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← Maya Productions Ltd

2025-03-31-accounts

REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED

COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE Company No. 02966878 Charity No. 1043487

31 MARCH 2025

Table of Contents

1

Report of the Directors

2

Achievements and Performance 2024-25

3

Balance Sheet

4

Statement of Financial Activities

Notes to the Financial Statements

5

Report of the Directors

The Directors, who are also trustees of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, have the pleasure of submitting their Report together with the financial statements for the year ended 31st March 2025. The Company is “Limited by Guaranteeˮ - having no Share Capital.

The directors have adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (2015 FRSSE) applicable in the UK.

PRINCIPAL ACTIVITY

The Company is a Registered Charity and the objects for which the charity is established are:

To advance education for the public benefit through the promotion of the arts with particular but not exclusive reference to the dramatic arts.

DIRECTORS

The Directors throughout the year were:

Anna Birch, Jo Carter (Chair), Rachael Garvin, Michelle Hamilton (appointed 12 February 2025), Steven Hoo (resigned 21 July 2024), Jaime Nabeta, Anselm Onyenani (Treasurer), Christopher Preston, Janet Steel, Shuang Teng and Ferry Van Dijk.

All Directors are members of the Company and guarantee to contribute a sum not exceeding £1 to the assets of the Company in the event of it being wound up.

The Directors are responsible for keeping proper accounting records, which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time, the financial position of the Company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Company and for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

1

The Directorsʼ report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies, subject to the small companiesʼ regime in Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.

REGISTERED OFFICE

45 Landells Road London SE22 9PQ

GOVERNING DOCUMENT

Maya Productions was incorporated in September 1994 company number 02966878 and registered as a charity with charity number 1043487. The company is governed through it's Memorandum and Articles of Association. It is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital.

APPOINTMENT AND RETIREMENT OF TRUSTEES

The Trustees are appointed (or elected) at an Annual General Election. From time to time any member of the Charity may be appointed as a trustee provided that the maximum number of trustees (12) is not exceeded. This number was increased from 10 to 12 by the Trustees in September 2021. From time to time the Trustees may register an increase of members. Any member so appointed will retain his or her office only until the next Annual General Meeting but he or she will then be eligible for re-election. At the AGM, one third of the trustees will retire from office. A retiring member of the board of trustees will be eligible for re-election.

The trustees to retire shall be those who have been longest in office since their last election to office. As between members of equal seniority, the members to retire shall in absence of agreement be selected from among them by lot.

PUBLIC BENEFIT

The Trustees have considered the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit and consider that the activities of the charity meet its charitable objectives and provide a benefit to the public.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES OF THE CHARITY

The objects for which the Charity is established are: “To advance education for the public benefit through the promotion of the arts with particular but not exclusive reference to the dramatic arts.ˮ

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Values

M I S S I O N S T A T E M E N T

We bring together individuals and organisations who passionately want their work to enable racial justice and social change by:

O U R V I S I O N

Our vision is a world where everyone, regardless of age, ability, culture and class enjoys enriching theatre, arts and heritage experiences.

Making and touring theatre led by South Asian, African, Latin American diaspora and Global Majority artists:

Engaging young people and underrepresented communities across the UK in creative processes:

Developing inclusive workforce practices across the arts:

O U R V A L U E S

Create:

Fostering the inventive power of our imaginations

Celebrate:

Creating confidence through joy and recognition

Transform:

Changing lives through our work

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Achievements and Performance 2024-2025

87,743

VISITORS experienced our exhibitions

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24,719
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April 2024 - March 2025 was a year of significant delivery, national reach, and deepening impact for Maya Productions. We successfully delivered a major national tour, expanded our flagship participation project Routes to Roots: A South Asian Heritage Project across the UK, and advanced our sector development work.

We developed our marketing and communications channels and created digital content to help engage and grow our audiences across our projects, all while navigating the challenges of fundraising in a difficult climate. We were pleased to have furthered our mission to enable racial justice and social change through the following outputs:

The year in numbers: (April 24 - March 25)

ONLINE VIEWS reached of our films

2,489

AUDIENCE MEMBERS attended our performances

423

PARTICIPANTS developed creative & transferable skills through our workshops

4

Highlights from the year included:

Reaching 12 cities and towns with a national tour of our family musical Súper Chefs by Betsy Picart. From Polka Theatre in London to Friargate Theatre in York, we delivered 32 performances to over 2,000 audience members, engaging families with this vibrant exploration of Latin American culture, food, and female role models.

“Súper Chefs is one of the best theatre experiences we've had as a family, it is relevant to our everyday life. The story portrays a lot of the feelings and situations that parents and children experience about foodˮ - Audience member

Progressing the exhibition strand of Routes to Roots A South Asian Heritage Project. Our exhibition at the Museum of Croydon, which launched in March 2024, was extended until May 31st and then travelled to Stanley Arts in Croydon from June - August 2024. We were delighted to end the year with an Exhibition at the Millennium Gallery, Sheffield. Highlights included a display of a set of self-portrait photographs about identity created with students from King Ecgbert School, Sheffield, and an installation of 9 hanging panels in the shape of musical instruments, reminiscent of those used by the Anglo-Indian Madras Jazz Group. These pieces shared archive photos and creative writing from participants. Visitors were invited to share their own migration stories on a special story tree.

We celebrated the work of our participants, from Bradford, Croydon and Sheffield, through five performance events, and brought them together once again to meet and share work at Migration Matters Festival, Sheffield. Our film work continued with the online premiere of Routes to Roots: 1960s Croydon and the creation of Routes to Roots: The Story of the Madras Jazz Group . “It's been a road of self-discovery. Challenging, fun and worth every step. We come from all corners of Empire. In Routes to Roots our stories show the threads that connect us rather than divide usˮ - Sharon Owen, Croydon Participant

Significant artistic development in Dynamic Flights, our arts and mental health programme. We employed 3 new global majority artists/facilitators and a playwright. They delivered 45 workshops in Sheffield, engaging with 16 participants. The project culminated in a professional production about the importance of friendship, which was shown to audiences of 105 people. We were pleased that five artists developed their roles from workshop facilitators to taking on key roles within the creative team for the production of the play. “I remember sitting there as people were coming in at Lister, and I was holding my breath; I had no idea how many people would come. And then the room started to fill up, and there was that buzz that happens before a play begins, and one of the actors was chatting with the residents, who said they'd never been to see a play before. That person was laughing and clapped the hardest at the end, and it was really magicalˮ - Flo Gill - Facilitator/Assistant Director

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Launching Inclusion Boost , our online theatre careers toolkit, which was developed with young people in Southwark and gives an insight into the lives and careers of six global majority theatre practitioners. “The Inclusion Boost toolkit provides unique access to information on careers in the theatre industry for our students. The website gives insights into roles they may not have known much about and interactive insights from role models they can identify with, enabling them to visualise realistic career pathways for themselves. It gives confidence to those from South Asian, African diaspora and global majority backgrounds that this is an industry where they CAN thrive and prosperˮ - Andrew Somerville, Assistant Headteacher, Personal Development, The Charter School, North Dulwich

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Super Chefs performance, featuring Natassia Bustamante as Valeria and Juan
Ay Se Galeano as Manny. es a SS < SSS ——4
Photography: Hector Rodríguez
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Creative work by a Dynamic Flights participant.
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Meeting with the Croydon Routes to Roots group at Stanley Arts
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Careers Day at Charter School North, testing the Inclusion Boost Toolkit. , "a - Ger —_-

The year in depth

PLAYS SÚPER CHEFS BY BETSY PICART WITH MUSIC BY ARIEL CUBRÍA: DIRECTED BY SUZANNE GORMAN

Súper Chefs is a bilingual (Spanish/English) interactive family musical created by Puerto RicanGuatemalan American writer Betsy Picart.

Set in London, the story centres around 6-year-old Manny, who is preparing a special welcomehome dinner for his dad. Manny is joined by his mother, Colombian professional chef Valeria, and his Mexican grandmother Alma, who holds traditional values about gender roles. Aimed at children aged 4–8 and their families, the musical explores themes of food, family, gender roles, and the power of female role models through the lens of three generations of a Latin American family living in London.

The 2024 national tour of Súper Chefs was a cornerstone of our year, building on its 2023 premiere and realising the full potential of this family musical. The tour spanned from London to Bristol, Cambridge, Birmingham, and beyond, demonstrating the show's national appeal.

This year, we also collaborated with the Womenʼs Environmental Network through the Just Fact Programme. This work supported us in exploring the possibility of the play raising awareness of environmental issues and food sustainability through its engagement and participation programme. The production had a very positive response from audiences of all ages, as well as venues and reviewers.

"This show allows children to be children. They are able to talk to the actors, laugh as loudly as they can, and shout out words in Spanish." - Belle About Town

“Strong inclusivity of this show, which doesnʼt pull a few from the audience to participate but involves everyoneˮ - Theatre Vibe

“Our families experienced theatre; for some of them, it would have been the first time. They had a positive experience together, and this will have raised their confidence to take part in attending more theatre in the future. The audience enjoyed and appreciated seeing other cultures represented on stageˮ - Kelly NG from Full House Theatre “Guacatasticˮ - 7 year-old audience member

“ I learnt that anybody can cookˮ - 11 year-old audience member

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2000+

Performances in 12 cities and towns across England

Audience members reached

85%

Several performances sold out or reached over 85% capacity

We achieved:

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ey Súper Chefs Sf eye performance, featuring Natassia Bustamante as Valeria, Juan > IS Súper Chefs performance, featuring Natassia Bustamante as Valeria and Juan a pare
aw QAR SSS —— a. |
Galeano as Manny and Samantha Manzur as Alma. Galeano as Manny.
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ENGAGEMENT AND PARTICIPATION PROGRAMME

Our suite of education resources was available to accompany the tour.

Booklet

We have a post-show interactive booklet that contains a map, flags and key information about Latin American Culture, and this year we added additional information about the environment. Children were encouraged to complete the activities after the show, enabling creative participation work to happen beyond the performance.

Workshops

Our suite of three KS1 primary school workshops is designed to open up a space for selfexpression and build creativity, communication and language skills. They support well-being through physical activities and increased awareness of healthy eating. The workshops introduced characters and themes from the play and, through theatre games and exercises, music and dance, approached the core PSHE themes of Health and Wellbeing, Relationships and Living in the Wider World in a fun and imaginative way:

Our workshops reached 144 children, developing their creative skills, confidence, and communication. Highlights included two workshops for students with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs at Bowden Primary in Tower Hamlets and six free new 'La Familia' family workshops at Brixton House during the October half-term.

“The session was well-paced and included lots of movement - it was very well targeted for our SEND pupils. There was a good mix of activities the children came away having learnt something new about healthy eating. Thank you! We would welcome any return visits if they are available - the pupils are currently enjoying learning Spanish!ˮ - Jack Newling, Head of Pupil Welfare, Bowden Primary

Digital Lesson Plans

Our lesson plans are designed to complement the National Curriculum for KS1 and are openly shared with schools and community groups that we engage with.

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Community Day

A key part of our Súper Chefs 2024 tour, supported by our partnership with Women's Environmental network, was a special programme alongside our performances at the Half Moon Theatre. This Community Day featured two performances of Súper Chefs and two free, interactive workshops on environmental sustainability, engaging Latin American, Somali, Bangladeshi, and other South Asian communities.

One workshop, Where Is My Food Coming From? explored the carbon footprint of ingredients in different cuisines. Using Latin American cuisine as inspiration, participants examined the environmental impact of producing and transporting avocados and learnt practical ways to reduce their carbon footprint. Each participant received a “grow-your-ownˮ avocado kit, encouraging families, especially children, to take simple, sustainable actions at home. Feedback from the Community Day at Half Moon Theatre included:

“My daughter canʼt wait to plant her avocado seedˮ “A great way to introduce my children to new foods and culturesˮ “A fun and educational experienceˮ

A total of 207 people took part in the community day. The event helped Maya Productions build new relationships with local Tower Hamlets food and community consultants for future collaboration. It also highlighted how we, as a theatre, arts and heritage company, can meaningfully contribute to conversations on food justice and climate change.

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Photography: Hector Rodríguez Súper Chefs - Community Day at Halfmoon Theatre.
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DYNAMIC FLIGHTS BY TAIR RAFIQ WITH MUSIC BY DAN LOOPS

DIRECTED BY SUZANNE GORMAN

Dynamic Flights , the play, marked the culmination of this two-year arts and mental health project working in partnership with South Yorkshire Housing Association.

Set in a northern town and surrounding countryside, Dynamic Flights is a story about friendship. Upbeat and energetic Bee decides today is the perfect day to fix any past discords with their best friend Dee by exploring nature on a hike. But all Dee wants is the comfort of their bed. They embark on a trip into The Peaks like no other. Uplifting, joyful and funny, this heart-warming story about friendship and self-discovery reminds us that no matter who we are, we all need kindness, understanding and access to nature.

The dual aims of the project were:

This year, the work shifted from exploratory workshops, using a range of art forms, to more focused theatre-making. Sessions with residents explored characters, locations, set design ideas, script readings and music, all of which fed into the final piece. Tair, the writer, wove together ideas that emerged to create the showʼs surreal and humorous tone. Some characters were non-human, one actor played multiple roles, and a mysterious character appeared only through sound design as a recorded voice. A script-in-hand reading with professional actors in September marked a key milestone for testing and refining the material.

The final hour-long show was designed for community spaces, without theatre lighting. Prior to the performances, the audience was given an introduction to the project, the performers introduced their characters and the sound effects in the show (including recorded voice) were explained, to ensure that everyone felt comfortable.

Outputs and Outcomes include:

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THE ARTISTS

We were pleased that five artists involved in delivering the workshops were part of the production team. The artist development of this project has felt like a particular success with one of the core artists reporting that they have already secured work they wouldnʼt have been able to do before this project.

There are specific examples of career progression here:

Artists had a highly positive experience and also felt comfortable sharing elements that we could do differently next time. Those artists who developed their roles from project into production all reported that it had been beneficial career-wise and that they had much more experience of working in Mental Health settings. Some artist quotes are below.

“Both parts of this experience have provided the opportunity for me to build my network with other South Yorkshire creatives and venues, which is invaluable as a local artistˮ

“It provided a holistic view of the different stages of work within mental health from workshop to performanceˮ

“It has shown me first-hand the positive impact it can have for people to be involved from the beginning to then see the finished article of a project. They feel supported & valuedˮ

THE PARTICIPANTS

Participants let us know about the impact of the project in a less structured way. We found that while interviews worked for a few participants, the most effective way to discuss this was check-outs and quotes at the end of the session and comments during the session. Surveys were not possible for most of the participants, and neither were any scales (e.g. WEMWBS).

We saw the impact through the progression for some participants, e.g. participants who did not talk very much initially, having the confidence to take on spoken word/rap parts in co-written songs within the group setting, towards the end of the project.

We also saw the huge enjoyment for participants when watching performances and recognising the ideas and elements they had worked on brought to life. Another example is participants making a significant effort to push through their barriers to engagement and take part, even when they were very unwell (e.g. hearing voices within the session). Some participant quotes are below.

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Luke Byeford as Kay, Isabella Hart as Dee and Linda-Ray Ndlovu as Bee. Artwork by Thananya Kaewsanthia for the Dymanic Flights production
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Dynamic Flights performance, featuring Luke Byeford as Kay and Isabella Hart as Dee.
Photography: Gemma Thorpe
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“J has quite severe anxiety and agoraphobia, so this is amazing, he has come to this sessionˮ

- Support worker

“I love this session! It gets me out of myself, so much better than sitting in my room!ˮ

“It's good to get out, because when you do you see something you wouldn't have. In these sessions we do things we wouldn't usuallyˮ

“ Youʼre learning different skills and discussing stuff with people and all of that is giving your mental health problems a breakˮ

“I did that, that part was meˮ

“I struggle with my creativity but I feel like this pushes meˮ

THE AUDIENCE

A total of 55 audience members completed feedback forms out of 105 attendees overall, giving

a 52% response rate. Forty-seven respondents rated the play as excellent or very good. When asked which statements they agreed with:

Audience quotes:

“My own mental health is rocky today, but I feel better for seeing a play that has a real

community feel to itˮ

“I probably enjoyed it a bit too much – Iʼm so excited!ˮ

“It speaks to everyoneˮ

“I loved it – it was such fun. The characters were so real and believable; it was funny, bright and refreshingˮ

“Full of beautiful observation and comedy and beautiful wordsˮ

“Really enjoyed the theme, the inclusivity, the warmthˮ

Audiences also offered helpful suggestions for the future life of the show, including sharing it with young people and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), touring schools, and further community performances.

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PARTICIPATION

ROUTES TO ROOTS: A SOUTH ASIAN HERITAGE PROJECT (YEAR 2)

Bringing together arts, community and heritage partners, local participants and artist-facilitators, Routes to Roots works with South Asian communities in Bradford, Sheffield and Croydon. Using a multi-arts approach, we capture, archive and preserve authentic stories that reflect the diversity of UK South Asian heritage, while challenging unhelpful assumptions and stereotypes surrounding these communities.

Inspired by Mayaʼs new musical in development, Benny and the Greycats , the project draws on themes of migration, heritage and cultural identity as a creative stimulus. Participants collaborate with local artists through a series of cross-arts workshops, developing theatre, poetry, visual art, storytelling and more. Their work is shared through performances and exhibitions, documented on film, and supported by city-focused documentary films and recorded oral histories. Each project year centres on a different city, with Year Two focusing on our work in Sheffield.

Partners and Participants: 24 - 25

Sheffield Partners: King Ecgbert School, Migration Matters Festival, Dig Where You Stand, Sheffield City Archives

Participants: 27 students aged 11-14 from South Asian and Global Majority backgrounds

Bradford Partners: WomenZone, Kala Sangam, Bradford Libraries, West Yorkshire Archive Service.

Participants: 21 South Asian women attending WomenZone aged 40 - 80

Croydon Partners: Stanley Arts, Museum of Croydon and Croydon Archives Participants: 10 members of Anglo-Indian and South Asian Community aged 60-87+

The Project Aims to:

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All groups from Sheffield, Bradford and Croydon together at Migration Matters Festival
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ACTIVITIES

This year saw an increased level of activity. In April, we continued the Routes to Roots exhibition at the Museum of Croydon and were pleased to be invited to extend this until 31 May 2024. The exhibition then travelled to Stanley Arts in June, coinciding with the Croydon groupʼs performance and concluding on 27th August 2024. We also welcomed a new partner, King Ecgbert School in Sheffield, to the project, beginning with a visit by students to Sheffield City Archives.

Our regular programme of cross-arts workshops took place from April to July 2024, across the three cities. These workshops culminated in all three groups coming together for a joint workshop and public sharing at the Migration Matters Festival, Sheffield, in June, followed by home performances at Womenzone ( Bradford), Stanley Arts ( Croydon), King Ecbert School, and, for the Croydon Group, an additional performance at La Petit Petanque, Southend, hosted by director, Janet Steel.

To mark South Asian Heritage Month and World Anglo-Indian Day the documentary Routes to Roots - 1960s Croydon had an online premiere on 4 August 2024, reaching an audience of 1,019.

In February 2025 a group from WomenZone attended a session at West Yorkshire Archive Service, introducing them to the service and some of the South Asian material held at the archives.

FOCUS ON SHEFFIELD

We created our Year 2 documentary, Routes to Roots: The Story of the Madras Jazz Group , which explored the real-life story behind Benny and the Greycats , following the journey of an Anglo-Indian Jazz musician and unearthing a rich, overlooked chapter of Sheffield cultural history.

The Sheffield exhibition took place at the Millennium Gallery from 28 January 2025. Designed by Sheffield artists Monika Dutta, the exhibition featured two display cabinets, custom display towers, a hanging installation, and a series of information panels. An accompanying information booklet was also produced. A key highlight was a collection of self-portraits by Sheffield students, each featuring their own henna designs and personal statements. The frames, created by Monika, beautifully echoed the intricate patterns of the henna artwork.

A special lunchtime event was held on 19 March 2025, attended by an audience of 52. The event included a screening of a short film made with students, Journey of Our Voices, live student performances, and a panel discussion with Pete Evans from Sheffield City Archives, two students, Sheffield Artists Nisha Lall and Ethel Maqueba, Artistic Director Suzanne Gorman and chaired by Alex Rajinder Mason (Dig Where You Stand). The exhibition attracted an impressive 83,000 visitors, according to the museumʼs recorded footfall.

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OUTPUTS AND OUTCOMES

Working with an external evaluator, ongoing learning and reflection is part of our process. Our methodology is varied and includes questionnaires, interviews, case studies and reflection logs.

Outputs and outcomes included:

PARTICIPANTS

For participants, key outcomes included:

Some participant quotes included:

“I made a song. I want to continue writing poems and I want to make a film. I want to keep inspiring others and helping themˮ - Bradford Participant

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“I heard heartwarming stories. This project encourages and stimulates the women to speak. We want to collate the poetry in a bookletˮ - Bradford Participant/Volunteer

“The importance of feeling an accepted part of a friendly, inclusive group, - learning so much from each otherˮ Croydon Participant

“I enjoyed the performance. It also gave me a bit more confidence in myself and I made friendsˮ - Croydon Participant

“This project has been fun and a good way to show my cultureˮ - Sheffield Participant

“We are discriminated against, a lot, and underrepresented, so we need to get our voice heardˮ - Sheffield Participant

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Bradford group attending the West Yorkshire Archives Services Photography: Hayley Gell
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AUDIENCES

The events seem to have been most impactful in encouraging audiences to reflect on issues of cultural identity. Audience quotes included:

“These stories arenʼt heard or performed often in an accessible way with intergenerational community membersˮ

“These days migration has such a negative connotation – itʼs good to combat thatˮ

“We need to hear stories that differ from our own to build an empathy and relationship with those that help us build a richer picture of our place in the worldˮ

“Itʼs important to have a range of ways for young people to network, open up, express and explore culture inclusivity and shared learningˮ

EXHIBITION VISITORS

The exhibition enabled a wider range of people to access the work of the project, over a longer period of time. 124 visitor surveys were completed.

Key views can be summarised as follows:

Many felt that it had enabled them to learn about migration in a new way

“In a time of increased division and marginalisation, itʼs essential that exhibitions challenge thatˮ

“Everyone has a history, and weʼre all part of the world – no marginalisationˮ

“Quotes at the top are very feminist and powerfulˮ

“Shows girls how powerful they areˮ

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PRESS AND LISTINGS

We were pleased that the work was promoted by both local and national media, including the following highlights:

An interview with Routes to Roots Croydon participants at BBC Radio London with Asad Ahmed which has an average of 429,000 listeners per week

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Exhibition at theMillennium Gallery Sheffield Exhibition at theMillennium Gallery Sheffield
Photography: Gemma Thorpe Photography: Gemma Thorpe
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Exhibition at theMillennium Gallery Sheffield
Photography: Gemma Thorpe
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SECTOR DEVELOPMENT

INCLUSION BOOST ONLINE TOOLKIT

Inclusion Boost is our online theatre careers toolkit designed to give key insights into the reallife experience of working in theatre. It showcases six theatre professional role models from global majority backgrounds. It aims to demystify theatre processes, open up pathways into the industry for those currently underrepresented, and give everyone an insight into what itʼs really like to build a career in theatre.

This year, we launched the toolkit, presenting it at a Southwark Careers Teachers' Network and showcasing it at Careers Fairs in schools in Southwark, and also at Stanley Arts. “Overall, the website is eye-catching and fun to use due to the bright colours and intriguing format. It encourages me to learn more about drama and about others' experiences. I would definitely use it again if I was interested in pursuing a career in dramaˮ - Student

RACE AND ALLYSHIP TRAINING

The Race and Allyship Training Programme is designed for staff teams and individuals to develop an understanding of how racism manifests in the workplace and how practical allyship tools can be used to challenge it and drive meaningful change. Due to the intensity of delivery of productions and participation projects, we reduced our output. We delivered a focus group session for ‘Moments of Joyʼ, a South Yorkshire Housing Association project, exploring the needs of participatory arts in relation to race and allyship.

ORGANISATIONAL AND COMPANY DEVELOPMENT

The core team of Suzanne Gorman (Artistic Director) and Ada Onyekwelu (Administrator/Project Producer) supported by Sharon Mitcheson (Finance Consultant), worked to deliver these ambitious programmes. We were pleased to bring on board Natalie Ross for strategic business planning and fundraising support, leading to a refreshed business plan (24 - 26) and support with fundraising.

We were delighted that the company was able to provide opportunities for 71 freelance industry professionals, 90% of whom are from global majority backgrounds. We held a Board Away Day in May 2024 which looked at our vision, mission, aims and strategic objectives. The away day set the path for the refreshed business plan, including a new set of company values and updated strategic objectives. In Board Development, we welcomed Michelle Hamilton as a new trustee, strengthening our governance. We thank all of our trustees for their valuable time and support of the organisation.

Our networks continued to expand due to connections made nationally through Súper Chefs , Routes to Roots and Dynamic Flights . We welcome increasing our footprint across the nation as well as deepening our relationships with partners in Sheffield, Bradford and Croydon to ensure Maya Productions remains embedded and active in its core communities and boroughs.

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Photography: Hayley Gell
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The Croydon groups performance at Migration Matters Festival a —=

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Photography: Gemma Thorpe
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PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS: 2024/25

Our projects have been delivered across England. We have partnered with and been supported by:

Routes to Roots : Bradford Libraries, Croydon Archives, Dig Where You Stand (DWYS), Kala Sangam, King Ecgbert School, Sheffield, Migration Matters Festival, Museum of Croydon, Sheffield City Archives, Stanley Arts, West Yorkshire Archive Service and WomenZone

Dynamic Flights: Darts (Doncaster Arts) and South Yorkshire Housing Association, Sadacca, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield Theatres

Súper Chefs: (Tour): Polka Theatre, Brixton House, Walworth Library, Half Moon Theatre, Exchange Theatre, Papaya Fest/Wardrobe Theatre (Bristol), Cambridge Junction, The Montgomery (Sheffield), Full House (Bedfordshire), Wonder Arts (St Helens), Midlands Arts Centre (Birmingham), Take Art (Somerset), Friargate Theatre (York). Cool Chile Co, Todo Arepa and Wen (Women's Environmental Network)

Inclusion Boost: Charter Schools - North and East Dulwich

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PEOPLE

Routes to Roots: A South Asian Heritage

Project

Beth Astridge – Archivist Monika Dutta – Exhibition Designer Dawn Cameron – Evaluator Maryam Jameela – Press, Outreach & Relationship Manager Rez Kabir – Artist/ Facilitator Nisha Lall – Artist/ Facilitator Sharena Lee Satti – Artist/ Facilitator Ethel Maqeda – Artist/ Facilitator Keyhan Moderessi – Photographer / Videographer Kimi Moderessi – Photographer / Videographer Hector Rodriguez – Photographer Jeevan Sanghera – Assistant Archivist Natalie Sloan (Little Red Hen Films) – Filmmaker Janet Steel – Artist/ Facilitator Abir Tobji – Producer Gemma Thorpe – Photographer / Videographer Aamta Tul-Waheed – Artist/ Facilitator

Dynamic Flights

Minder Kaur Athwal – Assistant Producer Luke Byeford – Actor Ellie Collyer-Bristow – Casting Monika Dutta – Mentor Nadia Emam – Artist/Facilitator Florence Gill – Artist / Facilitator / Assistant Director / Stage Manager Isabella Hart – Actor Thananya Kaewsanthia – Artist/Facilitator/ Costume / Set Designer Nisha Lall – Choreographer Sabrina Laurison – Actor (Reading) Dan Loops – Artist/Facilitator / Composer Cara McAleese – Creative Producer Linda-Ray Ndlovu – Actor Richard Peralta – Actor (Reading) Jack Poole – Carpenter / Set builder Jose Guillermo Puello – Sound Designer Tair Rafiq – Writer Gemma Thorpe – Photographer Jane Titterton – Clinical Supervisor Jenny Watts – Production Manager

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Súper Chefs

Anna Alvarez – Movement Director / Assistant Director Male Arcucci – Set & Costume Designer Madeleine Bennett – Press and Public Relation (Ginger Bread Agency) Natassia Bustamante – Actor Assen Chan – Technical Stage Manager Halima Chitalya – Community Day Facilitator Ariel Cubría – Composer María Cuervo – Producer Harvey Ebbage – Lighting Designer Juan Galeano – Actor Safia Jama – Community Day Facilitator Kate Lovell – Access Consultant Samantha Manzur – Actor Goose Masondo – Production Manager Marie McAndrew – Musical Director Paula Mendez – Community Day Facilitator Valentina Miranda – Assistant Designer Fran Olivares – Facilitator Betsy Picart – Writer Ivan Pieri Gonzalez – Graphic Designer Hector Rodríguez – Photographer / Videographer Elizabeth Salazar Guerra – Engagement Coordinator Sonia Sánchez López – Photographer Pamela Shor – Community Day Facilitator Sumayya Si-Tayeb – BSL interpreter Luis Gustavo Silva – Sound Designer Dayana Tellerias – Facilitator Federico Trujillo – Engagement Facilitator

Inclusion Boost

Hector Rodriguez - Filmmaker / Editor

Design

Martin Philpot - Pure Graphic Design (across all projects)

Maya Productions Team

Suzanne Gorman – Artistic Director Niharika Jain – Marketing and Audience Development Consultant Diana Miranda – Marketing and Communications Officer Sharon Mitcheson – Arts and Finance Consultant Ada Onyekwelu – Administrator/Project Producer Natalie Ross – Fundraising and Organisational Consultant

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FUTURE PLANS 25 -26

In light of the increased turnover and sustainability of the company, we are pleased that the Artistic Director and Administrator will be transitioning into part time salaried posts in July 2025.

PLAYS

Our production of Dynamic Flights will continue with final performances in April 2025. We will reflect on the next steps for this piece of theatre. We are considering how the play might work for younger audiences in secondary schools.

We are looking forward to returning to the development of our musical, Benny and the Greycats , words by Suzanne Gorman, Music by Mike Gorman and Riz Maslen. The musical tells the story of an Anglo-Indian family of railway workers from Trichinopoly, South India, who swap playing in a swing band in India for a new life in the steel city of Sheffield in the 1960s.

PARTICIPATION

Our Routes to Roots A South Asian Heritage Project will enter into its third and final year in its current form. Our regular programme of spring/summer cross-arts workshops will take place from April - July 2025 in our three cities. With a focus on Bradford, we will be creating a Bradford Documentary and will hold our final exhibition at Bradford City Library in Autumn 2025. Our archiving process will be finalised with all the heritage products deposited in local archives in Sheffield, Croydon and Bradford.

The Diverse Voices playwriting project will take place in Summer 2025.

SECTOR DEVELOPMENT

We will continue to promote our Inclusion Boost online careers toolkit at school careers fairs and through school workshops. Following on from the success of our Dynamic Flights project, we want to continue supporting global majority artists in South Yorkshire. This has led to a successful joint funding bid with Darts (Doncaster Arts) to the Yorkshire Policy Innovation Partnership, to deliver a Global Majority Artist training scheme in South Yorkshire, from September 2025 to December 2026.

We will look to increase our delivery of our Race and Allyship Training Programme , through a new webpage and marketing the offer more widely across the sector. This also offers the company an opportunity to increase its earned income and build reserves.

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FINANCIAL REVIEW

This year, the charityʼs turnover was £239,231 , an increase of £98,104 on the 23-24 financial year and an increase of over £35k on unrestricted income.

The Trustees are pleased that we raised income of just under £200k through various small and medium-sized grants, including Arts Council England, and our multi-year grants from National Lottery Heritage Fund and Baring Foundation. Maya Productions raised just under £20k through earned income and box office fees.

Grants from Arts Council England, The Leche Charitable Trust, Just FACT, Unity Theatre Trust, and Enterprise Arts Trust supported our national tour of Súper Chefs , our family musical.

Grants from The Baring Foundation have continued to support our work in Arts and Mental Health,( Dynamic Flights ) as well as Arts Council England, JG Graves, Sheffield City Council Ward Grant, Sheffield Church Burgess Trust, and Sheffield Bluecoat and Mount Pleasant Educational Foundation.

We were very pleased to be supported once again by the Postcode Society Trust to support the work of the company. A portion of this grant will be deferred to 25/26.

Canary Wharf Group, Enterprise Arts Trust, and Teale Charitable Trust once again supported our work for children and young people; some of this will support our Diverse Voices playwriting project, the majority of which will be carried forward to 25/26.

Inclusion Boost (a new programme developed in 23/24) was funded by restricted funds from Southwark Council carried into this financial year to support this online theatre careers toolkit.

We would like to continue to express our gratitude to the National Lottery Heritage Fund as we have completed the second year of a multi-year grant to support Routes to Roots: A South Asian Heritage Project . The project was additionally supported by earned income from Stanley Arts.

We earned income from Box Office for Súper Chefs , and received fees from partner contributions and from sector development work.

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The company remains project-funded with a small pot of unrestricted reserves which was significantly contributed to in this financial year. Senior Leadership will strategise with the Board of Trustees in 25/26 to focus on growing reserves to meet our revised Reserves Policy to strengthen the organisation in order to ensure its financial health and sustainability.

RESERVES POLICY

As the company operates, mainly on a project-funded basis the Trustees aim to build up reserves, as and when possible. We are currently carrying £65,083 in reserves, of which £52,456 are restricted, and come from Arts Council England, Canary Wharf Group, and National Lottery Heritage Fund.

We are pleased to report that we have increased unrestricted reserves from £6,511 to £12,627 and have reviewed our reservesʼ policy in light of this. It is now the Trustees' policy to hold reserves worth three monthsʼ running costs, which is currently £17k. We are significantly closer to that target this year and are developing a strategy to increase these funds through Earned Income.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD JO CARTER

11/12/2025

Director/ Member of Trustees

Respective responsibilities of the Directors and the examiner.

The Directors are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The Directors consider that an audit is not required for this year (under section 43(2) of the Charities Act 1993 (the 1993 Act)

Accounts prepared by S Mitcheson & S Gorman 45 Landells Road London SE22 9PQ

November, 2025

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I NDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTS

Independent examinerʼs Report to the trustees of Maya Productions Ltd ( The Company)

31 March 2025 Charity no: 1043487

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Maya Productions Ltd (“the Companyˮ) for the year ended 31/03/2025

As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Actˮ).

I report in respect of my examination of the Trustʼs accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: -the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or

-the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or

-the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form 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 fairʼ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed: Date 11 /12 / 2025

Kevin Dunn Finance Manager Independent Theatre Council Albany Centre & Theatre Douglas Way London SE8 4AG

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MAYA PRODUCTIONS LIMITED

BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2025

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companiesʼ regime in Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (2015)

For the financial year ended 31 March 2025 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under S.477 of the Companies Act 2006 and no members have deposited a notice under S.476 requiring an audit.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for ensuring that the company keeps accounting records which comply with S.386 of the Act and for preparing accounts which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company as at the end of the financial year and of its result for the financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to accounts, so far as applicable to the company.

JO CARTER ) DIRECTORS 11/12/2025 Jo Carter

ANSELM ONYENANI. APPROVED ON 11/12/2025

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MAYA PRODUCTIONS LIMITED

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT) FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 MARCH 2025

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MAYA PRODUCTIONS LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

1.1 Historical Cost Convention

The financial statements are prepared under the historical cost convention in accordance with the FRSSE for small entities (effective April 2008). The accounts are prepared in accordance with applicable UK accounting standards (UKGAAP) which have been applied consistently.

1.2 Fees

Fees is the total amount receivable by the Company in the ordinary course of business. This comprised fees from Box Office for Súper Chefs, partner income, income from Race and Allyship training and miscellaneous income.

1.3 Depreciation

Depreciation is calculated to write down the cost of the following assets over their expected useful lives: Rate Method Office Equipment. 25% Reducing Balance

1.4 Cash Flow Statement

The Company has taken advantage of the exemption in FRSSE from producing a Cash Flow statement on the grounds that it is a small company.

2. FUNDS

Unrestricted income funds comprise those funds generated through the Companyʼs various activities which the Directors are free to use in accordance with the Companyʼs objects.

Restricted income funds are funds which have been given for particular purposes and projects, which are also designated funds for particular work and projects. Restricted funds were carried forward from the 2023/24 financial year from Just Fact for Súper Chefs, Baring Foundation for Dynamic Flights , and National Lottery Heritage Fund for Routes to Roots: A South Asian Heritage Project .

During the year we received funds from Arts Council England, The Leche Charitable Trust, Unity Theatre Trust, and Enterprise Arts Trust for Súper Chefs .

Additionally we received funding from Canary Wharf Group and Enterprise Arts Trust to support Diverse Voices . Finally, Dynamic Flights was funded by JG Graves, Arts Council England, Sheffield Church Burgess Trust, Sheffield City Council Ward Grant, and Sheffield Bluecoat and Mount Pleasant Educational Foundation.

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3. DIRECTORS REMUNERATION

No Directorsʼ Remuneration was paid during the year.

4. TAXATION

The Company is a Registered Charity and is not liable to Corporation Tax.

5. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS:

All fixed assets have been fully depreciated.

6. DEBTORS

£1,150

7. CREDITORS

£7,887

8. POST BALANCE SHEET EVENTS & CONTINGENT LIABILITIES

The Directors are not aware of any material items.

9. RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

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MAYA PRODUCTIONS LIMITED

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

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