01 Identity
Scottish charity record
- OSCR charity number
- SC020345
- Status
- Active
- Regulatory type
- Standard
- Designated religious body
- No
- Geographical spread
- Scotland and other parts of the UK
- Volunteers
- 1-50 volunteers
- Staff
- 11
- Postcode
- EH8 8DL
02 Purpose and work
What the charity exists to do
Creative Lives is set up to champion community-led creativity and ensure that everyone can take part in creative activity, regardless of background, place or circumstance. We believe that everyday creativity strengthens wellbeing, builds social connection and supports resilient communities. We do this by working directly with grassroots creative groups and volunteers, particularly those who are under-resourced or marginalised. Our work is place-based and includes mapping local creative activity, distributing grants and micro-grants, providing practical support and resources, sharing learning, and raising the profile of community creativity. We work in partnership with local authorities, funders and community organisations to embed sustainable, inclusive creative opportunities.
Charitable purposes
- the advancement of citizenship or community development
- the advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science
Beneficiaries
- Other defined groups
Activities
- It carries out activities or services itself
Constitutional objectives
(i) To promote amateur arts and crafts'· generally and in particular (ii) To develop and improve the knowledge, understanding and practice of amateur arts and. crafts through the recognition and development of amateur arts and crafts both in the United Kingdom and elsewhere (a) By providing encouragement, advocacy and support for amateur agencies, their members and other individuals showing particular talent, expertise or interest in the field of amateur arts and crafts (b) By acting as consultants and advisors to amateur organisations or other: groups and by making available to them the results of research and studies and information of any kind which may be relevant to their activities.
03 Annual returns
Income and expenditure history
| Year end | Total income | Donations | Charitable activities income | Trading income | Investment income | Other income | Total expenditure | Raising funds | Charitable activities spending | Other spending | Staff | Return received |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 March 2025 | £731,721 | £20,000 | £711,721 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £958,040 | £0 | £958,040 | £0 | 11 | 30 December 2025 |
| 31 March 2024 | £1,116,385 | £0 | £1,116,385 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £998,117 | £0 | £998,117 | £0 | 11 | 31 December 2024 |
| 31 March 2023 | £748,868 | £0 | £748,868 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £693,406 | £0 | £693,406 | £0 | 11 | 20 December 2023 |
| 31 March 2022 | £711,891 | £0 | £711,891 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £658,582 | £0 | £658,582 | £0 | 11 | 31 December 2022 |
| 31 March 2021 | £723,583 | £0 | £723,583 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £633,682 | £0 | £633,682 | £0 | 11 | 21 December 2021 |
Figures are those reported by the charity and supplied in the OSCR bulk download. Blank facts remain distinct from zero.
04 Contact record
Principal office or trustees address
- Address supplied to OSCR
- The Melting Pot , 15 Calton Road, Edinburgh, Edinburgh
- Website supplied to OSCR
- www.creative-lives.org
- Parent charity
- Not supplied
No direct external links on this profile. The official OSCR record and source documentation are available through BritDB’s dedicated source page.
05 Provenance
Source for this profile
© Crown Copyright and database right 2026. Contains information from the Scottish Charity Register supplied by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. BritDB is an independent service and does not claim to be the Scottish Charity Register.