ARTS_&_DISABILITY_FORUM - Accounts

The trustees present their report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2020.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the company's Articles of Association, the Companies Act 2006 and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)".

The objectives for which the charity is established are to:

Provide an organisation led by disabled people to increase opportunities for disabled people to engage with the arts in Northern Ireland and in the Republic of Ireland, working on a pan-disability basis.

Ancillary to this object, is to provide formal and informal learning opportunities, training information, support, that:

(i) Enhance both the extent and quality of:

•     The experience that disabled people have of the arts;

•     The work produced by disabled artists;

•     The public’s experience of art created or presented by disabled artists;

•     Arts organisations’ understanding of the needs and desires of disabled people (as arts     consumers and practitioners);

•     Showcases of excellence in art by disabled people; and

•     Collaborative working in pursuit of these aims.

(ii) Promote use of arts by disabled people in support of initiatives aimed at enhancing the wellbeing of disabled people and as approved by the Board.

The charity works collaboratively with arts funders, disabled and D/deaf artists, arts companies, community groups, equality organisations, ethnic minority groups, LGBTQ groups and the mainstream arts sector, aiming to increase the quality and quantity of opportunities for disabled/deaf people to participate in arts and culture on their own terms.

The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the company should undertake.

Arts & Disability Forum ((ADF) (operating under the new working name of University of Atypical)) is an arts charity led by disabled and deaf people to empower people of all ages, by working collaboratively with artists and other arts sector organisations to create positive change. The vision is of a genuinely inclusive artistic environment when any disabled/deaf person can be involved in the arts in any way they choose.

The work the Charity brings about:

• increased access to and representation in culture by disabled/deaf people;

• enhanced skills for disabled/deaf people; 

• increased wellbeing from social connections; and

• greater societal acceptance and celebration of diversity.

Achievements and performance (continued)

The multi-stranded artistic programme includes a year-round Atypical Gallery programme, with year-round Art & Biscuits outreach and learning activity, plus the Bounce Arts Festival and iDA grant scheme for disabled/deaf artists, both run annually. The charity role is unique in developing and promoting the work of disabled/deaf artists who are on a personal career path, and in reaching and growing disabled/deaf audiences. Through a programme of long-term influential partnership projects, for example the Arts & Disability Equality Charter, the organisation supports arts venues to improve disability access, alongside lifelong learning projects with EU and international partners. The company is an empowerment-based catalyst for positive change.

The 2019 Bounce festival welcomed audiences of 2000 people to live performances, exhibitions and events, and almost 250 participants in workshops over the five day festival, which featured a range of artforms including music, poetry, dance, theatre, visual art, comedy and literature. Highlights included 111 (onehundredandeleven) - a powerful duet featuring narrative dance and aerial collaboration. Bounce was piloted in 2012; to represent disabled and deaf people’s resilience in hard times – bouncing back – but also joy and celebration of the talent of disabled and deaf artists. The 2019 festival continues to attract financial support from Belfast City Council’s Community Festivals Fund and principal funder, the Department of Communities via the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. The 2019 festival again demonstrated exemplary disability access including captioning, British Sign Language and audio description, and drawing in audiences from the Republic of Ireland, as well as from Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and EU project partners via Guide us into Art (GUIA) and Yes We Are In (YWEAI) . The directors are delighted by the welcome the festival continues to receive and wish to commend staff and volunteers for their work and funders of all types for their continued support.

The Atypical Gallery had another hugely successful year with a range of media, approaches, national and international, and artists working at different stages of their career. Three very popular local examples include Missing Voices (October/November 2019) led by Queen’s University researcher Gillian O’Hagan and photographer Helen Sloan, this was a participatory photographic project about the lives of young women with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The Visualisation of Pain exhibition (November/January) formed a part of a wider research study led by Ulster University PhD Researcher and artist Niamh McConaghy. Participants came from both University of Atypical and the charity Versus Arthritis. Brian Kielt a painter based in Mid-Ulster makes work about memory, trauma and anxiety. His exhibition Confessional launched March 2019 featuring portraits and landscapes which combine found and original imagery. The shifting perspectives of these paintings prompts the viewer to – physically – take a position on these events, as we alter our stance to understand everything we are seeing and what it is trying to tell us. Confessional will be the Post COVID re-opening exhibition in September 2020.

Throughout the year the Charity worked with EU Project Partners: to host Yes We Are In visit in Belfast in June 2019 successfully advocating empowerment to partners by focusing on disabled participants as key protagonists at all project meetings. This was followed by a visit from the GUIA2 group during Bounce. In January 2020, delegates from UofA and partners Kids in Control undertook a trip to Zagreb for a week-long event for project partners and participants in disability arts and digital learning in Croatia with groups from England, Finland and Belgium.

Pioneering outreach work continued under the banner of Art & Biscuits, implementing two new strands: Sunday Visits and Daylight Dancehalls. Funded by Arts Council NI’s Arts & Older People Fund and the Dementia Trust’s Disruption Fund. The Sunday Visits offer an alternative family fun and interaction sessions – offering refreshments, live music live magic. Daylight Dancehalls featured dance workshops, which invited people with Dementia and their carers, with separate sessions for our intergenerational participants, Kids in Control: a physical theatre company for young people. The events offered empowerment-based experiences for people affected by Dementia, and creating a sense of shared fun for people living with Dementia and the people who support them. The events featured music selected by participants, alongside movement workshops led by professional disabled dance facilitators. The programme culminated with an invitation to present Art & Biscuits at a nationwide conference held in Edinburgh in February 2020 to great acclaim.

Achievements and performance (continued)

In November 2019, funding secured via the National Lottery Heritage Fund supported a new project “Accessing Architecture: Disability and Belfast’s Built Heritage”. The programme will research the history of the disabled community in Belfast through the city’s built, industrial and cultural environments. In early 2020, four artists were commissioned to work with groups representing the spectrum of 'the disabled experience' - physical, cognitive, blind, and d/Deaf – to creatively examine the built heritage of the city and how, through this, we can interpret societal and environmental assumptions, traditions, values and attitudes towards the disabled community. The project intervention will also reflect on contemporary attitudes towards access and inclusion in urban planning, design and architecture, this project will contribute to be a growing movement that aims to create a more integrated and exciting city for the future.

A series of Talks & events: included the launch of Poetry Jukebox in October 2019. Entitled Song of Myself, featuring D/deaf and disabled poets curated by Alice McCullough and Maria McManus. Permanently installed in CS Lewis Square as a collaboration with Belfast International Festival, UoA continue to be approached by Arts Council NI as the sector-lead organisation for disability arts to support and host consultation events which inform disability strategies and UK-wide Arts Council coalition approach to access issues. Two events, in October 2019 and March 2020, were hosted as focus groups for Arts & Disability sector organisations and with individual disabled/deaf artists. Events in association with the Belfast School of Art, were hosted including talks, tours and performances as part of NI-wide festivals.

Training: During 2019/20, the organisation facilitated Disability Equality Training sessions, and Dementia Friend training in August. Working closely with Thrive (NI’s audience development agency) to advise on their workshops with the arts sector entitled ‘Build Your Dream Venue’ focusing on enabling access and educating peers.

Arts venues in Northern Ireland have also been supported through the Arts & Disability Equality Charter framework. The restructured process to make attaining Charter status more manageable, was put on hold due to increased workload that funding restrictions across the sector. 2020 will see a renewed focus on the Charter’s lead role in making venue accessibility in NI stronger than many other UK cities.

Highlights this year included nomination for The National Diversity Awards in the Community Organisation (Disability) field: ‘charities, role models and community heroes showcasing outstanding devotion to enhancing equality, diversity and inclusion;.’ The Awards have subsequently been rescheduled until 2021.

Artist awards: in March 2020, sixteen artists with disabilities from Northern Ireland were announced as recipients of the University of Atypical’s Individual Disabled Artist (iDA) Award, funding grants supported by National Lottery funding through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. The iDA funding programme is a dedicated annual arts development programme, to enable deaf and disabled artists who are working in a range of art forms to develop their professional artistic careers. The bursaries provide valuable opportunities for artists to produce high-quality creative work, receive training or professional mentoring. 

At the end of the year as a response to the Covid Public Health Crisis; key aspects of programme delivery moved online , alongside a number of alternative ways to engage our artists and audiences. Moving forward programming will include a series of public-facing free online workshops for example artist Niki Collier felting workshop will provide kits, containing everything that participants need, and are offering a blended learning approach which will include weekly online (Zoom) classes, as well as on-demand instructions and video tutorials

Strengthened financial procedures have been implemented since the directors took a decision to take finance back in house. The charity continues to work closely with GMcG staff on payroll admin and the production of financial statements for the 2019-20 financial year.

Results for the year are set out in detail on pages 8 to 23. The charity returned net expenditure for the year of £5,277 (2019 - £2,056).

The unrestricted funds are considered to be essential to provide sufficient funds to cover any unforeseen costs and fulfil legal obligations of the charity if current levels of income are not maintained. At 31 March 2020, the total funds of the charity amounted to £81,214 comprising restricted funds of £17,439 and unrestricted funds of £63,775.

At 31 March 2020, the charity had free reserves of £38,473 (2019 - £56,864)

For 2019/20 the principal funder was the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, with core and programming grants from exchequer and lottery funds, and Belfast City Council, with four-year Core Multi- Annual Funds and a Community Festivals small grant towards Bounce Arts Festival. There were project grants from Trusts and Foundations, donations from the public and from commercial partners, plus ticketing income for Bounce.

Risk Management

The directors have actively reviewed the major risks which the charity faces and believe that maintaining unrestricted reserves at the required levels to finance working capital and continue the charity’s activities on a short-term basis, combined with annual review of the controls over key financial systems, will provide sufficient resources for adverse conditions. However, in the current environment of economic turbulence, the directors also recognise the need to diversify income streams by seeking additional types of funding and new opportunities for unrestricted earned income. The organisation has also considered other business and operational risks which the charity faces and has established systems to mitigate significant risks as far as possible.

Plans for future periods

Immediate priorities for the organisation are to re-open safely to the public in early September 2020. Significant health and safety measures, particularly those with disabled people in mind, have been put in place, such as enhanced cleaning schedules, additional sanitizers, PPE and signage. Recent refurbishment of bathroom facilities to ‘Changing Places’ standard – unique offer for arts organisations in Belfast - as well as an extra gallery wall and more accessible flooring. Artists and audiences indicate eager anticipation of the Charity office and gallery re-opening. That said, a digital artistic programme will continue to reach those within the community that continue to shield, as well as a series of broadcasts for the Deaf community. The organisation has responded quickly (given the availability of funding) to specific feedback from already marginalised communities who have been further overlooked during the Covid-19 crisis.

With Arts Council agreement a review of all areas of work where some aspects of its activities for 2020-21 may be scaled back if necessary. The programming budget will reflect this combination of online and offline activity going forward, with a smaller number of Atypical Gallery shows of longer durations (to accommodate social distancing and potential closure periods in future should subsequent viral waves be forthcoming). Bounce festival, usually held in September, will feature a reduced programme for November 2020 across online and offline platforms. Many venues that host Bounce events are unclear about their reopening schedule and general viability following the pandemic. As one of the annual highlights for our artists and audiences, we – like many other organisations – intend to return in 2021 with a rebooted festival, back in its regular slot.

The appointment of a new Business Support Manager is a strategic new role, with responsibility for managing all the business functions and systems within the organisation. Alongside maintaining core funding relationships, recognising post-pandemic – the need to diversify our income streams to include public sector grants, corporate sponsorship, increased trusts and foundation support and the continued development of our own resources for income generation.

Organisational Structure

The Arts and Disability Forum is a company limited by guarantee and is a registered charity. The charity is established under a memorandum of association which outlines core objectives and powers. The charity is governed by a voluntary Board of Directors who operate in accordance with the Articles of Association. The Board can pass an ordinary resolution to appoint new Board Members as Directors.

Collectively board members are proficient in core governance skills such as HR, accountancy, specialist areas of disability arts, access consultancy and disability. From time to time to address any skills gap the organisation will liaise with external partners such as Arts and Business to attract new Board members. Formal recruitment to the board will be in accordance with the Articles of Association.

The board consists of between four and fifteen directors.

During 2019 the running of the organisation previously designated to Christine Ledger, Chief Executive, who due to serious illness went on sick leave in 2019 with core aspects of the CEO’s workload re-designated to Jane Morrow on a part-time basis, supported by Chairman Damien Coyle.

The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:

The report of the directors has been prepared taking advantage of the small companies’ exemption of section 415A of the Companies Act 2006.

The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.

I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Arts & Disability Forum (the company) for the year ended 31 March 2020.

As the charity trustees (and also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law, and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:

• examine the accounts under section 65 of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008;

• follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland under section 65(9)(b) of the Charities Act; and

• state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

I have examined your charity accounts as required under section 65 of the Charities Act and my examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland under section 65(9)(b) of the Charities Act. The examination included a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as charity trustees concerning any such matters.

My role is to state whether any material matters have come to my attention giving me cause to believe:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

the financial statements do not accord with those records; or

that the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland;

that there is further information needed for a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination and have no concerns in respect of the matters (1) to (4) listed above and, in connection with following the Directions of the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, I have found no matters that require drawing to your attention.

Charitable activities

Other trading activities

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.

All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

The company is entitled to the exemption from the audit requirement contained in section 477 of the Companies Act 2006, for the year ended 31 March 2020. No members have required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for ensuring that the charity keeps accounting records which comply with section 386 of the Act and for preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company as at the end of the financial year and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the financial year in accordance with the requirements of sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the company.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

Arts & Disability Forum is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in Northern Ireland. The registered office is Ground Floor, 109-113 Royal Avenue, Belfast, BT1 1FF.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the company's [governing document], the Companies Act 2006 and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)". The company is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.

The company has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities applying FRS 102 Update Bulletin 1 not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.

Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.

Support costs are those costs incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the company and include project management carried out at Headquarters. Governance costs are those incurred in connection with administration of the company and compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements.

Charitable activities and Governance costs are costs incurred on the company's operations, including support costs and costs relating to the governance of the company apportioned to charitable activities.

Irrecoverable VAT is charged as an expense against the activity for which expenditure arose.

Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.

Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:

The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in net income/(expenditure) for the year.

At each reporting end date, the company reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).

Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.

The company has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.

Financial instruments are recognised in the company's balance sheet when the company becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.

Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.

Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.

Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Financial liabilities are derecognised when the company’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.

The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.

Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the company is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.

Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.

Rentals payable under operating leases, including any lease incentives received, are charged as an expense on a straight line basis over the term of the relevant lease.

Other trading activities

Bank interest received

Insurance

Printing, postage & stationery

Heat & light

Telephone

Rent

Bookkeeping

None of the directors (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration during the year (2019 - £Nil).

During the year, no director was reimbursed for expenses. (2018 - two directors - £131).

The average monthly number of employees during the year was:

Total remuneration paid to key management personnel during the year was £20,492 (2019 - £20,354)

Unrestricted funds

General fund

This fund is expendable at the discretion of the directors. It is used to finance capital investment and working capital. It is anticipated that over the next few years, the level of funding received may not be maintained at its current levels. The general fund will therefore be essential to finance working capital and ensure that the charity can continue its activities in the short term and fulfil its legal responsibilities to employees and creditors.

Restricted funds

Gallery and General Running Costs

Principal funding was received from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland's Annual Support for Organisations programme. This is for a pre-agreed programme of activity. The majority of the funding relates to general running costs, salaries and the gallery located within the charity's premises. This is the only gallery of its kind in Ireland, dedicated to showcasing and promoting the very best artwork produced by disabled artists. The funding covers installation costs, promotion of exhibitions, communication support, information in alternative formats, stationery and other materials.

Arts and Biscuits

This represents funding received from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland to help men and women with memory issues to meet artists over a cup of tea and talk about exhibitions and take part in drawing, drama, dance and music.

Adapt Renovation Grant

Adapt NI closed at the end of 2014. As part of its winding-up process, the company sought applications from local charities with similar aims and sought a host for the Access 400 database and for settlement of outstanding payments that might become due. ADF submitted a proposal describing programme strands for the next three years and was awarded funds and hosting of the access database on the basis of this for ongoing activities such as Arts & Biscuits (a new strand of work with people who have dementia), the Arts & Disability Equality Charter (a framework to improve access in NI venues), Bounce! Arts Festival (showcasing work by disabled/deaf artists) and training to enhance access (for example British Sign Language training for staff, board and members).

Individual disabled/deaf artists (IDA) Grant Scheme

This grant scheme is dedicated to increasing skills, experience and opportunities for disabled artists living in Northern Ireland and working in any art form. It is managed by ADF on behalf of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the scheme compliments the Arts Council's own funding schemes to support individual non-disabled artists. Decisions are made by a panel, which operates separately from the Board and consists of individuals with specific expertise, including disabled artists. In addition to panel member input, the selection process is overseen by an Arts Council representative.

Gallery Refurbishment Fund

This represents funding from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland towards the refurbishment of the ADF Gallery.

Bounce Arts Festival

This represents funding received from Belfast City Council and the Arts Council NI towards the costs of the Bounce Arts and Disability Festival.

Equipment

This represents a grant received from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure contributing to the costs associated with purchasing portable wireless audio description equipment to open up culture, arts and leisure to people who are blind and partially sighted.

BBC – GIG 

This represents a grant contribution for a music event programmed as part of the Bounce Arts and Disability Festival 2018.

Yes We Are In

This relates to EU funding for a lifelong learning project delivered with EU partners to support young disabled adults use arts based activities that focus on digital citizenship, capacity building and skill development.

The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the company in an independently administered fund. The pension costs charge represents contributions payable by the company to the fund and amounted to £583 (2019 - £721). There were no amounts outstanding at the balance sheet date.

At the reporting end date the company had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:

A portion of grants received may become repayable if the charity fails to comply with the terms of the letter of offer.

There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2019 - none).