This report provides a snapshot of the arts centre sector, based on financial information relating to 2023/24.
It draws on financial data from 124 arts centres across three years, alongside selected case studies that highlight the sector’s unique contribution to communities, the economy, and public life.
The analysis confirms a familiar story: arts centres are entrepreneurial, resilient organisations, recovering strongly from the shocks of COVID-19, the cost-of living crisis and high inflation. Their mixed-income models underpin this resilience. Yet the sector remains structurally underfunded, with thin margins and high risk. With strategic investment, arts centres could deliver even greater economic impact and healthier, more connected communities.