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Pier Arts Centre

Orkney, Scotland Reg: SC014815 (Charity Commission) Sign up to see website
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53
Integrity Assessment
Partial transparency
53/100 · methodology

About Pier Arts Centre

The Pier Arts Centre is Orkney's principal art gallery and its leading independent museum. The Centre was founded in 1979 by Margaret Gardiner OBE (1904-2005) and its collection and buildings are held in trust for the people of Orkney. It cares for an important collection of 20th century modernist art and recently the collection has been extended to include significant 21st century works. The Pier Arts Centre also presents an accessible and engaging year-round programme of contemporary exhibitions, creative residencies and events featuring art from Orkney and beyond. The Pier Arts Centre is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, is a Scottish Charity, a Company Limited by Guarantee and an Accredited Museum. Its entire collection has earned the Scottish …

Founded
Headquarters
Orkney, Scotland
Foundation type
Charitable Company

Focus areas & reach

· What they work on and where

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar arts & culture in United Kingdom
Program spending This charity: 98%
Peer average: 95%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 53
Peer average: 86

Concerns

· None found
No red flags found
Screened for Charity Commission removal, Open investigations, Governance scandals, Related-party deals, Excessive exec comp.

Where every £1 goes

· FY2025 · oscr (FY2025)
£0.98
Program£0.98
Fundraising£0.02
98% to programs beats the peer average (95%) and beats the Charity Navigator "highly efficient" threshold (75%).

GiveRadar Analysis

Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations

Based on the records currently verified by GiveRadar, Pier Arts Centre has a substantially complete profile, sourced from OSCR.

  • Established in 1976, it predates 86% of the arts & culture charities in the United Kingdom GiveRadar has a founding year for. View this cohort
  • GiveRadar holds 5 years of financial filings for this organization, the most recent for fiscal year 2025. See the filings
  • Its integrity score of 53 is below most of the 21,809 arts & culture charities in the United Kingdom GiveRadar tracks. GiveRadar bases this on limited verified information so far, with little on record for its governance. Explore United Kingdom data
GiveRadar has verified
  • government registration
  • financial records (5 filed years)
  • a website
  • a contact email
Not yet verified by GiveRadar
  • leadership details (present for 90% of comparable organizations)
  • a donation page
  • third-party accreditation
  • an owner-submitted profile claim

Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.

Common questions

· Auto-generated from filings + methodology

Pier Arts Centre is a registered arts & culture nonprofit based in Orkney, Scotland, United Kingdom. It is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. It was founded in 1976 and has been operating for 50 years. Its registration number is SC014815. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 53/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports £618K in annual revenue.

Pier Arts Centre's official registration number is SC014815, as recorded in the national registry of United Kingdom.

Pier Arts Centre has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 53/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 53 ('Partial transparency') means some public data is on file but key signals are missing - worth a closer look before donating. The charity allocates 98% of expenses to programs, which contributes positively to its score. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for arts & culture charities in United Kingdom is 86/100.

Pier Arts Centre is located in Orkney, Scotland, United Kingdom. The organization was established in 1976 and has been active for 50 years.

Based on official tax filings, Pier Arts Centre has £618K in annual revenue. It allocates 98% of expenses to programs and services. This is in line with the average of 95% for arts & culture charities in United Kingdom. Fundraising costs represent 2%. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.

Pier Arts Centre is classified as an Arts & Culture organization, registered in United Kingdom. It operates as a Charitable Company. It has £618K in annual revenue.

According to GiveRadar's records, Pier Arts Centre is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales and overseen by the Charity Commission. It reports that 98% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 95%). GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.

The Pier Arts Centre is Orkney's principal art gallery and its leading independent museum. The Centre was founded in 1979 by Margaret Gardiner OBE (1904-2005) and its collection and buildings are held in trust for the people of Orkney. It cares for an important collection of 20th century modernist art and recently the collection has been extended to include significant 21st century works. The Pier Arts Centre also presents an accessible and engaging year-round programme of contemporary exhibitions, creative residencies and events featuring art from Orkney and beyond. The Pier Arts Centre is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, is a Scottish Charity, a Company Limited by Guarantee and... Pier Arts Centre is classified as an arts & culture organization registered in United Kingdom. The organization was founded in 1976.

Among arts & culture charities registered in United Kingdom: It allocates 98% of expenses to programs, in line with the peer average of 95%. Its annual revenue of £618K is comparable to the peer average of £629K.

Pier Arts Centre is a charitable company limited by guarantee, the most common incorporated form for UK charities. It is registered with both Companies House and the Charity Commission, and must file annual accounts with both regulators. Directors (who are also charity trustees) have limited liability. Its Charity Commission registration number is SC014815.

You can verify Pier Arts Centre in several ways. First, search the Charity Commission Register at https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/ - every charity registered in England and Wales appears here with its registration number, trustees, governing document, and filed accounts. Because this is a charitable company, you can also check its filings on Companies House (https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/). Second, check whether the charity's annual return and accounts are up to date - the Commission flags charities with overdue filings. Third, look for the Fundraising Regulator badge on the charity's website, which signals voluntary compliance with the Code of Fundraising Practice.

Contact Pier Arts Centre directly for current donation methods. UK charities typically accept online card payments, direct debit, and bank transfer. Many also use platforms such as JustGiving or Charities Aid Foundation (CAF). If you are a UK taxpayer, make sure to tick the Gift Aid box: it lets the charity reclaim 25p from HMRC for every pound you give at no extra cost to you. Higher-rate taxpayers can claim back the difference between basic-rate and their marginal rate through Self Assessment. Payroll Giving (Give As You Earn) lets you donate pre-tax through your employer.

Donations to Pier Arts Centre are eligible for Gift Aid if you are a UK income-tax or capital-gains-tax payer. Gift Aid adds 25% to your donation at no cost to you (the charity reclaims basic-rate tax from HMRC). Higher-rate and additional-rate taxpayers can also claim back the difference through Self Assessment or by adjusting their PAYE tax code. Gifts of shares, property, or land to charity are free of Capital Gains Tax and can be deducted from your income for Income Tax purposes. Legacy gifts (in your will) reduce the value of your estate for Inheritance Tax and can lower the IHT rate from 40% to 36% if you leave at least 10% to charity.

Pier Arts Centre is based in Orkney in Scotland. The Charity Commission for England and Wales (CCEW) is the primary regulator. Scotland has its own regulator (OSCR), and Northern Ireland has the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (CCNI). A charity registered with the CCEW may operate across the whole of the UK or internationally.

Pier Arts Centre was first registered in 1976, making it approximately 50 years old. UK charities must file an annual return with the Charity Commission to remain on the register. A long registration history generally indicates sustained operations and continuous regulatory compliance.

Annual revenue
£100K-£1M
98% to programs
Source: oscr (FY2025) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

5 years on file from oscr (FY2025): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.

Years on record: FY2025, FY2024, FY2023, FY2022, FY2021.
Financial details are free - with a GiveRadar account

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Taxes

Tax-deductibility for donors

Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United Kingdom under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.

Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.

Staff & volunteers

From filings and published profiles

Employees
11
Still gathering leadership data

We check government filings and charity disclosures quarterly. If you represent this charity, claim this page to add officers directly.

Latest news

From global news sources

No recent news coverage found

News coverage will appear here when articles mention this organization.

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

Form filed
£0.6M revenue
FY2025
OSCR
Form filed
£1.4M revenue
FY2024
OSCR
Form filed
£0.6M revenue
FY2023
OSCR
Form filed
£0.8M revenue
FY2022
OSCR
Form filed
£0.6M revenue
FY2021
OSCR

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Cause areas in United Kingdom

How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.

Education 87,646
Health 28,382
Religion 22,146
Arts & Culture this charity 21,802
Community Development 10,738
Environment 5,683
Social Services 4,899
Youth Development 4,637
See all cause areas in United Kingdom

Most common causes in United Kingdom

Causes charities work on most, with this charity's causes ticked.

Education 54,780
Arts & Culture 17,729
Disability 17,106
Religion 16,671
Health 15,045
Poverty 14,062
Community Development 11,486
Cultural Heritage 8,526

Sources and verification

Registration and legal identity
Charity Commission for England and Wales - Register of Charities
Financial filings
Charity Commission annual returns - Fiscal year 2025 most recent on file.

Data freshness

Last updated
Jun 17, 2026
Registry checked
Jun 17, 2026
Profile completeness
75%

What we know and don't know

Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.

On record · 7
  • Financial data · FY2025 on record
  • Government registration · Registered with an official registry
  • Official website · On record
  • Headquarters address · On file
  • Direct contact · Email or phone published
  • Tax-deductibility · Verified
  • Founding date · 1976
Not available · 4
  • Named leadership
    Board and officer list not yet indexed
  • Executive pay
    Top-officer pay not disclosed
  • Mission statement
    No self-published statement of purpose
  • Programs & activities
    No named programs listed by the charity

Methodology

GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

Are you the owner or a board member?

If you represent this organization and want to correct or update its data, you can claim this listing to edit details yourself, or email [email protected] with the correct information. We review every request and respond within 30 days.

Quick facts about Pier Arts Centre

What is Pier Arts Centre?
Pier Arts Centre is a arts & culture charitable company based in Orkney, United Kingdom. The Pier Arts Centre is Orkney's principal art gallery and its leading independent museum. The Centre was founded in 1979 by Margaret Gardiner OBE (1904-2005) and its collection and buildings are held in trust for the people of Orkney. It cares for an important collection of 20th century modernist art and recently the collection has been extended to include significant 21st century works. The Pier Arts Centre also presents an accessible and engaging year-round programme of contemporary exhibitions, creative residencies and events featuring art from Orkney and beyond. The Pier Arts Centre is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, is a Scottish Charity, a Company Limited by Guarantee and an Accredited Museum. Its entire collection has earned the Scottish Government designation - Recognised Collection of National Significance to Scotland. 'the advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science' (a) to establish and maintain for the benefit of the public a museum and gallery known as the Pier Arts Centre to house the existing collection gifted by Margart Gardiner to the people of Orkney and any further additions and, (b) to advance the education of the public without distinction of sex, political, religious or other opinions in the arts by the establishment and maintenance of a museum and gallery and by the promotion of artistic works, exhibitions and lectures to be held therein.
When was Pier Arts Centre founded?
Pier Arts Centre was founded in 1976.
Where is Pier Arts Centre located?
Headquartered in Orkney, Scotland, United Kingdom.
What is Pier Arts Centre's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2025 is approximately £100K-£1M. 98% of expenses go to program services.
Is Pier Arts Centre trustworthy?
Pier Arts Centre has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 53 out of 100 (Partial transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
What is Pier Arts Centre's registration number?
Registration: SC014815 (United Kingdom).
What is Pier Arts Centre's website?
https://www.pierartscentre.com
Are donations to Pier Arts Centre tax-deductible?
Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United Kingdom under local rules. US donors should check whether the charity has an equivalency-determination letter or a US-based fiscal sponsor before claiming a deduction.