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Attic Theatre Company
Annual Report for the year ending March 2023
The Trustees present their annual report together with the financial statements of the Charity for the period 1 March 2022 to 31 March 2023, having converted to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation on 1 March 2021. The Trustees confirm that the Annual Report and financial statements of the company comply with the current statutory requirements, the company's governing document requirements and the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP), 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) as amended by Update Bulletin 1 (published October 2019).
The company also operates under the names “Attic” and “Attic Theatre Company”. References to either of these names in the body of this document should be taken as references to Attic Theatre Company (London).
Mission Statement: Our mission is to make excellent live theatre and cultural experiences accessible to all, particularly those experiencing disadvantage, in Merton and across the UK. We regard these as twin strands of Attic’s mission and of equal prominence.
Vision for the company at the end of this plan: To grow the audience for all our work and our local partnerships, delivering increased arts engagement in our local area.
Our report is presented under the following key areas: Chair’s Report Purposes and Activities Projectogram Achievement and Performance Financial Policies Structure and Governance Members’ Liability
Chair’s Report
There is a detailed summary below (see Achievements and Performance) of the many successful activities that took place during the year.
Our community engagement programme, now given greater coherence by grouping the activities under the headings of Many Voices, Many Minds and Many Moons , reached its highest level ever of participation and of numbers of live projects.
It was a huge joy to be able to return to live theatre productions after the Covid restrictions of previous years. They are described below under the Many Stages heading. A particularly memorable experience for me was a weekend
afternoon when a number of the trustees and their families enjoyed together the Canon House promenade production Unlocking Canons House .
It is always a matter of surprise for those who are not aware that so much can be produced by our small staff group of just three people, all part-time. The energy and commitment they contribute to the organisation’s success is much appreciated by the trustees.
Paul Baynton , Chair
Purposes and Activities
At Attic we see ourselves as an arts centre without walls; commissioning, producing and delivering projects with and for our local community; creating positive change with socially minded creative programmes across south London. We aim to promote increased wellbeing through social interaction and participation in enriching, enlightening and enjoyable cultural activities.
These consist of weekly multi art form, creative workshops and live theatre performances.
Company Activities
Attic runs a year-round programme of arts activities for local people, particularly focused in the east of the borough of Merton. These include:
Many Stages: Theatre Productions and new writing. New, internally produced theatre productions which tour to community centres, parks and libraries as well as theatres and arts centres; and new collaborative productions, mentoring and/or producing associated artists’ work
Many Voices: Creative workshops aimed at young refugees and asylum seekers and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) to support their integration and acclimatisation into the UK
Many Minds: Creative workshops aimed at young people facing adverse environments and experiences and with low emotional resilience including N/neurodivergent and Special Educational Needs (SEND) young teenagers to boost life skills and aspirations Many Moons: Creative workshops for older people including dance and singing workshops which focus on boosting wellbeing, mental and physical health and combating isolation.
All our work is offered either free of charge or at a subsidised rate at point of delivery and is open to UK residents irrespective of income, race, gender, ability, sexual orientation or political or religious belief. Attic positively promotes and encourages social inclusion and strives to connect with and foster a wide range of communities through its productions, workshops and creative events.
Attic is mindful that our activities are subject to personal taste and may occasionally and inadvertently cause offence. We take the views of our audiences, participants and beneficiaries very seriously and have a comprehensive set of policies and company procedures in place, including a Diversity, Equality and Inclusion policy, Equal
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Opportunities policy, Child Protection policy and Adults at Risk policy. All staff are made familiar with these policies, adherence to which is a condition of employment or engagement. Feedback from beneficiaries is collated on a regular basis, analysed formally and presented for review to the board of trustees and our funders.
Projectogram
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Achievements and Performance
2022-2023 has seen Attic deliver the largest number of participatory projects to date, three productions, and 15 community programs, reaching over 1000 individuals. This is a significant increase in our usual output.
This activity across the two strands of our work has supported the development of 18 practitioners and 23 artists and forged new relationships with similar organisations throughout London. This success has strengthened Attic's portfolio of work, enhanced our profile, and validated our approach supporting the community through the benefit that the arts can bring.
Overall Beneficiary Statistics for activities in the period 1 March 2022 – 31 March 2023
Key achievements include:
-
95 Performances of live theatre
-
51 Performance venues visited (all across the UK plus1 venue in the Netherlands)
-
3444 Audience members at all our performances
-
370 Participatory workshop sessions delivered
-
933 workshop Beneficiaries
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· 4895 attendances at all activities
Overall, the make up of our participants include: 30% elderly users
56% young users
43% reporting as D/disabled users (excluding those with Special Educational Needs) – a 207% increase on last year
60% Ethnically diverse users
Many Stages: Theatre Productions and New Writing
- Ø All Roads - by Roy Williams OBE. Commissioned by Attic in 2018 and developed with our Artistic Director, the show was staged in partnership with Tramshed, and in association with Theatre Peckham and Bernie Grant Arts Centre and toured through spring 2023. It was supported by the Arts Council, Cockayne, Unity Theatre Trust and The Royal Victoria Hall Foundation, and had a week run each at four outer London venues.
The show centres around the story of two young, black teenagers and explores what it means to be young, and Black British today, navigating the tragic fallout from a suicide, the transition into adulthood and young love.
With a 90% creative team and cast from Black and underrepresented groups, 50% of whom were early career professionals, All Roads was able to engage new audiences across greater London venues, increasing its ethnically diverse audience by 44%.
Feedback described the show as ‘ relatable’, ‘like many teenagers can relate to this’, and ‘ very topical’ .
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‘ The two-person play is wonderfully manoeuvred’ **Theatre and Tonic
‘ A richly layered, lyrical work’
*Everything Theatre
“Concise, authentic and thought-provoking”
**The stage
-
Ø Learning to Fly – We produced a national tour of James Rowland's brand-new show, Learning to Fly . It was developed with the artist and directed by Jonathan Humphreys, our Artistic Director. The show received 5-star reviews in Edinburgh and played to soldout audiences. It then toured throughout the UK to 46 venues over 55 performances, building our rural touring model and stabilising our relationship with James Rowland as a producer of his work.
-
'A riveting, remarkable hour of theatre ...' * The Guardian**
‘ A master storyteller’ ** Whatsonstage
'Rowland is a natural storyteller...very funny, disarmingly honest and surprisingly tender' ** The Scotsman
- Ø Unlocking Canons House – We commissioned a local writer, Daniel Ward, to write a play that explored the people and history of this Grade II listed house. Unlocking Canon’s House touched on the history of the house and grounds, particularly its original owners, the Cranmer family, East India Company merchants who stayed there and the site of the Mitcham Athletics running track. The bespoke heritage play was presented over two weekends as a site-specific promenade production that toured the house.
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Audience feedback included:
‘Very powerful performances which highlighted the history in a colourful way’
‘Great to hear the history and see the inside of the house’
‘Very original play - interactive and entertaining’
Outcomes for Theatre Productions and New Writing:
Increased partnerships and collaborations : We built relationships with three writers, formed relationships with 55 new venues and have contributed to the borough’s history and artistic offer.
Increased arts engagement : With over 3400 people attending our performances and 7 supplementary wrap around activities we have maintained a strong offer to complement our shows
Increased arts provision: At a time when there is heightened risk to the arts and live performance (ie austerity, levelling up, the Covid-19 aftermath of slowly returning audiences, changes to government and Arts Council England’s policy) we delivered 3 economically viable shows whilst maintaining our provision locally. We supported the local area with a site specific, bespoke play which focused on the history of the area, with 80% of its supplies recycled.
Increased profile: We have significantly increased our profile nationally by building relationships with key venues in outer London and by touring nationally to rural and culturally under-served areas. This has allowed us to reach new demographics of audiences. The specially commissioned play for Merton cements our profile in the borough as an organisation that is able to meet a local brief creatively working effectively with partners from different sectors.
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| Many Stages Statistical Data |
Performances | Audiences | Ethnically diverse |
Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Roads | 23 | 631 | 44% | Reached 165 students/adults with wraparound activities |
| Learning to Fly | 55 | 2432 | Unknown | 46 venues visited across the UK (traditional theatres and non-traditional rural touringvenues) |
| Unlocking Canon’s House |
16 | 317 | 23% | 2 follow up workshops exploring the writing and stage designprocess |
| TOTAL | 94 | 3380 | 32% Av. across all performan ces |
Increased engagement of students and B/Black audiences |
Many Moons - Participatory work with older people
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➢ Going for a Song - Singing workshops for the over 55s to support mental and physical wellbeing, reduce isolation and increase creativity. Delivered weekly to two groups, the sessions are well established with participants particularly reporting that the social aspect and the lighthearted, enjoyable nature of the workshops were the key factors in their attendance. Community performances included the Mayor’s Jubilee celebration and Singfest , a Merton musical initiative.
-
➢ Open Dance workshops – commissioned by the Libraries team, these sessions aimed to support older people’s health through the use of libraries and accompanying activities . Having run a successful pilot we continued these sessions with a new facilitator but numbers depleted forcing us to end the project. Of those that remained they were very vocal about how beneficial they found the sessions each week.
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- ➢ Dementia Dance workshops – Movement and dance workshops for older people and those suffering with dementia and their carers to support mental and physical wellbeing, reduce isolation and increase creativity . Rebranded as ‘Feelgood Fridays’ to attract those who were not keen to dance we have begun to build numbers back up again.
Feedback:
‘I always feel the positive effects of this class, after the class for a few days‘
‘Singing is the outward expression of inner joy’
‘It helps me forget a recent tragedy in my life’
‘I left the class last week with the springiest spring in my step!’
Outcomes for participatory work with older people:
Increased wellbeing, mental health and happiness . Physical activity boosts mental wellness. Singing releases ‘feel-good’ endorphins and ’stress busting’ oxytocins. Reduced isolation and improved community cohesion . Regularity of sessions and familiarity of attendees supports participants to feel less isolated and allows them to build connections. They have built a social network outside of the group. Dance sessions support connection between carers and the person experiencingmentia through music and movement and provide respite from care giving responsibilities. Sessions are as beneficial to the carer as the participant.
Improved skills and cognitive retention. Movement and musicality improve lucidity and cognitive retention. Different dance genres can also help to improve experience and knowledge of new dance techniques, as well as provide reminiscence therapy benefits. For example, stirring motions can conjure up memories of cooking. During open dance sessions, participants are given choreography and dance moves to improve their technique and widen their knowledge of dance styles. Singers are also taught vocal skills, breath and lung control exercises, and musicality and technique. Improved physical health and energy – Physical activity helps with flexibility, mobility, strength, stamina, movement and balance; Improves immune system; Provides a cardiovascular workout and is beneficial to lung capacity. This can prove a potentially useful benefit for maintaining lung function. All benefits which support older people retain independence.
| Sessions | Registered Participants |
Ethnically diverse |
Other | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Going for a Song | 72 | 54 | 33% | 100% Older people 20% identifying as D/disabled |
| Open Dance workshops | 34 | 64 | 26% | 9% Older people 12% identifying as D/disabled |
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| Dementia Dance workshops | 40 | 43 | 69% | 92% Older people 80% identifying as D/disabled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOTAL | 146 | 161 | 43% Av. | 96% Av. Older people 37% Av. identifying as D/disabled |
Many Voices - Participatory work with ESOL, refugee and asylum-seeking young people
- ➢ St Mark’s Academy, Mitcham – workshops to support the integration and communication skills of young ESOL students, refugees, asylum seekers and unaccompanied minors. Working with two groups: low level learners and those with a stronger command of the English language. A long standing project with up to 50 students over an academic year.
Feedback:
‘I like drama because we can be friends and forget about bad things when we are here’
- ➢ Rutlish School, Wimbledon – workshops to support the confidence and communication skills of young ESOL students and those struggling to cope with secondary school and provide mentoring opportunities for older students.
Feedback:
‘Many of our EAL students commented on how much fun they had in the sessions as they were able to develop their self-confidence and social skills.’ – Staff member
- Ø Women’s ‘Conversation Club’ at CARAS: Community Action for Refugee and Asylum Seekers, Tooting – workshops to build independence, networks, employability and language skills in refugee and asylum-seeking women. Sessions provide information and guidance on navigating their new environments, exploring how to buy a coffee/join a doctor’s surgery etc. The sessions help acclimatize the women and enable them to build a peer network.
Feedback:
‘Before, if I went to the hospital I didn’t know how to explain the problem, but now I know what to say.’
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- ➢ Sutton and District Training – ESOL group - Sutton and District Training commissioned us to support their young refugees and asylum seekers with activities that addressed confidence, English language skills and acclimatisation. This group have shown high levels of poor mental health with several safeguarding concerns. Many participants are teenagers or young adults forced into situations they have no experience of and are at risk of exploitation. As such we were keen to continue the provision beyond the 12 weeks commissioned and reallocated some of our funding towards extending the sessions and boosting the impact of the work through longer and more consistent provision.
Feedback:
‘Our students benefit so much from the drama workshops on many different levels’- Staff member
- ➢ Employability sessions at CARAS: Sessions with young adults to support their progression to work. Tools and exercises to familiarize participants with UK recruitment processes and English nuances, such as shaking hands, eye contact, selling oneself and competing applications forms as well as drawing up CVs.
Feedback:
‘I just want to say thank you for all the time you spent. I will really take advantage of everything I learnt. You really inspired me!’
‘Thanks for the opportunity, you gave us of learning something really helpful for our future.’
‘I forget about problems when I do drama’
Outcomes for participatory work with young refugees and asylum seekers:
Increased knowledge of the English language . Students learn English in an informal setting. The topics covered focus on their immediate environment and give them a vocabulary which allows them to interact with their peers.
Increased sociability . The sessions build friendships and trust within the group, allowing the participants to make friends outside of their background and culture and build support networks. Participants interact with their peers, learn more about each other and are able to find common ground to forge friendships and connect. Peer groups are expanded and this reduces isolation. They teach valuable social skills such as speaking and listening.
Improved skills . The participants learn theatre skills and life skills: how to express themselves, communicate their ideas and lead a group. They learn more English and learn about different cultures and backgrounds as well as learning more about the UK and their new environment. They learn teamwork, leadership and to listen, how to deal with simple social interaction, shopping etc.
Employability skills . Participants learn about the recruitment process in an informal setting. The sessions give them appropriate vocabulary which allows them to succeed at interview and advocate for themselves. They learn interview techniques such as expressing their ideas and clear communication.
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Improved confidence and self-esteem. Through shared endeavour and play they begin to trust in their peers and environment, building teamwork and they are proud of the work they achieve. They gain confidence to integrate themselves into the UK and begin to become familiar with British culture. The work builds on their attitude to life, gives them aspirations and encourages a tolerant and diverse community that embraces multiculturalism and they begin to develop personal values. The Jack Petchey Award scheme further reinforces this.
Improved behaviour motivation and academic achievement . The work builds on their attitude to life, gives them aspirations and encourages a tolerant and diverse community.
| Sessions | Participants | Ethnically diverse |
Other | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Mark’s Academy, Mitcham | 34 | 89 | 100% | |
| Rutlish School | 26 | 55 | 55% | |
| Women’sgroup at CARAS | 33 | 58 | 87% | 100% female |
| Sutton and District Training – ESOL group |
21 | 34 | 87% | 98% male |
| Employability workshops | 10 | 12 | 100% | |
| TOTAL | 124 | 248 | 86% Av. | |
Many Minds - Participatory work with young people facing adverse environments and experiences
- ➢ Creative Arts Group – sessions to support young people experiencing adverse childhood experiences and/or environments. Delivered in partnership with Shine Merton, a local organisation supporting young people at risk of underachieving.
Over the year we explored making radio plays, the technicalities of performance like physical theatre, improvisation and use of props.
Alongside this we delivered a specially commissioned Jubilee project which centred around some corgis being stolen from Buckingham Palace. The short play was filmed and presented to an invited audience as well as being shown at local heritage site Canon’s House. The film can be seen here.
Feedback
‘The drama session was brilliant, I didnt know they had so many ideas!’ - Staff member
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‘I am 100% doing drama again!’
‘I loved listening to my radio play and seeing people laugh’
‘That's me! That's me! My little sister just saw me in a film!’
- ➢ Leap! Drama Workshops - Holiday workshops to boost confidence and prepare young people for the move to secondary/back to education. Delivered to fours groups:
Green Arts Centre: A series of sessions to support young people in partnership with the newly created Green Arts Space. The students worked towards a performance over a week which played to friends and family.
Morden Hall Park : working in partnership with the National Trust we delivered two weeks of sessions focusing on myths and magical creatures and connecting that to the landscape of the park.
HAF : As part of the Healthy Activities and Food fund from the government we delivered 3 one off sessions in venues across Merton focusing on interpersonal skills, leadership and teamwork.
Inner Strength Network/Bromley & Croydon Women’s Aid: Taster sessions were delivered to these groups that support young females with empowerment and rehabilitation after traumatic experiences of domestic violence. Whilst beneficial to the participants, numbers were low and there was insufficient funding or buy in to continue these
Feedback:
- ‘They have taken to this a lot quicker than in past projects I’ve worked on’
‘We enjoyed the final performance on stage under the lights’
- Ø Sutton and District Training – Creative Media group – weekly creative sessions for young neurodivergent people aged 16+ to explore their creativity and develop skills in communication, social interaction and employability. This programme has been developed closely with participants and has been specially designed to celebrate and encourage their skills, interests, and the things that make them who they are. Rather than simply using drama to teach neurodivergent young people how to perform in a neurotypical world, we work with them to discover their potential, grow their confidence, and look forward to their future.
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At the end of the year, students come away having competed at least one extended project in an area of the creative industries that interests them most, and that they can choose to extend and pursue into their working lives, if they so wish .
Feedback:
‘My confidence has grown more, and just in general I’m more confident than I was.’
‘At the start I was really shy, now I’ve gotten much better. It was really hard to get my opinion across, but now it’s not.’
- Ø Sutton and District Training – STEPS group – As an extension of the Creative Media group, the weekly creative sessions with the STEPS group covers many of the same themes and objectives but is delivered to a group with more complex SEND needs. Staff work closely with attendees to discover their interests and hobbies and use these to explore key learning objectives for the group, such as turn-taking, active listening, and appropriate/inappropriate language. Games and creative activities make up the majority of these sessions, both providing an outlet for young people and supporting staff at Sutton and District Training in delivering their curriculum goals.
Feedback:
"I feel a little more confident in speaking"
‘I’ve found it a little difficult being in a social group but I [have] been trying to join in.’
- ➢ Wellbeing workshops – sessions to support young women, experiencing adverse experiences and/or environments with positive mental health and wellbeing activities.
Working with BCWA we ran a series of sessions working with the young women who had experienced domestic violence and were staying in safe houses. Many of these women were teenage mothers and who had been forced to move away from friends and family.
Feedback
‘Amazing. And other women experiencing DV should be able to feel empowered’ ‘I felt I needed extra support and when this group became available I loved the idea of it. It means forgetting about whatever you are going through and just having fun’
Outcomes for participatory work with young people facing adverse environments and experiences:
Increased peer group – meeting and making friends with people from other schools, circumstances, cultures and backgrounds.
Improved sociability and social skills – opportunities to chat and play, building intersocial skills.
Improved emotional wellbeing and maturity – creative and mental stimulation boosting and supporting positive mental health ; preparation for and knowledge of teenage and young adult life.
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Improved creative skills - learning improvisation, devising and presentation and storytelling; creative writing, character, devising, storytelling and poetry; through exploring different themes and topics imaginatively and participating in creative based, related activities.
Improved confidence and self-esteem - learning to work as a team and be creative in their approach. The performances/films at the end of the projects provides a sense of achievement and worth and the opportunity to lead engenders pride, self-worth and aspirational thinking. They are given a safe space to explore their identity and reflect on their attitudes and aspiration. They learn to work as a team, trust in others and be creative in their approach.
Improved understanding, empathy and tolerance – through listening to others’ work and presenting their own.
Improved teamwork and leadership skills – through listening and working together on a shared theme of work as well as taking turns to lead in games and exercises.
| Sessions | Participa nts |
Ethnically diverse |
Other | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creative Arts Group | 27 | 56 | 87% | |
| Leap! Drama Workshops Green Arts Space Harris Academy, Imperial Fields, Day Springs Youth Club Morden Hall Park |
24 | 173 | 55% | 17% identifying as D/disabled (excluding SEND) |
| Sutton and District Training – ‘Gamers’ group |
36 | 31 | 39% | 94% SEND/ identifying as D/disabled |
| Sutton and District Training – ‘STEPS’ group |
12 | 16 | 6% | 100% SEND/ identifying as D/disabled |
| Wellbeing workshops Bromley and Croydon Women’s Aid (BCWA) Inner Strength Network(ISN) |
11 | 7 | 39% | 100% female |
| TOTAL | 100 | 283 | 45% Av. |
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Financial Review
Core funding awards
With the continuing core revenue grant from the London Borough of Merton, we receive financial support that helps us cover our overhead costs, pay our staff, and stabilise our infrastructure. This allows us to confidently seek funds from other sources to support the delivery and planning of our work.
Trusts and Foundations
We carried forward a level of restricted funds for projects from the previous year, namely the Jack Petchey ReIgnite award, the Princes Charles Trust, funding from the KFC foundation and Merton Giving, all for our youth work.
Funds received in year include a significant award from the Merton Neighbourhood fund which has supported the majority of our outreach programme in 2022-23.
Private income
Our regular corporate sponsor maintained their annual contribution but private income is a revenue stream that has not been fully explored to date due to our limited capacity.
Earned income
Earned income has become a more reliable stream to support our work. Our partnership with Sutton and District Training, with three commissions for their users, alongside the commissions for Unlocking Canon’s House, the Let’s Create Jubilee project, and the HAF funding programme, demonstrates the demand for our work and the value that others place on it.
Similarly, working with an emerging artist who has benefited from our ability to produce, underwrite and support his development has reaped financial dividends for us.
Forward financial planning
Despite the decline in trust and foundation funding and the intense competition for grants, we have been fortunate to secure funding from local sources and have benefited from the social impact outcomes of our participatory projects, which align with the priorities of many arts funders. Additionally, a new model of touring and producing external artists' work has helped us to diversify our income generation.
To support our increased output, we have invested in our staff team and increased their salaries towards industry standards. However, this is not sustainable in the long term with our current capacity, and we will review our approach in the future to ensure that it is realistic and achievable.
Reserves Policy
Attic Theatre Company requires a level of free reserves to safeguard the organisation, protect options for future development and to achieve the following:
-
the option to develop new services or expand current services in line with the changing needs of our communities
-
to ensure that delays in the receipt of expected income do not interrupt services or
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cause serious financial difficulty for the charity
- to provide the ability to survive unexpected setbacks and problems arising from internal or external causes.
Our minimum reserves are set at £25,000, to take into account inflation over the past few years and the free reserves over and above this designated to our New Projects Fund which provides seed money for new developments in both our community outreach and live performance programme.
Total income for 2022-2023 was made up of funding awards from the LB Merton revenue grant, trusts and foundations, donations and sponsorship, commissions and community subscriptions to our regular activities.
Structure and Governance
Attic Theatre Company (London) converted to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation on 1[st] March 2021. Charitable status was granted on 28 October 1994.
The charitable object for which the company was established is to “advance education for the public benefit through the promotion of the arts with particular, but not exclusive, reference to the dramatic arts”. There have been no changes in the objectives since the last annual report.
The charity is managed by a board of a minimum of three trustees who meet quarterly and whose powers and responsibilities are defined in the governing document. The trustees also decide on the general strategy and policies to be adopted in the pursuance of the objectives of the charity. The Board is currently made up of six trustees. The trustees are provided with a job description and code of conduct as well as a series of company policies and procedures as part of their training and induction and are informed of training courses and development opportunities throughout their tenure.
None of the trustees received remuneration or any other benefit from their work with the organisation, in their capacity as trustees. Any connection between a trustee or senior manager of the organisation or with any employed artist or production company is disclosed to the full board of trustees.
In shaping our objectives for the year and planning our activities, the trustees have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit, including the guidance on public benefit and fee charging. The charity relies on grants and other income from fees and charges to cover its operating costs.
The trustees have carried out their duty to identify and review the risks to which the charity is exposed and to ensure appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error. The trustees have assessed the risk to which the charity is exposed, in particular those related to the operations and finances of the charity and are satisfied that systems and procedures are in place to mitigate our exposure to the major risks. A comprehensive set of policies and procedures are in place and reviewed regularly by the trustees.
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Staffing
In the year 2022-23 Attic operated on a daily, part time basis under the artistic direction of Jonathan Humphreys and the general management of Victoria Hibbs, whose title changed to Executive Director to more accurately reflect her role and responsibilities. Both share the role jointly of Chief Executive Officer.
The Creative Engagement Producer is on a renewable fixed term, part time contract.
The actors and creative teams for our productions and the workshop facilitators for our participatory projects are all on freelance engagements.
MEMBERS’ LIABILITY
The Members of the company guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £10 to the assets of the charity in the event of winding up.
This report was approved by the Trustees on and signed on their behalf by:23/11/2023
Paul Baynton, Chair
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ATTIC THEATRE COMPANY (LONDON) INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF ATTIC THEATRE COMPANY (LONDON) I report to the Iruslees on my examination of the finand81 slalements of Attic Theatre C¢)mpany (London) (the Chartyl for the year ended 31 March 2023. Responslbllltlgs and basls of r6port As the trustees of the Charity you ar? responsible for the prepar81ion of the financial statements In accordance wlh the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 {Ihe 2011 Act). I report In respect of my exarninalion of Ihe Charity's financial statements carrled oul under secuon 145 of the 2011 Act. In carrying out my examinatlon I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity C¢ximlsslon under section 145{51(b) of the 2011 Act. Independent 8xamlnerfs ststsment I have completed my examination. I confimi that no rnatters have come lo my attention in connedion wth the examination giving me Cause to believe that in any material respect.. accounting records were not kept in re8pecl of the Charity 88 required by s8clion 130 of the 2011 ACL or the financial stalernents do not accord with those records,. cr the financial statements do not comply wth the applicable requirements concemSng the fomi and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter tt*n8ldered 8s part of an independent examination. I have no Corern8 and have come acfoss no other matters in connection with the examination lo which attention should be drawn in this report in order lo enable a proper understanding of the financial slalements to be reached. f.H F. Harllng ACCA Ward Wlliams Bay Lodge 36 Hafield Road Uxbridge Middlesex UB81PH 19
Arric THEATRE COMPANY (LONDON) STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023 Unrestrlcted Rostricted funds funds Total 2023 Total 2022 Notes Charitable activities Investments 104,253 487 133.745 237,998 487 123,312 Total Income 104.740 133,745 238,485 123,321 Charitable ad'ville8 95,944 113,838 209,782 123,719 Net Incomlnglloutgolngl rosources before transfers 8,796 19.907 28,703 13981 Gross transfers betsveen funds 9,855 {9,8551 Net Incomellexpendltur&l lor the ygarl Not movement In fund8 18,651 10,052 28,703 (3981 Fund balances al 1 April 2022 43,751 11,075 54,826 55.224 Fund balances at 31 March 2023 62.402 21.127 83,529 54.826 The statement of )Inanc5al activitles includes all gains and108se8 recognised in the year. All incomo and expenditure derive from continuing activities. -20-
ATTIC THEATRE COMPANY {LONDON) BALANCE SHEET AS AT31 MARCH 2023 31 March 2023 31 March 2022 Notss Flx•d assets Tangible assets Current assets Debtors Cash at bank and in hand 630 577 11 35,1C6 54,324 7.988 57.401 89.430 65,369 Credltors: amounts falllng due withln ye•r 12 16,S311 {11,1201 Nel current assets 82,899 54,249 Total assets lass current liabilltl•i 83.529 54,826 Incomè funds Restricted funds Unrestr hjnds Designated funds General unrestricted funds 13 21,127 11,075 14 62,402 35,174 8,577 62,402 43,751 83,529 54,826 2311112023 The ffinan¢ial statements werg approved by th8 Trustees on .-.................... Paul Adrian Baynton, Chair Trustee 21
ATTIC THEATRE COMPANY (LONDON) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023 Accountlng poll¢les Charlty informatlon Attic The8lre Company (Londonl was set up in 1994, and changed 81atus lo a Charitable Incorporated Organisalion ICIOI whlch was granted by the Charity Commissioners 1 March 2021. The registered CIO number is 1041549. 1.1 Accountlng conventlon The financial slaternents have been prepared in aGGordance with the Charity's govemlng document, the Charities Act 2011 and 'Accounting and R&porting by Charities.. Statement of Recommended Pracllce applicable to charities preparing their 8c¢ounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard ¥pICable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 1Q21' (published in October 20191. The Charty is a Public B8nefft Entity as defined by FRS 102. The Charity has taken advantsge of the provisions In the SORP for charities applylng FRS 102 Update Bulletin 1 not lo prepare a Statement of Cash Flows. The financial slalemenls have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only lo the exlenl required to provide a true and fair view. This dep8rturg has involved following the Slatemenl of Recommended Practice for ch8filies applying FRS 102 ralhef than the version of the Ststernenl of Recommended Practice which is referred to in the Regulations bul which has slnce t*on wthdrawn. The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the Charity. Monetary amounts in these finanual stalèmenls ar¢ rounded lo Ihg nearest £. The financial statements havg been prepared under the historical ¢081 convention, mclfIed to include certain financial instruments at fair value. The principal a¢xounting policies adopted are set out below. 1.2 Golng concern At the lime of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the Charity has adequate resourees lo continue In operational &xislence for the foreseeable fuluie. Thus the trustees contin¥Je to adopt the golng concern basls of accounting in preparing the finanaal statements. 1.3 Charftable funds General hJnd$ are unreslricled funds which are available for the use at the discretion of the Trustees In furtherance of the general objedves of the Charity and which have not been designated for other purposes. De8ignatsd funds comprise unreslricled funds that have been set aside by the TTUStees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund Is set OLrt1n the notes to the financial stalemenls. RestTicled funds are funds which are lo be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the Charity for p¥'Cular purposes. The cost of raising and administering such lunds ale ch8rged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each reslricled fund Is 8el out in the notes lo the financial statsment5.
ATTIC THEATRE COMPANY (LONDON) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023 Accountlng pollclès {Contlnuedl 1.4 Incomlng resources All incorning recourses are included in the Sl*emenl of Financial Actlvilies (SOFA) when the Charity is legally entitled lo the income after any perfomian¢8 conditions have been met, the amount can be measured reliably and it is probable that the income will be received. For donations lo be recognised the Charity will have been notified of the amounts and the settlement dale in writing, if Ihore are conditions attached lo the donation and this requires a level of performance before entitlement can be obtained then income Is deferred unlA those conditions are fully met or the fuifilment of those condillons is within the control of the Charity and il is probable they will be fu5fi11ed. The Charity receives govemment grants in respect of furthering its charitable oblectives. Income from govemmenl and other grants are recognised at fair value when the Chority has enlitlernent after any performance conditions have been mel, it is probable that income will be received and the amount can be me88ured reliably. If enlillemenl is not met then these amounts wlll be defefred. Interest on lunds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can me measured reliably by the Charity.. thi8 is nomalty upon notification of the Interesl pald or pay8ble by the bank. 1.5 Resources gxpended All expenditure 18 accounted for on an accruals basis and has been dasslfled under headings that aggregate all costs related lo Ihe category. Expenditure Is recognlsed where there is a legal or constructive obllgalion lo make payments lo third p8rties, il Is probable that the settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation ¢an be measured reliably. Expenditure is categorised under the following headings.. Expendlture on charitable activitie5 indudes all costs Incurred on further the objects of the following and Other expenditure represents those items not falling into the categories above. IrTecoverable VAT is charged as an expense agaiSt the activity for which expenditure arose. Charitable activities and Govemance Costs are costs incurred on the Ch8rity'8 operations, including support cos15 and costs relating lo the govemance of th8 Charity apportioned lo chofily activitie8. Support eosts are those that assist the work of the Charfty but do not diredy represent charftsblg actlvltles and include office costs, govemance costs. administrative payroll costs. They a in¢urred directly In th8 SUPP¢Jrt of expenditure on the objects of the Charity and include prolect rnanag8menl carried out al Headquarters, Where support costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to expendllure on charitable activities on the ba8ls consislenl with use o the resources. Governance costs are those incufred in connection with the running of the Charity and compliance with con81ilutional and stalulory requirements. 1.6 Tanglbl• fixed assets Tangible fixed assets are initlally measured al cost and subsequentty measured at cost or valuation, nel of deprociation and any impalmient losses. Depre¢lation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuallon of assets less thelr residual values over their useful lives on the following bases.. IT & Office Equipment The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the diffefence betMRen the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised net incomellexpendituro) for the year. 330/0 per annum slraighl line 1.7 lrnpalmient of flxed assgts At each reporting end date, the Charity revlews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indic8tion th81 those assets have suffered an Impairment loss. If any such Indalian exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impaimienl loss lif any). -23-
ATTIC THEATRE COMPANY (LONDON) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023 Ac¢ountlng pollcl•s Icontinuedl 1.8 Cash and cash equlvalents Cash and ¢ash equivalents indude cash in hand, deposit$ held at call wllh banks. other 5hort-lemi liquid investments with griginal maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts aro shown wilhin borrowings in current liabilities. 1.9 Flnan¢lal Instruments The Charity has elected lo apply the Pfovislons of Sedon 11 'Baslc Finanaal In$lrumenls' and Section 12 'Other Financial Instruments Issues, of FRS 102 to all of ils financial inslrurnents. Financial instruments are reco9n18ed in the Charitls bal8n¢e yheel when the Charty becomes paty lo the ¢traCtual provisions of the instrument. Financial assets and liabilities are offset. wllh the nel amounts presented in the financial stalemenls, when there is a lega15y enforceable right to sel off tho recognised amounts and there is an intention lo settle on a nel basis or lo realise the asset and setue the liability simvllaneously. Béslc flnanclal assets 88sic ftnancial assets, which include debtors and c8sh #nd bank balances, are initialty measured transaction pri¢e including Iransaclion c081s and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement conslltules a financing transaction. where the transaction is measured al the present value of the future receipt5 discounted at a mafket rale of Interest. Fln8ncial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised. Baslc flnanclal Ilabllities Basic financial Ilabilllies, incluélng creditors and bank loans are initialty recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing Iransactlon, where the debt instrurnenl is measured at the present value of the future payments dis¢ounled at a market rate of Interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable wlhin one year are not amortised. Debt instruments are subsequently carried al amorbsed cost. using the effective interest rale method. Trade creditors afe obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course ol operations trom suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current li8bililies if p8ymenl Is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognSsed initially at transacli¢)n price 8nd subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method. Derecognltlon of financlal liabllltles Financial liabilities are dgr8cognisod when the Charit8 conlraclual obligations expirg or ale discharged or cancelled. 1.10 Taxatlon The chatY is an exempl Charity within the meaning of schedule 3 of the Charthes Act 2011 and is considered to pass the lesls sel out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a ch8rity for UK lax purposes. It Iherelore does not suffer tsx on income or gains applied for charitable purposes, Theatre tax credits have been Tecognised when fecelved by the charity and going forward will be recognised on submission of the claim lo HM Revenue & Customs. 1,11 Employee bgnefits The eost of any unused holiday enlillemenl Is recogni8ed in th8 period in which the employee's services are received. Termination benefrts are recognised immediately as an expense when the Charity is dem¢)nslrably committed lo lerminale the employment of an empbyee or to provide temiinatlon benerts. -24-
ATTIC THEATRE COMPANY (LONDON) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023 Ac¢ountlng pollcles Icontlnuedl 1.12 Retlrgment benoflts Payments lo defined contribution retirement benefft schemes are charged as an expense as Ihoy f911 due, Charltable actlvltles Malnstr8am Production Communlty C•re Total 2023 Total 2022 Grant income Earned income and donatlon8 Theatre tsx reliel 40,660 67,510 23,571 48.888 23.134 34,085 150 123,633 90,794 23.571 82,641 38,783 1,888 131,741 72,022 34,235 237,998 123,312 Analysi$ by Unrestricted funds Restricted funds 66,081 65,660 3,937 68,085 34,235 104,253 133,745 131,741 72,022 34,23S 237.998 For the yoar 9nded 31 March 2022 Unrestricted funds Restricted funds 7.097 10,029 9,047 63,784 33,355 49,499 73,813 17,126 72,631 33,355 123,312 -25-
ATTIC THEATRE COMPANY (LONDON) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ICONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023 Grants rec¢lvabl• Total 2023 Total 2022 London Borough of Merton- Cor8 London Borough of Merton London Community Response Fund Jack Petchey Award Merton Gwing Arts Council England London Borough of Wandsworth Clarion Futures KFC Foundation Royal Vlcloria Hall Everyone Health London Communty Gn1- Cockayne Other grants < £1.000 32.000 33,549 32,000 5,000 22,138 9,948 7.040 29,990 4.826 4,991 2.000 1,500 3.126 8,000 3,602 2.700 123,633 82,641 Investments 2023 2022 Investment Income- bank Interest 487 .26-
ATTIC THEATRE COMPANY {LONDON) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023 Charitablo actlvltles Malnstream Community Coro Totsl 2023 Totsl 2022 staff costs Project fees Project Costs Bank charges and cuen movement General marketing Printing, postage and stationery Tr8ining and recruilmenl Travel and subsistence 100 67.977 28,548 18 8,070 43.377 43,477 111.251 33,337 18 6.139 44,385 55,486 12,422 43.274 4,789 69 46 46 2,660 2,660 105.379 48,178 43,377 196,934 112,293 Share of support Costs {see note 6) Share of governance c08ts (see note 8,948 8,948 7,706 3.900 3,900 3,720 8) 105,379 48,178 56,225 209,782 123,719 Analysls by fund Unrestricted funds Restrlcted 39,719 65,660 56,225 95,944 113,838 48.178 105.379 48.178 56,225 209,782 For the year gnded 31 March 2022 Unreslricled funds Restricted fvnds 2,654 9,529 46,899 49,553 74,166 64,637 12,183 84,637 46.899 123.719 -27-
ATTIC THEATRE COMPANY {LONDON) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023 Supportcosts SupportGovernanc costs e costs 2023 2022 8asls of allocatlon Depreclalion Training and recruitment Office rent I theatre I room hire Travel and subsistance Telephone IT Admin and govemance Printing. postage and slationory Insurance Subscription8 Bank charges Office costs Marketing 697 414 3,943 697 414 3.943 484 100% to core activlties 100% to core activits'es 3,960 1000A lo core activities 146 100% to core activities 156 100% to corg actlvities 1,312 100010 lo core adivib'es 243 100% lo core activities 143 100% to core actlvilles 718 100Qh to core aclivilies 438 1 OOOA lo core activities 106 1 oooA to core activities 100Qh lo core activities 100% to core activities 167 1,409 213 32 697 994 71 286 25 167 1.409 213 32 697 994 71 25 Legal and professional Independent examiners 900 3,000 900 3.000 720 Govemancg 3,000 Govemance 8,948 3.900 12,648 11.426 Analysed btheen Charitable activities 8,948 3,900 12,848 11.426 Govemance costs indudes payments to the independent examiners. including VAT, of £3,000 12022- £3,000). as wèll as payments of £900 12022- £nill for taxation seNices provided. TrustgOS None ol the trustees {or any pefsons connected with them) recelved any remuneration or benefits from the Charfty during the year. During the year, no Trustees received any rdmbursement of gxpenses12022'. £nlll -28-
ATTIC THEATRE COMPANY (LONDON) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023 Employaos Number of employees The average monthly numlxr employees during Ihe year was: 2023 Numbar 2022 Number Employment costs 2023 2022 Wages and salaries ¢Jther pension costs 42.915 562 43,922 463 43,477 44,385 No employee received rernuner81ion amounting lo more than £60,000 in either period. Remuneration and benefits receivgd by Key Management Personnel. considered by tho Trustees to be the Artistlc Director and Execullve Director. amounted lo £33,03712022'. £31,785). Tanglble flxod assets IT & Offi¢9 Equlprnent Cost Al 1 April 2022 Addllions 1.340 750 At 31 March 2023 2,090 Deprgclatlon and Impalrment Al 1 Aprfl 2022 Depreciation charged in the year 763 697 At 31 March 2023 1.460 Carrylng amount At 31 March 2023 630 At 31 mCh 2022 577
Arric THEATRE COMPANY (LONDON) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023 10 Flnanclal Instruments 2023 2022 Carrylng amount of flnanclal assets Debt illstrumenls measured al amortised cost 33,023 6,331 Carrying amount of flnan¢lal Ilabllltles Measured at amortised cost 8,531 11,120 11 Debtors 2023 2022 Amounts falllng due vAthln one ygar: Trade debtOTS Other debtors Prepayment8 and accrued income 3,613 29,210 2,083 3.723 2,608 1,637 35.106 7,968 12 Cr•ditors'. amounts falllng due wlthln one year 2023 2022 Trade Cfeditors Accruals and deferred income 1,744 4,787 11,120 6,531 11,120
AThIC THEATRE COMPANY (LONDON) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023 13 Restricted funds The Income fLtnds of the chaTity include restrlcted funds comprising the followlng unexFended balances of donations and grants held on trust for specrfic purposes.. Movement In lunds Incoming Resourc8S resources expendod Balance at 1 April 2022 Transf8rs Balancg at 31 March 2023 Mainslre8m Community 500 10,575 85.660 68.085 {65,6801 148,1781 15001 19,355) 21,127 Communlty.. We run a variety of community programmes includlng - youth actiirities for young people facing disadvantage, particulaTly refugees and asylum seekefs, and work with isolated and vulnerable, older residents of Merton and lo link our community work to our professional programme. Mainstream: As a result of lockdowns and the reslrictions imposed Ihrciughoul the Cofonavirus pandemic, the closure ol Ihealres. libraries and community centres impaeted upon our mainstream pregr8mme with actlvlty paLtsed in the 2021 year. Activity recommenced during the prior year and has expanded during the year. 31
ATTIC THEATRE COMPANY (LONDON) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023 14 Désignated funds The income lunds of the tharity include the following designated funds whlch have been set aside oth of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.. Movement In funds Incomlng Resources resou89 exp•nded Balance at I Aprll 2022 Transfers Balance at 31 March 2023 New projgcls funds Contingency 15,174 20.000 22,228 5,000 37,402 25,000 35.174 27,228 62.402 Now projects fund: tal lo the development and Pfoduction of new work, the designated lund is supported by box office, sales and donations. The surplus transferred from the free reserves lo the designated funds previously included the Theatre Tax Relief Claim and has been allocated lo future projects and productions. as explained in more detail In the trustees report. Free reserves: The Board aim8 lo malnlain £25.000 in free resgrves to provide three lo six months of running costs, in line ilh Charity Commission guidance. Where m81erial, funds in excess of these levels are designated towards the Professional productions and new projects fund. 15 Analysls of net assots funds Unrestrlcted funds R6strictod funds Total Fund balance$ at 31 Morch 2023 are represented by.. Tangible assets Current a$selsl{liabilltles) 830 61,772 630 82.899 21,127 62,402 21,127 83,529 16 Related party transactlons There wer8 no disclosable re¢ated party Iransactions during Ihg year12022 - none).