AFRICAN CONNECTIONS CIC

Company limited by guarantee

Company Registration Number:
SC551965 (Scotland)

Unaudited statutory accounts for the year ended 5 June 2023

Period of accounts

Start date: 6 June 2022

End date: 5 June 2023

AFRICAN CONNECTIONS CIC

Contents of the Financial Statements

for the Period Ended 5 June 2023

Directors report
Profit and loss
Balance sheet
Additional notes
Community Interest Report

AFRICAN CONNECTIONS CIC

Directors' report period ended 5 June 2023

The directors present their report with the financial statements of the company for the period ended 5 June 2023

Principal activities of the company

The Directors are pleased to present their report and financial statements for the year ended 5 June 2023.Structure, Governance and Management African Connections CIC is a community interest company based in Scotland. It provides benefit to African and UK-based artists and communities as well as African and UK-based arts and culture groups and organisations. African Connections CIC celebrates diversity and creates connections between African and other communities by means of sharing cultures, creative ideas, skills and experiences. The company plans to establish information, guidance, events and trading centres showcasing quality African products and creatives productions with the aim of creating opportunities for all communities in Scotland and beyond to share and engage in cultural experiences.African Connections CIC is a Community Interest Company registered in Scotland. Company Number 551965. Private company limited by guarantee without share capital. Company is required to have a minimum of three Directors and no maximum.The Board communicates on a regular basis to discuss management matters of the company.In this financial year, African Connections CIC was awarded an extended year contract (£43,000) with the City of Edinburgh Council to deliver Edinburgh Multicultural Festival, a multi-cultural event in the northern localities of Edinburgh. In addition to the continued funding from the Council, the company received the second instalment (£6,061) of the Creative Scotland grant awarded in the previous financial year.Edinburgh Multicultural Festival, led by the company Artistic Director and Production Manager Morgan Njobo, engages local audiences through music, dance, poetry, storytelling and visual arts that represent Edinburgh’s diverse cultures, including African, Asian and Eastern European. The live and online programme offer was made available to all participants free of charge. The following artists contributed to the programme: Storytellers: Fong Liu and Brenda Vengesa; Dance Acts: Theiya Arts, Scene Africa, Bandile Makhathini, Emanuel Carlos, Chinese Community Dance Group; Edinburgh Theatre makers: Cynthia WS Cheung, Catherine Bisset, Sanjay Lago, Fin Ross Russell; Visual Artists: Hermann Rodrigues, Distanced Assemblage, Visual Arts Matters; Music acts: The Cosmic Shruti Box, jayda, Adonye B, Billy Got Waves, Brownbear, Los Chichanos; Poets: Roshni Gallagher, Inga Dale, Nasim Rebecca Asl, Lucille Mona Ling, Cynthia Miller, Molefe Nong, Nichelle Santagata16 individual artists, 4 theatre and visual arts collectives (13 individual artists), and 8 music and dance acts (37 individual artists) performed or shared their work in the festival. In total, 66 individual artists were remunerated for their performance and engagement at the festival.

Additional information

Financial ReviewThe company continued delivering the annual contract with the City of Edinburgh Council (£43,000) as well as managed the additional resource from Creative Scotland of £6,061 allocated towards the Edinburgh Multicultural Festival activity. All grant awards were allocated to restricted funds towards the specific project activity agreed with the funders. In addition to the festival activity, the company produced a new show in collaboration with a South Africa-based company Isintu Setso Cultural Exchange, ‘Scene Africa’. The show premiered at the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe in associated with the Underbelly. Plans for Future PeriodsThe company will continue delivering the Edinburgh Multicultural Festival as per extended contract with the City of Edinburgh Council. Further funding is being sought to support additional activities, including commissioning new work and producing events promoting diverse talent and access to arts and culture for all.



Directors

The directors shown below have held office during the whole of the period from
6 June 2022 to 5 June 2023

Morgan Njobo
Edjamila Ventura da Conceicao
Morgan Bo Olsson Withers


The above report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions in part 15 of the Companies Act 2006

This report was approved by the board of directors on
23 February 2024

And signed on behalf of the board by:
Name: Morgan Njobo
Status: Director

AFRICAN CONNECTIONS CIC

Profit And Loss Account

for the Period Ended 5 June 2023

2023 2022


£

£
Turnover: 83,607 67,763
Cost of sales: ( 83,607 ) ( 67,763 )
Gross profit(or loss): 0 0
Operating profit(or loss): 0 0
Profit(or loss) before tax: 0 0
Profit(or loss) for the financial year: 0 0

AFRICAN CONNECTIONS CIC

Balance sheet

As at 5 June 2023

Notes 2023 2022


£

£
Prepayments and accrued income: 21,858 698
Net current assets (liabilities): 21,858 698
Total assets less current liabilities: 21,858 698
Provision for liabilities: ( 21,858 ) ( 698 )
Total net assets (liabilities): 0 0
Members' funds
Profit and loss account: 0 0
Total members' funds: 0 0

The notes form part of these financial statements

AFRICAN CONNECTIONS CIC

Balance sheet statements

For the year ending 5 June 2023 the company was entitled to exemption under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.

These accounts have been prepared and delivered in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

This report was approved by the board of directors on 23 February 2024
and signed on behalf of the board by:

Name: Morgan Njobo
Status: Director

The notes form part of these financial statements

AFRICAN CONNECTIONS CIC

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the Period Ended 5 June 2023

  • 1. Accounting policies

    Basis of measurement and preparation

    These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions of Section 1A (Small Entities) of Financial Reporting Standard 102

AFRICAN CONNECTIONS CIC

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the Period Ended 5 June 2023

  • 2. Employees

    2023 2022
    Average number of employees during the period 1 1

COMMUNITY INTEREST ANNUAL REPORT

AFRICAN CONNECTIONS CIC

Company Number: SC551965 (Scotland)

Year Ending: 5 June 2023

Company activities and impact

African Connections CIC was awarded an extended contract with the City of Edinburgh Council (£45,000) and the second instalment of grant awards with Creative Scotland to deliver Edinburgh Multicultural Festival (£6,061) led by the company Artistic Director Morgan Njobo. The festival engages local audiences through accessible music, dance, poetry, storytelling and visual arts that represent Edinburgh’s diverse cultures, including African, Asian and Eastern European. In 2022/23, the programme featured over 60 diverse performance and visual artists telling their stories through artwork, poetry, storytelling, music, theatre and dance offering employment and promotional opportunities. The festival events attended in person attracted more than 625 attendees in person and further 40,000 views online. In line with the company’s objectives the festival events and associated projects provided a platform for diverse talent and diverse narratives while connecting artists of African descent to other industry peers while promoting greater appreciation of diverse cultures in the UK by means of cultural programmes engaging both African and non-African communities.

Consultation with stakeholders

No formal consultations with the stakeholders, including funders, cultural programme contributors and participants, were conducted. Events and participants feedback and comments were collected at the Edinburgh Multicultural Festival and via online channels. Positive comments regarding the programme offer and individual events were welcomed from both audience members and participating artists who found the festival offer a unique platform for engagement. The company will continue investing its resources in promoting diverse talent and narratives in Edinburgh and beyond and create opportunities for all communities to share quality and memorable events leading to greater appreciation of multiculturalism, cultures and heritage.

Directors' remuneration

Company Director Morgan Njobo was remunerated for project delivery as per agreements with the City of Edinburgh Council and Creative Scotland on a contract/self-employment basis. The freelance fees towards project management and festival delivery amounted to £8,104. Further £2,600 was paid to Morgan Njobo for creative work, music composition and recording, predominantly associated with the delivery of the project funded by Creative Scotland. There were no other transactions or arrangements in connection with the remuneration of directors, or compensation for director’s loss of office, which require to be disclosed.

Transfer of assets

No transfer of assets other than for full consideration

This report was approved by the board of directors on
23 February 2024

And signed on behalf of the board by:
Name: Morgan Njobo
Status: Director