The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025.
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 charity's articles of association, the Companies Act 2006, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) 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)".
Bothy Project’s charitable objects are in the realm of advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science.
The organisation is established for charitable purposes, and in particular, the objects are the advancement of the arts through:
1 Developing a network of bothies and other structures to be used as creative residency spaces in distinct and diverse locations throughout Scotland and internationally;
2 Organising exhibitions, events and workshops and other outcomes based on the work produced in the bothies to encourage wider public engagement with the arts; and
3 Such other things that are considered by the Directors to be conducive to the above objects.
The organisation has power to do anything which is calculated to further its purposes or is conducive or incidental to doing so, as stated in Section 50 (5) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005.
Bothy Project started 2024-25 with a newly written business plan (Business Plan 2024-28) brimming with plans, ideas and ambitions. However, without secure funding in place until we were awarded Creative Scotland Multi-Year Funding in January 2025, 2024 proved a straightened year. The Director, Lesley Young reduced her hours from three-days a week, to one-day a week from July 2024-March 2025, with Evie Edwards, Admin & Marketing Co-ordinator admirably running the residency programme and Bothy Project’s day-to-day running. With the positive outcome from Creative Scotland meaning that 2025-26 would start on sure footing the period of 2024-25 drew to close positively, although funds were low.
Although straightened in financial and staffing terms, Bothy Project was still able to fulfil its key objectives in 2024-25 which are outlined below.
Residency Programmes
Bothy Project’s principal charitable activity is its Residency Programmes for practitioners in visual arts, craft & design, music, literature and performance, as well as thinkers, researchers and people local to each bothy. In 2024-25 the majority of our residencies took place at Sweeney’s Bothy on the Isle of Eigg. Without Inshriach Bothy, retired in 2023, the ongoing partnership with Cairngorms National Park Authority is making use of other residency venues (in 2024-25 Etnach Cottage on Glen Tanar Estate). Since 2023 Sweeney’s Bothy has been our primary residency location. (Work to add two new bothies to our network is detailed on the Strategic Planning and Development Section).
In 2024-25 twenty-five Self-Directed Residencies, four Partnership Cultural Residencies and one Partnership Fieldwork Residency were organised and delivered at Sweeney’s Bothy, plus three visits by prospective partners. One Partnership Cultural Residency took place at Glen Tanar Estate, Cairngorms.
Self-Directed Residencies: twenty-five Self-Directed Residencies were organised, selected from 162 applicants responding to the Open Call.
Partnership Cultural Residencies took place with: Visual Arts Scotland (resident - Sana Obaid); Lyon & Turnbull (resident - Lizzie Henson); RSA (resident - Helen McCrorie), and with Baltic, Gateshead (resident - Saya Rose Naruse). The partnership with Baltic, Gateshead drew to an end this year after six successful residencies over eight years.
Cairngorms National Park Authority
Our partnership with Cairngorms National Park Authority continued in 2024-25. This year was the first of the five-year National Lottery Heritage Funded ‘Cairngorms 2030’ Residency partnership programme. In February 2024 CNPA were awarded NLH Funding, which included a five-year commitment to Bothy Project for annual residencies within Cairngorms National Park. An Open Call attracted nine applications from duos working in the National Park, inviting them to spend a week working at Etnach Cottage on the Glen Tanar Estate near Aboyne. Sarah Hobbs and David Lintern were selected by a panel, and proposed to gather oral histories from those living, working and connected to Glen Tanar. Their project will be public in 2025-26.
Govanhill Baths Community Trust and Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust partnership
A one-off partnership took place in 2024-25 with Govanhill Baths Community Trust and Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust which saw Irish artist Kate O’Shea collaborate with people in Govanhill, Glasgow and the Isle of Eigg to produce Revolutionary Archivists, a new body of work, which was part of Where We Stand, an exhibition organised by Community Land Scotland and Travelling Gallery. (See details in the Public Programme).
Partnership Fieldwork Residency
This new strand of residencies for researchers, academics and other experts investigating landscape in its widest sense started in 2023-24. In 2024-25 Meg Wilcox was the third PhD candidate from University of Glasgow to travel to Eigg. This residency continued our partnership with the School of Cultural and Creative Arts - Thinking Culture team.
In addition, two weeks at Sweeney’s Bothy were used to foster good working relationships with: Isle of Canna Community Development Trust (Margaret Willington); Martin Elden (Graphic Designer).
PUBLIC PROGRAMME
100 Years of Community Ownership including Kate O’Shea
Bothy Project was a partner in Community Land Scotland’s National Lottery Heritage Funded project 100 Years of Community Ownership. As part of this project Irish artist Kate O’Shea undertook a Creative Practitioner residency in September 2023, researching Community Ownership on Eigg. In April 2024 she collaborated with people in Govanhill and the Isle of Eigg to produce Revolutionary Archivists. This project was managed by Bothy Project and was part of Where we Stand, an exhibition with Travelling Gallery of work by contemporary artists which told the stories and achievements of the pioneers of community ownership, a movement that has transformed Scotland.
Between June and August 2024, the exhibition toured to Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Harris Hotel, Lionel School, Comunn Eachdraidh Nis. An Lanntair), Argyll and Bute (Templar arts, Tobermory, Oban High School), West Dunbartonshire (Dalmuir Park, Dumbarton Library), North Lanarkshire (Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial, Strathclyde Park), Clackmannanshire (Alloa, Tullibody), Scottish Borders (Langholm, Kelso), Falkirk (Falkirk High Street, Callendar Park Platform, Helix Park), Glasgow (Easterhouse) and Edinburgh (Leith Library and Theatre, The Ripple, North Edinburgh Arts). In 2025 a version of the exhibition then travelled to community halls in Langholm, Galashiels, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling, Grantown-on-Spey, Inverness, Wick, Thurso, Portree and Sleat.
As part of Govanhill International Festival and Carnival 2024, Kate led a talk exploring her diverse artistic practice and experiences of co-creation with communities.
Residency Info Sessions
Between April 2024 and March 2025 as part of our Open Call process we offered online info sessions to prospective applicants. In 2024-25 we ran four sessions: with Visual Arts Scotland; Cairngorms National Park Authority; School of Cultural and Creative Arts, Thinking Culture - University of Glasgow, as well as a session for applicants applying for Bothy Project for Self-directed Residencies.
Learning & Outreach sessions
A number of Learning & Outreach sessions took place with Partnership Residents on Eigg in 2024-25. Sana Obaid visited the Primary School; Meg Wilcox ran a community workshop and visited the Primary School; and Helen McCrorie & Karolina Raczynski delivered a film/sound workshop.
The Public Programme of online talks, podcasts and posters was limited in 2024-25 due to our limited staffing and finances.
Strategic Planning and Development
Business Plan 2024-28 was completed in April 2024 as a key part of our application to Creative Scotland for Multi-Year funding. The fully updated document comprehensively considers and responds to all of Bothy Project’s charitable objectives.
A number of updated and improved policies were also part of the Business Plan 2024-28: Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion Policy; Fair Work Statement; Environmental Sustainability Policy; Safeguarding Policy; Reserves Policy and Risk Register.
The period of 2023-24 saw the work undertaken to prepare Bothy Project’s application for Creative Scotland Multi Year Funding submitted in April 2024. (The first part of application has been submitted in October 2023, second part in April 2024 with the outcome expected in October 2024, delayed until January 2025).
We were delighted to be awarded Multi-Year Development Fund of £65,000 (2025-26) with £85,000 and £85,000 allocated for 2026-27 and 2027-28. Although the award was smaller than requested, the route to core funding for three-years is a huge validation of Bothy Project’s work, our value to creative communities, and a vote of confidence in our future plans.
Capital
As noted in the Business Plan 2024-28, by 2028 we plan to have three operational residency bothies. We will work with partner communities in two new locations with the clear motivation to embed creative activity within the context of those communities.
Bothy Stores
2024-25 provided time to reflect on the work of our trading arm Bothy Stores. Over the course of the year three bothies were successfully built for private clients, however due to increasing materials costs the possibility of donations of profit to Bothy Project are not anticipated. In the coming year we expect the focus of Bothy Stores’ work will change.
PhD
Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities PhD candidate, Morag Iles was awarded her PhD in July 2024. The title of her thesis is Writing Artists’ Residencies in Scotland: The value of residency experiences from the perspective of the artist. Bothy Project was one of three case studies Morag Iles investigated.
Operations
Sweeney’s Bothy Short Term Let Licence was awarded in August 2024 and is valid for three years.
University of Edinburgh Work Placement – Åsne Gran worked with Bothy Project from January-April 2025
Staff training continued this year with Evie Edwards, Admin & Marketing Co-ordinator, attending the Arts Marketing Association Digital Marketing Day (with Creative Scotland bursary), SCVO annual conference and Culture for Climate Scotland 'SPRINGBOARD' event. Evie was also able to spend time on Eigg meeting people and staying at Sweeney’s Bothy which became free due to cancellation.
Fundraising
The Creative Scotland Multi-Year Funding application submitted in April 2024 was successful with Multi-Year Development Funding of £65,000 awarded in 2025-26 and £85,000 ring-fenced for both 2026-27 and 2027-28. In 2024-25 we also received funding from the Hope Scott Trust (November 2024).
Governance
After the Board Recruitment of 2023-24 there are now eight trustees in place. This expansion and strengthening of the board allowed the establishment of a Finance & Governance Subcommittee and a Strategic Development Subcommittee in 2024, with first meetings in June and December respectively.
As already noted, 2024 proved a straightened year. At the end of 2024-25 the charity’s assets stood at £5,768 which included £3,500 of restricted funds for projects which will continue or start in 2025-26. The charity’s funds are consistent and robust at £125,898.
With notification in January 2025 of the award of Creative Scotland Multi-Year Funding for 2024-25, and a ringfenced amount for 2026-27 and 2027-28 the Trustees are confident that the organisation will be on steadier footing going forward. The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the substantive risks.
The board of trustees gratefully acknowledge our existing and new partners Cairngorms National Park Authority, Visual Arts Scotland, Royal Scottish Academy, Lyon & Turnbull, and University of Glasgow - School of Culture and Creative Arts. This year the long-standing partnership with BALTIC, Gateshead has come to an end after six residencies, delivered over eight years. The trustees sincerely thank BALTIC for their long-standing support.
The board of trustees express their thanks to Creative Scotland for its significant financial support of Bothy Project between 2025-28. This award will allow the organisation to operate with confidence and realise its potential. The support of our other funders, including the Hope Scott Trust is also recognised as essential to our work supporting artists.
It is the policy of the charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to three month’s expenditure. The trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised.
The trustees’ aim to build free unrestricted reserves to this level in the coming years. Free unrestricted reserves at 31 March 2025 were £2,268 (2024 £14,883).
Plans for future period
In 2025-26 our key focus will be to work on expanding our network of bothies across Scotland. As noted in the Business Plan 2024-28, by 2028 we plan to have three operational residency bothies. We will work with partner communities in two new locations with the clear motivation to embed creative activity within the context of those communities, taking a lead from them to develop programming, especially in Partnership Fieldwork and Neighbourhood Residency strands. The ambition of building new bothies will demand significant fundraising, partnership building and expanded board capacity. Our ongoing work with community organisations is key to Bothy Project’s work and make us a unique organisation.
Working in the knowledge of our Creative Scotland MYF award for 2025-28 will allow us to continue and develop our residency offer and Public Programme with confidence.
We will test the formats used in our Public Programme - podcasts, posters and events – to help us understand how they suit audiences and can then be developed and expanded.
We will reflect on staffing and capacity, and likely augment our staffing with a part-time Development and Fundraising Manager.
We anticipate that in the coming year, Bothy Stores, our subsidiary, will change the focus of its work.
In summary the board of trustees believes that Bothy Project is better placed than ever before to support artists from all disciplines, communities and audiences in the coming years.
The charity is a company limited by guarantee.
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:
There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2024 - none).
Charity Trusteeship is open to
any person aged 16 or over; and/or
any individual who has been nominated for membership by an unincorporated organisation; and/or any corporate body who subscribes to the purposes of the organisation and wishes to see them fulfilled.
Any person, nominated individual or body who/which wishes to become a Charity Trustee must sign a written application for Charity Trusteeship; and for a corporate body, that application must be signed by an appropriately authorised officer of that body who will remain as the representative of that corporate body until such time as the corporate body informs the Board otherwise
The application will then be considered by the Board at its next Board meeting.
The Board may, at its discretion, refuse to admit any person, nominated individual or corporate body, or veto the proposed authorised officer acting as a representative of a corporate body, to Charity Trusteeship.
The Board must notify each applicant promptly (in writing, which includes by email) of its decision on whether or not to admit him/her/it to Charity Trusteeship.
The Trustees prepare and review a skills matrix, identifying the skills needed for the effective governance of the organisation and the gaps in the current Board skills at least once a year. The Trustees use this matrix as a tool to aid recruitment, making approaches to individuals with appropriate professional skills to invite them to join as Trustees.
The Charity Trustees (the only members) of the organisation have no liability to pay any sums to help to meet the debts (or other liabilities) of the organisation if it is wound up; accordingly, if the organisation is unable to meet its debts, the Charity Trustees will not be held responsible.
The structure of the organisation consists of the Charity Trustees who are also the organisation's only members and comprise the organisation's Board.
Bothy Project was established as a charity on 31 January 2018. Prior to obtaining charitable status, Bothy Project operated from 20 April 2017 as a private company limited by guarantee. Bothy Project is a growing network of exceptionally designed but simple off-grid residency spaces that offer artists of all kinds the opportunity to work in remote, spectacular locations in Scotland. Our objective is to create platforms for artists and researchers to journey and explore the history, landscape and people in the areas surrounding the bothies. These platforms are established through the creation of purpose-built structures made in collaboration with artists, designers and makers to create a varied network of hand-crafted dwellings.
We currently have one residential bothy: Sweeney’s Bothy on the Isle of Eigg.
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
I report on the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025, which are set out on pages 8 to 19.
The charity’s trustees, who are also the directors of Bothy Project for the purposes of company law, are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investments (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1)(a) to (c) of the 2006 Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the financial statements as required under section 44(1)(c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the financial statements presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the financial statements, and seeks explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the financial statements.
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 44(1) (a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations; and
to prepare financial statements which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 8 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations;
to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Bothy Project is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in Scotland. The registered office is 19 Rutland Square, Edinburgh, EH1 2BB.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's [governing document], the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended), FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the Charities SORP "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 charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, [modified to include the revaluation of freehold properties and to include investment properties and certain financial instruments at fair value]. 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 charity 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 or grantors 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.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
Expenditure is recognised when a liability is incurred.
Charitable activities include expenditure associated with the construction of bothys and include both direct and support costs relating to these activities.
Governance costs include those incurred in the governance of the charity and its assets and are primarily associated with constitutional and statutory requirements.
Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to the charitable activity on a basis consistent with their use.
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 the statement of financial activities.
At each reporting end date, the charity 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 charity 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 charity's balance sheet when the charity 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 charity’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 charity 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.
In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
Residency income
Programme grants
Other activity
Residency income
Programme grants
Sales - Residencies
Sales - Partnership Residencies
Other charitable activity
Bothy Consumables & Repairs
Insurance
Consultancy
Residency Programming costs
Artists' expenses
Programme expenses
Advertising and marketing
Other charitable activity
During the year, no trustees received remuneration (2024 - none) in respect of services provided to the charity.
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
The restricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used.
The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.
There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2024 - none) other than the transactions with trustees disclosed in Note 8.