An arts charity in east London has closed after failing to raise £35,000 in a crowdfunding appeal.
Applecart Arts, a performance and arts community charity, has closed due to financial difficulties, after a fundraising campaign that aimed to provide it with immediate support.
The charity managed to raise nearly £10,000 through an online fundraiser, but the page said the charity aimed to raise £35,000 before the end of November.
The fundraiser said the charity was in need of “urgent help” to overcome financial hurdles it was facing, saying: “We’re excited about the medium- and long-term plans for the charity, with new contracts and funding coming online in the new year to deliver extensive wellbeing, educational and creative programmes across London, but we need immediate support to survive the short term.”
According to BBC reports, the charity had asked Newham Council for a one-off emergency grant of £100,000, but the authority declined due to budget challenges.
The charity has since announced its closure in a statement from trustees, who said: “This decision comes despite every effort to sustain the organisation, including the tremendous support from our patrons, artists and friends.”
Hazlewoods LLP has been instructed to assist in placing the charity into liquidation, but a liquidator is yet to be appointed.
The trustees added: “Applecart Arts has been a beacon of hope, a place where art and community came alive. From hosting groundbreaking performances to offering a welcoming space for emerging and local talent, our journey has been one of inspiration and transformation.
“Your unwavering support allowed us to make dreams come true and create an inclusive, dynamic cultural space.”
According to its latest accounts filed with the Charity Commission, the charity had an average number of nine employees in the year to the end of August 2023. The charity is yet to confirm the number of redundancies made.
The charity recorded a total income of £340,039 in the 2022/23 financial year and an expenditure of £403,563 – a deficit of £63,524.
Applecart Arts has been contacted for comment.