During the financial year, Overlap Social CIC continued to deliver its quarterly Overlap Animation Show and Tell event in Birmingham, providing a free or low-cost, accessible platform for animators and animation lovers of all skill levels to screen their work, share ideas, and connect with peers. - Each event invited public submissions (from pieces as short as one second up to longer works( around an optional creative prompt, giving local and emerging filmmakers a regular deadline and incentive to complete and share new work, something many freelance creatives otherwise lack. The company's activities benefited the community in the following ways: - Supporting emerging and established talent: providing a welcoming, judgement-free platform for creatives at any career stage to present unfinished or experimental work to a live audience, building confidence and encouraging creative risk-taking. - Building a sustainable creative network: bringing together Birmingham's animation community - students, freelancers, studio professionals and hobbyists - helping counter the isolation common to freelance and remote creative work, and generating informal peer support and collaboration. - Raising the profile of the West Midlands animation sector: hosting notable industry guests over the year, further connecting local creatives to national and international industry networks and showcasing Birmingham as a growing hub for animation talent. - Supporting new and diverse filmmakers into the industry: benefiting from a partnership with BFI Network, helping connect emerging filmmakers with wider industry pathways, funding routes and professional development opportunities. - Strengthening local creative infrastructure: receiving sponsorship and in-kind support from local and national partners, including Second Home Studios (which sponsored event trophies) and Yamination, reinforcing Birmingham's creative economy and helping keep the event financially sustainable and accessible. - Accessible, inclusive space: keeping ticket prices low, with concessional pricing available for those who need it, and maintaining an explicitly safe and inclusive environment for all attendees regardless of background or experience level. - Local venue and cultural partnerships: continuing to partner with Birmingham venues (including Nortons Digbeth) and tying in with wider cultural programming such as the Flatpack Festival, contributing to the city's cultural events calendar.

Overlap Social CIC's stakeholders include: - Animators and filmmakers who submit work to be screened at the quarterly Show & Tell events, ranging from students and hobbyists to professional freelancers and studio staff - Event attendees, the wider community of animation lovers and creatives who attend to watch, network and support the featured work - Guest speakers and industry contributors, including studios and directors invited to present or take part each quarter Sponsors and partners, including Second Home Studios, Yamination, and - BFI Network, who provide financial or in-kind support - Venue partners, including Nortons Digbeth, who host the events - The wider Birmingham/West Midlands creative and animation sector, which benefits from the visibility, networking and talent pipeline the events generate The company's director, Louis Hudson, who founded, runs and hosts the events, and shapes the overall direction of the organisation Stakeholders have been consulted and engaged through several channels over the financial year: - Direct feedback at events: informal conversations between Louis Hudson and attendees, submitters and guests before, during and after each quarterly event, gathering reactions to format, prompts, guest choices and venue - Social media engagement: ongoing dialogue via Instagram, Facebook and Bluesky, where attendees and the wider community comment on announcements, suggest prompts, and share feedback on past events - Submission process feedback: filmmakers submitting work have the opportunity to share comments or requests as part of the submission process - Sponsor and partner liaison: regular direct communication with sponsors (Second Home Studios, Yamination, BFI Network) and the venue to align on event support, branding, and ways to deepen involvement - Post-event conversations with guest speakers, many of whom are practising industry professionals, to gather insight on what the community needs, for example access to industry opportunities, exposure, and technical resources In response to this feedback and consultation, the director has: - Continued to keep ticket pricing low and offered concessional pricing, in response to attendees flagging cost as a barrier to access - Sought and secured sponsorship relationships (for example with Yamination and BFI Network) to strengthen resources available to the community, including prizes, industry connections and professional development pathways - Adjusted event guest line-ups and prompts each quarter based on community interest and engagement, keeping the format fresh and responsive - Maintained an explicit "safe space" policy for submissions and attendees, developed in response to community feedback about inclusivity and comfort presenting personal or experimental work Continued the partnership with Flatpack Festival and local venues to align event timing and content with wider community cultural moments

No remuneration was received

No transfer of assets other than for full consideration