Artist or illustrator companies in Edinburgh
247 artist or illustrator companies have a registered office in Edinburgh, and 52 of them were formed in 2025 or 2026. In their latest accounts, the typical one held £18,513 in cash and owed £10,373 at year end.
The numbers
| Measure | Edinburgh | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Registered companies | 247 | 22,803 |
| Formed in 2025 or 2026 | 52 (21%) | 17% |
| Being struck off or in liquidation | 16 (6.5%) | 6.3% |
| Typical cash at year end | £18,51355 accounts | £17,603 |
| Typical amount owed at year end | £10,373130 accounts | £14,371 |
| Typical number of employees | 1135 accounts | 1 |
What this means if you’re starting one
Most of these businesses are run by one or two people
The typical artist or illustrator company in Edinburgh reports 1 employee; the top quarter has 1 or more (135 filings).
You are mostly up against owner-operators. Your own hours are likely to be your biggest cost, and the easiest one to undercount.
You can start without much equipment
The typical artist or illustrator company in Edinburgh carries £2,723 of equipment and other fixed assets after depreciation, lower than 92% of UK industries.
Most of the cost of entry is time and running costs rather than kit, so a small test is cheap.
Businesses in this trade usually keep a cash buffer
At year end the typical artist or illustrator company in Edinburgh holds £18,513 in cash and owes £10,373; that cash figure is lower than 67% of UK industries.
Typical operators end the year holding more cash than they owe, so there is usually some slack for a slow month.
Planning a business like this in Edinburgh?
Answer two questions about your customer and what makes you different, and get a free three-week plan to test the idea before you spend real money. No account or card.
Check my ideaWhat these figures can’t tell you
Companies are counted where their registered office is, which may be an accountant or a home address rather than a shop. Sole traders and partnerships are not on the register, and electronically filed accounts cover roughly 60–75% of accounts filed each year. The figures describe companies that exist; they cannot prove demand for your idea or predict whether it will work. How the figures are built.
Artist or illustrator in other places
- Glasgow306 companies
- London7,643 companies
- Brighton585 companies
- Birmingham408 companies
- Manchester394 companies
- Harrow377 companies
- Bristol330 companies
- Tonbridge300 companies
Other businesses in Edinburgh
- Buy-to-let landlord3,027 companies
- Business consultancy2,252 companies
- IT support or consultancy1,469 companies
- Dog grooming and other personal services1,334 companies
- Online shop1,300 companies
- Web design and software1,293 companies
- Takeaway and street food964 companies
- Restaurant937 companies