REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMANT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026
The committee of management, who are directors of the company and trustees of the charity, present their annual report on the affairs of the charity, together with the financial statements and auditors’ report for the year ended 31 March 2026. This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to small companies entitled to the small companies’ exemption.
Structure, governance, and management
Dukes Play House Limited (The) (referred to either as "The Dukes Playhouse" or "The Dukes" throughout these financial statements) is a company limited by guarantee incorporated under the Companies Act under company no. 1077517 and is governed by the Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 19 October 1972 as amended dated 21 January 1999, 6 September 2005, 7 November 2017, 18 October 2018 and 21 November 2022.
The company is also a registered charity, charity no. 501935 and operates on a not-for-profit basis.
Its registered office is The Dukes, Moor Lane, Lancaster, LA1 1QE. Its principal operating address is The Dukes, Moor Lane, Lancaster, LA1 1QE.
The company is governed by the Board of Trustees (“Board”) as Directors of the company. Board members are appointed by the committee by simple majority. There are a maximum of 12 Trustees who may serve a maximum term of 4 years and then reappointment for 4 years. All are independently appointed members. Representatives of the major funders are invited to attend Board meetings.
The regular cycle of six formal meetings was adjust to four/quarterly meeting to align with Arts Council and City Council funding requirements. Subcommittee meeting are in line with this, two weeks prior.
The Board is responsible for the overall policy and scrutiny of the financial performance of the organisation. The Board ensures the accountability to key funders and stakeholders and the appointment of the Director/CEO and pay and remuneration of the Director/CEO.
The day-to-day management of the company is delegated by the Board to the Director overseeing the senior management team of Head of Finance, Head of Marketing & Sales, Head of Creative Communities, Head of Programme, Head of Technical & Production and Head of Visitor Experience.
Review of the Year
The Dukes’ Mission
To bring the best in live performance and cinema to the communities of Lancashire in our venue and other spaces. To create and actively support the opportunities for communities, individuals, and artists to develop their own creative work and its delivery.
The Dukes’ Vision
The Dukes creates and presents a diverse collection of storytelling through a range of art forms that delivers excellence, inspiration, and challenge. The Dukes is a catalyst for communities, individuals, and artists to develop their own creativity and practice. The Dukes is a place of cultural leadership and imaginative conversation.
Artistic and Audience Development
The Dukes continues to develop its artistic programme and grow audiences through our own programmes and partnership working.
Acheivements and performance
Our key achievements over the last financial year include:
Welcoming over 75k audiences to film or a live performance both at the Dukes and off-site events across Lancaster and Morecambe, seeing 2k audience rise from the previous year, and year on year rises.
Our performance programme saw a total of 1,387 events.
Our Play in the Park show saw audiences totaling 11,153 our largest in recent years with an increase to three sponsors of the event.
Co-delivered Light Up Lancaster in partnership with Lancaster BID and Lancaster City Council which brought international artists to Lancaster and for the first time held a Light Event in the Dukes alongside running volunteer programme and production elements of the festival.
Continuing two new film festivals, Spooked Horror Festival and Green Screen with audiences of over 5,500 enjoying films, workshops, talks and themed activities. We partnered with the BFI to offer film makers opportunities.
Sunset Screenings returned to Williamson Park with total audiences exceeding 1,000.
Launching our second Family Fest, with workshops and family screenings over a weeks.
Our new cinema programmes including food and film, film quiz, film talks and continued to work with LA1 Shorts film festival.
Blast Fest our new work festival supporting North West based artists saw it’s second year with over 150 audiences seeing 5 new script in development pieces.
Lancaster Playwriting Prize in partnership with Lancaster University broadened it’s reach with a 40% increase in submissions and the eventual winner receiving £1000 prize and two runners up receiving £250.
Supporting 40 artists locally with space for R&D and exhibitions space free of charge. We also recruited 5 associate companies to support on a18 month programme.
We also auditioned over 100 local actors through open auditions in partnership with Equity, and for our Dukes produced shows.
This year saw our Christmas production ‘The Snow Queen’ entertain over 8,500 audiences, record breaking park show audiences and a national touring show visit us in the form of I, Daniel Blake from Northern Stage.
The Dukes is an audience focused organisation, making the arts and creativity available and accessible to all members of our community, and developing a diverse and highly engaged audience base. We achieve this through long-term committed community engagement, and strategic marketing communications, and creating a range of access points for people to take a journey with us from participating in a session, through to attending a film or show, through to creating work. We are working to reach deeper into our communities and position the Dukes as a key cultural asset and talent hub for Lancaster/Morecambe.
In 25/26 we:
Increased our annual audience by over 2000 people
Saw 20% of Park Show audiences visit from outside of the district
Contributed artistically and financially to Dino Day and Light up Lancaster
Commisisoned the creation of 2 City Centre Murals
Worked in partnership Nationally with 39 other Arts Centres
Presented 1387 events
Hosted 12 internships
Increased young company membership by 21% and Primetime by 10%
Delivered 60 workshops with ‘hard to reach’ groups
Organisational Development
Our Chief Executive, Chris Lawson completed his second year in post which saw us increase our programme, audience and sales within this time. Chris also continues to serve on the Board of Lancaster BID, The Lancaster District Arts Partners and Light up Lancaster steering groups, additionally moving to the position of Co-Chair for LDAP.
We also welcomed new trustees who brought a range of skills in education, theatre and public health. As ever, we are grateful to our retiring trustees who have contributed enormously to the organisation. This was also the first year of our streamlined governance, with the trustees also appointed as the members of the charity. Our thanks to the retired members who similarly gave their time and commitment to the Dukes.
The advent of the Eden Project in the coming years is an important moment to strengthen the city’s attractiveness for visitors. In 2025/26, we began an ongoing process looking at options for renewing and modernising the Dukes buildings, which are currently leased from Lancaster City Council. We want to improve our customer experience, access for people with disabilities, reduce our environmental performance, and ensure a resilient and vibrant cultural centre for the future. We look forward to playing a meaningful role in the district’s visitor and cultural offer as a vital attraction for local people as well as growing numbers of visitors to the district.
We have started some work on building improvements including the auditorium and bar areas which are having a positive impact. We have also further strengthen our staff team in a number of areas, bringing in some valuable experience to sit alongside our current team.
We enjoy a very positive relationship with our stakeholders, Lancaster University, Arts Council England, and Lancaster City Council. We value their support and particularly the ongoing financial backing the Council provides despite the constraints on local authority finances.
The trustees are very grateful to the staff team, whose energy and abilities underpin our achievements. We are also grateful to our dedicated volunteers for their vital work.
The Year Ahead
The Dukes is looking forward to 2026/27 and beyond with a renewed sense of focus and determination to move forward. We are renewing our programming model with even more opportunities for audiences to experience the best in touring theatre, build on the success of our film festivals and screenings, and further embed our work with local communities and the creative sector. Recognising the challenges in sustaining and growing audiences, we are confident that our refreshed programming model will allow us to build even more audience loyalty whilst operating even more efficiently. This includes plans to co-produce with TakeBack Theatre and Lancaster based Imitating The Dog.
Trustee Induction and Training
All Trustees are given a complete welcome pack including information on the Organisational Plan, information of the Trust’s work and achievements, copies of the Articles of Association, key organisational policies, Charity Commission - The Essential Trustee - What You Need To Know and a skill and contact audit. All Trustees are invited to meet the Director and have a tour of the building.
Risk Management
The trustees have documented processes in place for review and manage risk, including scrutiny by the Finance and Audit Committee. These include clearly delegated Financial Authorities, Business Continuity Planning, and financial reporting. A regular risk assessment is carried out by the board with actions to mitigate risks.
The major risks facing the Dukes are:
Finance – the prevailing economic climate and rising operating costs mean that the Dukes needs to grow earned income beyond current levels, and focus on profitability in the coming years. We recognise that neither local or national funding for culture is likely to increase. The charity holds cash reserves but cannot continue to operate with a trading deficit.
Buildings – the need to improve our premises and the experience for all building users, whilst increasing financial opportunities and reducing environmental impact.
Capacity and capability – the staff team is lean and delivers a high output, as the audiences increase we need to look at sustainability and growth
Investment powers
The Trustees have wide powers of investment within the constitution.
Reserves policy
The Trustees aspire to retain 10 weeks operating costs in reserve.
The trustees who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:
In accordance with the company's articles, a resolution proposing that Azets Audit Services be reappointed as auditor of the company will be put at a General Meeting.
The trustees, who are also the directors of Dukes Play House Limited (The) for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of Dukes Play House Limited (The) (the ‘charity’) for the year ended 31 March 2026 which comprise the statement of financial activities, the balance sheet, the statement of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
In our opinion, the financial statements:
Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
Other information
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:
the information given in the trustees' report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared, which includes the directors' report prepared for the purposes of company law, is consistent with the financial statements; and
the directors' report included within the trustees' report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charity and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the directors' report included within the trustees' report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
certain disclosures of trustees' remuneration specified by law are not made; or
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
the trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies' exemptions in preparing the trustees' report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report.
A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.
Extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above and on the Financial Reporting Council’s website, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud.
We obtain and update our understanding of the entity, its activities, its control environment, and likely future developments, including in relation to the legal and regulatory framework applicable and how the entity is complying with that framework. Based on this understanding, we identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. This includes consideration of the risk of acts by the entity that were contrary to applicable laws and regulations, including fraud.
In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, including fraud, we designed procedures which included:
Enquiry of management and those charged with governance around actual and potential litigation and claims as well as actual, suspected and alleged fraud;
Reviewing minutes of meetings of those charged with governance;
Assessing the extent of compliance with the laws and regulations considered to have a direct material effect on the financial statements or the operations of the entity through enquiry and inspection;
Reviewing financial statement disclosures and testing to supporting documentation to assess compliance with applicable laws and regulations;
Performing audit work over the risk of management bias and override of controls, including testing of journal entries and other adjustments for appropriateness, evaluating the business rationale of significant transactions outside the normal course of business and reviewing accounting estimates for indicators of potential bias.
Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.
Use of our report
This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
The statement of financial activities also complies with the requirements for an income and expenditure account under the Companies Act 2006.
The Dukes Playhouse Limited is a private charitable company limited by guarantee and is incorporated and domiciled in England and Wales. The address of the registered office is The Dukes, Moor Lane, Lancaster, LA1 1QE.
The nature of the its operations and its principle activities are detailed in the trustees report attached to these financial statements.
The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with 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) issued in October 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006 and UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.
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. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
These financial statements show net unrestricted expenditure, after transfers, of £162,044 and unrestricted funds at the year end of £255,140. The trustees have prepared financial forecasts and budgets which incorporate the ACE funding to March 2027 and the service level agreement with Lancaster City Council which demonstrate the future viability of the charitable company and its ability to meet its debts as they fall due.
Therefore 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.
Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the trustees for particular purposes. The designation reflects the trustees' intentions regarding the future application of these funds and does not restrict their use legally.
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.
Income is recognised when the charity is legally entitled to it after any performance conditions have been met, the amounts can be measured reliably, and it is probable that income will be received.
Income in respect of productions is recognised in the period in which the production occurs.
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.
Income from Government and other grants, whether capital grants or revenue grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be reliably measured.
Income received in advance of a theatrical performance or provision of other specified service is deferred until the criteria for income recognition are met.
Other trading income is recognised on a receivable basis.
Investment income is recognised in the Statement Of Financial Activities in the year in which it is receivable.
Expenditure is recognised once there is a constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be reliably measured. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered and is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates.
Costs of raising funds comprise the costs of trading of the bar and catering facilities.
Expenditure on charitable activities comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to those activities and those of an indirect nature necessary to support them.
Other costs represent those items not falling into the categories above.
Support costs relate to those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly undertake charitable activities. Support costs include back office costs, finance, personnel, payroll and governance costs which support the Charity's programmes and activities. These costs have been allocated between costs of raising funds and expenditure on charitable activities. Support costs are apportioned on an appropriate basis eg floor area, staff time or estimated usage.
Tangible fixed assets costing more than £1,000 are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost, 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).
Stocks are stated at the lower of cost and estimated selling price. Cost is based on the cost of the purchase on a first in first out basis.
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.
The charity is an exempt charity within the meaning of schedule 3 of the Charities Act 2011 and is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes.
When employees have rendered services to the charity, short term employee benefits to which the employee is entitled are recognised at the amount expected to be paid for that service.
The charity operates a defined contribution pension plan for the benefit of its employees. Contributions are expensed as they become payable.
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.
Creative Industries Relief
Where the charity incurs qualifying losses in respect of theatre productions these are surrendered for a cash payment under HMRC Theatre Tax Relief regime. Where receipt of these tax credits is virtually certain they are included in the accounts in the year in which the qualifying losses occured.
Where the charity incurs qualifying losses in respect of museums and galleries these are surrendered for a cash payment under HMRC Museum and Galleries Exhibition Relief. Where receipt of these tax credits is virtually certain they are included in the accounts in the year in which the qualifying losses occured.
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.
In the current period none have been identified that require disclosure.
None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or expenses from the charity during the year. All trustees can receive two free tickets for the guest night performance of a Dukes theatre production.
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The average number of full time equivalent employees is 26 (2025: 21). This is calculated using half the number of part time staff.
The remuneration of key management personnel was as follows:
Other expenditure
The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or section 252 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects.
Included in leasehold property improvements is conversion work carried out on a derelict church to create a Moor Lane Additional Building. The net book value of Moor Lane Additional Building at the year end was £nil. The work originally undertaken amounted to £280,750 and was funded by a National Lottery grant of £194,750 from Arts Council England and a grant of £86,000 from Lancaster City Council. The Dukes Playhouse Limited, as part of its charitable aims, supports Moor Lane Additional Building in its work in providing participation activities for local young people.
Included in leasehold property improvements is refurbishment work to the 'Round' theatre. The net book value of the studio refurbishment at the year end was £nil. The work originally undertaken amounted to £380,583 and was funded by a grant of £260,383 from North West Development Agency and a grant of £99,100 from Arts Council England.
Deferred income is included in the financial statements as follows:
The income in the above note has been deferred as it relates to box office productions which occurred after 31 March 2026 or grants with unfulfilled conditions at the year end.
The charity made pension contributions to an Equity pension scheme for qualifying actors. The assets of the scheme are held in separately administered funds.
The charity made pension contributions to an occupational defined contribution pension scheme for qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held in separately administered funds.
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.
Renovate the Rake represents donations from customers to renovate one of their theatres, the Rake.
Victoria Wood income is in relation to monthly workshops/activities for young carers. As at the year end, only half of the grant income had been utilised.
Our Freedom fund represents grant funding received to support activities delivered as part of the Our Freedom: Then and Now programme, marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day. The funding is used to deliver arts and community projects that explore themes of freedom, remembrance and local heritage.
Film Hub fund represents grant funding received to support film exhibition and audience development activities. The funding is used to increase access to independent and specialised film through screenings, events, community engagement and associated educational activities.
Zedra Hearing Loop funds represents grant funding received to support the provision of hearing assistance technology and related accessibility improvements. The funding is intended to enhance access to performances, screenings and other charitable activities for audience members with hearing impairments.
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.
Operating Reserves
Removed from the general cash flow and designated as an operating reserve for use when approved by the board. This equates to 10 weeks overheads.
Capital Programme
This has been utilised on the Renovation of the Rake including sound proofing and decorating. The front of house has also had refurbishment and decoration, with the balance being unrestriced.
Artistic Programme Investment
This has been used investing in the park show to sustain and grow, this is evidenced by year on year increases in visitor numbers. An investment has also been made in the associate artists programme in the year utilising key staff members, enabling five companies to develop new work. This has now been undesignated.
Audience Development
Investment in Indigo audience research and insight tool. The balance has now been undesignated.
Capacity Building
This has been utilised through Business Development and Freelance Programmer. There has been a restructure in programming with a structured full time programming team now in place.
At the reporting end date the charity had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:
During the year the charity entered into the following transactions with related parties:
£29,794 of expenditure and £600 of income relates to transactions with Octagon Theatre Productions Limited, a related party due to common directorship, for the performance of Shirley Valentine at the Dukes.
The charity had no debt during the year.