its Charity Commission filing.

Is The Marlowe Trust a registered charity?

Yes — The Marlowe Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 1179882.

Details

Address
The Marlowe Theatre
The Friars
Canterbury
CT1 2AS
Registration Date
11 September 2018
Status
Registered

Registry Information

Organisation Number
5117564
Charity Number
1179882

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 profiles

Trustees

JONATHAN Ryerson Douglas CHURCH Chair
Abdur-Rehman Ismael Mia
Atri Rohan Banerjee
Colin Carmichael
Also governs 2 other charities
Guy Holloway
Kerry Dawn Jordan-Daus
Nigel John Cripps
Pamel Jane Baxter

Sectors & Classifications

Data & trust

Register data refreshed
14 May 2026
Report a data issue