Future Arts Centres frequently conducts research about arts centres for the benefit of our members.

Salary benchmarking

Annual salary benchmarking provides arts centre leaders with invaluable data for staffing (password protected).

Sector Insight Report

In 2025, we published our second Sector Insight Report which analysed data from financial statements of arts centres for 2023/24. It showed that arts centres received around £29.2m in public subsidy from Arts Councils and local authorities, yet generated total income of £205.7m – therefore for every £1 of public funding, arts centres leveraged over £6 from trading, philanthropy, and other sources. It concluded that arts centres are highly resilient, but recovering and underfunded.

Pulse surveys

We regularly invite members to answer rapid ‘pulse surveys’ on key topics, and share the results with the network to equip leaders with up to date benchmarking and insightful comparisons.

Research with Dave Moutrey and the University of Manchester

With the support of both Future Arts Centres and the University of Manchester, Dave Moutrey is developing a podcast series and book that look at where arts centres have come from, their business models, what makes them work and their role in artist development, audience development, and place-making. You can read more about the research and partnership here.

Evaluating capital needs

In 2025, Future Arts Centres joined with global sustainable development consultancy Arup, to evaluate and highlight the critical need to restore ageing cultural infrastructure and support creative communities across the UK. Drawing on in-depth research involving 90 arts centres with a combined 9.4 million annual visitors, Evaluating Capital Investment Needs for Arts Centres in the UK (May 2025) provided critical intelligence to help inform the decisions of policy makers, funders, and the cultural sector in the UK.