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Artist or illustrator companies in the Southampton area

145 artist or illustrator companies have a registered office in the Southampton area (SO postcodes), and 17 of them were formed in 2025 or 2026. In their latest accounts, the typical one held £9,508 in cash and owed £13,897 at year end.

Companies House register, 1 September 2026, and accounts filed in the last twelve months. Compared with the official category “Artistic creation” (SIC 90030). Covers companies with a registered office in SO postcodes, including Southampton, Winchester, Eastleigh.

The numbers

Artist or illustrator companies in the Southampton area (SO postcodes) compared with the same category across the UK. Typical figures are medians.
MeasureSouthamptonUK
Registered companies14522,803
Formed in 2025 or 202617 (12%)17%
Being struck off or in liquidation18 (12%)6.3%
Typical cash at year end£9,50841 accounts£17,603
Typical amount owed at year end£13,89792 accounts£14,371
Typical number of employees193 accounts1

What this means if you’re starting one

You will be up against established operators

12% of the 145 artist or illustrator companies in the Southampton area (SO postcodes) were formed in 2025–26, against 17% of all companies in the Southampton area (SO postcodes).

Few new companies are entering, so your customers will compare you with businesses that have years of reviews and regulars.

You can start without much equipment

The typical artist or illustrator company in the Southampton area (SO postcodes) carries £3,421 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.

Most of these businesses are run by one or two people

The typical artist or illustrator company in the Southampton area (SO postcodes) reports 1 employee; the top quarter has 2 or more (93 filings).

You are mostly up against owner-operators. Your own hours are likely to be your biggest cost, and the easiest one to undercount.

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What 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

Other businesses in Southampton

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