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Arts and heritage charities in the UK

There are 21,987 registered charities in England and Wales working on the arts and heritage. 14,975 of them (68%) are small, with an income under £100,000 a year.

Updated from the Charity Commission register.

Arts and heritage charities run local theatres, choirs, orchestras and festivals, care for museums and historic buildings, and bring art to people who might never see it. Many are small and run by volunteers who love what they do.

If something creative or historic matters to you, there's very likely a local charity keeping it alive. Become a friend or member, give regularly, or lend a hand, and you'll be part of it for years.

Find the arts and heritage charities that fit you

Answer a few short questions and we'll pick the few that really fit what matters to you, with the reasons why. It takes a couple of minutes, and we never ask for any contact details.

Get my personal shortlist

Music and choirs

4,972 of these charities say this is part of their work. Here are a few of them.

  1. The London Musical Theatre Orchestra

    EC2M · Income £100k to £1m

    The charities objects are to advance, develop, improve and maintain public appreciation of the art of musical theatre for the public benefit through the presentation of a diverse programme of public concerts of musical…

    Their website Charity Commission record

  2. Brighton Open Air Theatre (Boat)

    BN3 · Income £100k to £1m

    The advancement of education in arts and culture through the establishment, management and maintenance of an open air theatre in Brighton & Hove for the use of residents and visitors. The cultural facility operates from…

    Their website Charity Commission record

  3. Exmouth Youth Theatre

    EX8 · Small charity, income under £100k

    The aims of the Exmouth Youth Theatre are to advance the education of children and young peoplein music and the performing arts and to promote, improve, develop and maintain public educationand appreciation of music and…

    Their website Charity Commission record

  4. Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre

    EC2Y · Income £100k to £1m

    To advance the education of all persons and principally children, young people and students in the art, practice, and appreciation of cultural significance of dance, drama and musical theatre, and to promote high…

    Their website Charity Commission record

Theatre and dance

3,750 of these charities say this is part of their work. Here are a few of them.

  1. Whitstable Community Museum and Gallery

    CT5 · Small charity, income under £100k

    We operate Whitstable Museum & Gallery. Our unique Whitstable focused collections, connect people to the past and the present engendering a sense of place, identity, pride and belonging. We encourage the exploration of…

    Their website Charity Commission record

  2. Earls Colne Heritage Museum

    CO6 · Small charity, income under £100k

    Earls Colne Heritage Museum operates and manages a local history museum at the Old Water Tower, 1 Reuben Walk, Earls Colne, Colchester CO6 2SZ. It is an entirely volunteer led charity and opens at weekends and on…

    Their website Charity Commission record

  3. Barnsley Museums and Heritage Trust

    S70 · Income £100k to £1m

    Barnsley Museums and Heritage Trust is a Development Trust set up to raise funds and support Barnsley Museums which currently include: Cannon Hall, Worsbrough Mill, Cooper Gallery, Elsecar Heritage Centre and Experience…

    Their website Charity Commission record

  4. Blackpool Heritage and Museum Trust

    FY1 · Income £100k to £1m

    To promote the education of the public in relation to the history of Blackpool by the operation, maintenance and preservation of a museum in Blackpool known as 'Showtown: the museum of fun and entertainment'. To promote…

    Their website Charity Commission record

Museums, history and old buildings

4,276 of these charities say this is part of their work. Here are a few of them.

  1. The Royal Welsh Regimental Museum Trust

    LD3 · Small charity, income under £100k

    The objectives of the Charity are:To educate the public in the history and military accomplishments of the Regiment, and its former regiments, by the maintenance of a military Museum and Archive and to promote military…

    Their website Charity Commission record

  2. Burford Tolsey Museum and Archive

    OX18 · Small charity, income under £100k

    Mission Statement : The Burford Tolsey Museum & Archive exists to serve the interest of the people of Burford and the general public in the in the cultural heritage of the Town and neighbourhood, by preserving and…

    Their website Charity Commission record

  3. The Chatteris Museum Trust

    PE16 · Small charity, income under £100k

    To collect, care for and interpret the natural and cultural heritage of Chatteris and the surrounding area for the benefit, enjoyment of local people and visitors

    Their website Charity Commission record

  4. The North Holderness Museum of Village Life (Hornsea Museum)

    HU18 · Small charity, income under £100k

    The objects of the charity is to preserve for the Community and the nation; local history, architectural and cultural heritage that may exist in and around North Holderness in the form of buildings and artefacts of…

    Their website Charity Commission record

Art, crafts and festivals

2,460 of these charities say this is part of their work. Here are a few of them.

  1. Theatre Porto

    CH65 · Income £100k to £1m

    The company is established to advance the performing arts and the visual arts for the benefit and education of the public and in particular young people.

    Their website Charity Commission record

  2. Malton Museum CIO

    YO62 · Small charity, income under £100k

    Malton Museum is an independent, accredited museum, run primarily by volunteers. Its chief aim is to enable the local community to discover more about the town's varied history through regular exhibitions drawn from the…

    Their website Charity Commission record

  3. Staithes Festival of Arts and Heritage

    YO62 · Small charity, income under £100k

    To advance the education of the general public in the artistic and cultural heritage of the village of staithes, north yorkshire by creating a festival in the village of art and heritage displays, educational events and…

    Their website Charity Commission record

  4. Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery Limited

    GU32 · Income £100k to £1m

    The charity seeks to educate the public by the establishment and maintenance of a museum for items of historical and archaeological interest, archives, photographs, flora and fauna and arts and crafts especially those…

    Their website Charity Commission record

Small charities worth knowing

14,975 arts and heritage charities have an income under £100,000 a year. Most are run by a few people, often volunteers, and few of them can afford to advertise. Here are some of them, each with recent accounts on the register.

  1. Heritage Children

    CF14 · Small charity, income under £100k

    Provide sponsorship for educational purposes to needy and deprived children in Nepal and Bangladesh, this is achieved through sponsorship by UK citizens and organisations of --ú120 per annum.

    Charity Commission record

  2. Carnaval Del Pueblo Asociación

    SE1 · Small charity, income under £100k

    For the Public benefit, to promote, improve and advance education in, and appreciation of, the Arts (meaning the Musical, Visual, Dramatic or any other Arts provided in each case that they are of recognised Cultural or…

    Their website Charity Commission record

  3. Woodford Players

    CW4 · Small charity, income under £100k

    Stage two plays each year, a theatre supper, and studio production together with workshops, fundraising / social events

    Their website Charity Commission record

  4. The Bristol Dance Eisteddfod Association

    BS10 · Small charity, income under £100k

    Annual Festival of classical dance

    Their website Charity Commission record

  5. Reading Lunchtime Choir

    RG7 · Income under £10k

    In order to advance improve develop and maintain public education in and appreciation of the art and science of choral music, we accept new members to our choir without audition, We rehearse each week a wide variety of…

    Their website Charity Commission record

  6. The Anglia Singers

    CM1 · Income under £10k

    Choir performing 3-4 concerts pa.

    Their website Charity Commission record

  7. University of the Third Age, Tenterden

    TN30 · Income under £10k

    Cultural and Social activities for the elderly

    Their website Charity Commission record

  8. The Polish Writers Abroad Charity

    W6 · Small charity, income under £100k

    The Charity promotes Polish literature, education and heritage, focusing on writers abroad. Activities include author events, poetry readings, the annual Literary Prize, lectures, exhibitions, conferences and…

    Their website Charity Commission record

Find the arts and heritage charities that fit you

Answer a few short questions and we'll pick the few that really fit what matters to you, with the reasons why. It takes a couple of minutes, and we never ask for any contact details.

Get my personal shortlist

Arts and heritage charities by town

The towns and cities with the most arts and heritage charities, counted by where each charity is registered. London's number includes national charities with a head office there.

Somewhere else? Search by postcode.

Questions people ask

How many arts and heritage charities are there in the UK?

There are 21,987 registered charities in England and Wales working on the arts and heritage. 14,975 of them (68%) are small, with an income under £100,000 a year. The figures come from the Charity Commission register for England and Wales, last refreshed in October 2026. Scotland and Northern Ireland keep their own registers, so their charities aren't counted here.

What do arts and heritage charities do?

Going by what they say about themselves on the register, the most common kinds of work are music and choirs (4,972 charities), museums, history and old buildings (4,276 charities), and theatre and dance (3,750 charities). Many do more than one of these.

Which arts and heritage charity should I give to?

The one that fits what matters to you. Tell us a little about it and we'll pick the few charities that fit you best, with the reasons why. It's free, takes a couple of minutes, and we never ask for any contact details. No charity can pay to appear on your list.

Why give to a small charity working on the arts and heritage?

Small charities run on very little, so a regular gift, however modest, helps them plan ahead. They're often rooted in one place, so you can get to know the people doing the work and see what your help does. Every charity listed on this page has an income under £1 million a year and has sent the Charity Commission accounts in the last two and a half years.

How can I check a charity is genuine?

Look it up on the Charity Commission register by its name or charity number. Its page there shows what it does, who its trustees are and its latest accounts. Every charity on this page links straight to its register record.

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