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2024-12-31-accounts

ANNUAL REPORT FOR KALA THE ARTS - 2024

This report covers the period from Jan 1st 2024 to Dec 31st 2024.

Registered Charity Number 1076790 Registered Company Number 3686034

Address: The Orchard, White Hart Lane, Basingstoke Hants RG21 4AF admin@kalathearts.co.uk www.kalathearts.co.uk

Governing Document Memorandum & Articles of Association

Objects of the Charity The Advancement of Education of the General Public In Arts

Trustees who operated through this financial year were:

Raka Nandra Mike Long (resigned 21 October 2024) Jini Cherian Shweta Kapadia (resigned 2 May 2024) Emma Raven Haimanti Kumar

Account Summary

Turnover was £142,214. Expenditure was £118,753 of which 98% was spent on charitable activities and 2% on administrating the charity including insurance, stationery etc.

Our Vision

At Kala The Arts (KTA) , our vision is to educate, develop, create, and promote South Asian dance for wider audiences through community workshops, educational programmes, dance classes, exhibitions, and public performances with a deep commitment to reuse, reimage resources embedding sustainability as its integral part of the artistic narrative and storytelling.

As an artistic company, a core part of our ethos is to support the Artistic Director in creating new work for both established and contemporary audiences. We are embedding sustainability in our creative practice. We collaborate with national, international, and local artists to produce engaging, inspiring performances while nurturing the development of emerging talent.

We achieve this by securing essential funding and building partnerships with funders, educational and community-focused organisations, business sponsors, museum services, and local authorities.

KTA is recognised as the UK’s leading development organisation for Odissi dance , the oldest classical Indian dance form. Deeply connected to the environment and the natural world, Odissi inspires our choreographic collaborations, which aim to raise awareness of environmental issues and the challenges of modern life.

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Our mission is to create a space where classical Indian dance and related arts can grow and flourish. Drawing inspiration from these art forms, we develop innovative projects that reach diverse and contemporary audiences. Inclusivity and diversity are embedded in the organisation’s values and vision. We also commission composers, dancers, visual artists, and other creatives to deliver ambitious, cross-disciplinary work.

Summary of Achievements:

The charitable work carried out by KTA is in respect of education through Indian dance, and music. The main elements are

In 2024, Kala The Arts worked with 10 NPO partners to deliver a wide range of educational projects, workshops, and training programmes, reaching schools, universities, and community groups across the region.

Artistic projects, artist development and professional performances

The main project of the year was Journey of KTA , which included several major initiatives:

All of these projects were funded by Arts Council England .

In addition, in 2024:

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The Art of Dance from the Indian Sub-Continent Exhibition partnership project with Reading museum

Launched on 31 October 2024 , The Art of Dance from the Indian Sub-Continent was a hugely popular exhibition at Reading Museum , attracting more than 55,000 visitors during its run. Created in collaboration with Kala The Arts , our dedicated volunteers, and the Reading Museum team, the exhibition offered a meaningful opportunity to share artefacts relating to South Asian dance and culture, enabling visitors to experience traditions they may not often encounter.

Curation and Community Involvement

Curation began in March 2024 , with volunteers exploring the museum’s storage to identify objects for display. These were carefully restored and upgraded, while Kala invited local communities to loan items that would help shape the exhibition’s narrative.

Together with community members and museum curators, we selected artefacts from both the museum’s archive and Kala’s own collection that resonated with our work in South Asian dance and culture. This included:

Professional mounting ensured the artefacts were presented to the highest standard. In addition, three recordings of UK-based artists were created, allowing communities to share their stories as part of the exhibition.

Kala’s Artistic Director also collaborated with curators at the Victoria and Albert Museum , researching items and sharing findings with Reading Museum to enrich the exhibition.

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Workshops and Launch

Complementing the exhibition, workshops were held in two Reading libraries in partnership with the Museum of English Rural Life (MERL), where dance artists performed and brought the artefacts to life.

The official launch on 31 October 2024 was attended by international artists, London-based performers, and local communities. Guests included visitors from across the UK and abroad, as well as a special appearance by renowned visual

artist Dr Pradyumna Kumar Mahanandia from Sweden , accompanied by his wife Charlotte and son Karl.

The event featured workshops, performance talks, and lively discussions about how museums can best represent the diverse communities they serve in Reading and Berkshire.

Voices from the Exhibition

The exhibition resonated deeply with audiences, artists, and curators alike:

Visitors also shared their impressions:

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Mapping 50 Years of Rushmoor

Recently, Kala The Arts was commissioned by Rushmoor Borough Council to create two community canvases celebrating 50 years of the borough. Working with visual artist Bhajan Hunjan , we welcomed local residents to contribute their ideas and creativity. The final artworks have been transformed into a large public display in Farnborough town centre , where they can be enjoyed by many.

We are now in the process of reproducing the maps onto vinyl for permanent display in both Farnborough and Aldershot , as part of the borough’s 50th anniversary celebrations. The Mayor of Rushmoor has already viewed the maps and expressed delight at the results.

Artist’s Perspective

Bhajan Hunjan shared further insight into the project:

“For Rushmoor Borough Council, working with Kala The Arts, the Mapping Project created artistic maps of Aldershot and Farnborough town centres. The aim was to engage people in a creative process that reflected their personal connections to the local environment. Using simple artistic techniques on painted canvas, participants were encouraged to draw familiar landmarks— homes, schools, community centres, religious buildings, parks, football clubs, libraries, shops, swimming pools, and other amenities. It was also important to represent the area’s airfield, military, and commercial heritage.”

The first workshop, held in Aldershot on Victoria Day , used a map that also included Farnborough. Due to the enthusiasm and high level of participation, the canvas was quickly filled, leaving little space for further contributions. As a result, a second canvas was created focusing solely on Farnborough , developed during a Saturday market day workshop.

Community Engagement

The workshops generated a lively atmosphere, attracting both long-term residents and newcomers. A pre-prepared background was provided, showing key features such as roads, railways, and green spaces. Participants then added their own personal marks using fabric pens and pastels —accessible techniques that engaged people of all ages, including families and children.

Alongside the creative process, participants shared stories about their connections to the local landscape, from memories of long-standing architectural features to reflections on new housing developments. These conversations enriched the project, ensuring the maps became not only visual artworks but also living records of community identity and change

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BASINGSTOKE ‘DIWALI – Light It Up’ PROGRAMMES

2024 marked the fourth year of delivering Diwali – Light It Up in Basingstoke, with a vibrant programme of interactive workshops, a community parade, and creative performances .

In the days leading up to the parade, advance workshops were held on 30–31 October at Festival Place, Basingstoke. These included:

These activities engaged community participants of all ages, building excitement and involvement ahead of the main event.

The Parade

As befits the spirit of Diwali, the parade was a spectacular celebration , drawing crowds of over 1500 people and Illuminating the town of Basingstoke with light, colour, and movement and music. Diwali light it up is the largest festival outside London and is the diverse and inclusive festival in Noth Hampshire/ Basingstoke. The artists for the Parade and narrative/theme was the vision of the artistic director.

Highlights included:

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The parade wound through the town centre before culminating at the amphitheatre , where performances took place.

Performances and Participation

The event featured a dynamic mix of professional artists and local performers , with contributions from schools, parents, and students from local colleges. The atmosphere was lively and inclusive, with a “river of people and illuminations” creating a memorable and festive evening.

The Hanuman performance was a particular highlight—challenging to deliver but deeply rewarding for the artists and audiences alike.

Shivoham our production was performed at this stage with live music performed by 4 professional classical dance artists and two key students who toured with Kala.

We also worked with Festival place and with B&DBC on the planning of the event. The event was attended 1007 audiences and over 100 performers, both young and professional artists.

READING ‘DIWALI – Light It Up’ PROGRAMMES

This is the third year that Kala has successfully delivered its Diwali programme in Reading. The parade consisted of large 15 feet Butterfly puppets representing creations, Ganesh, 5 headed Hanuman. The team lit up Reading town centre, especially Broad Street and reached more than 3000+ people. Children, families, community groups, artists, puppeteers all formed part of the Parade.

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We achieved our KPI 2 (2) working closely with Reading BID, and also with Reading Borough Council.

Popley Community Project (July – November 2024)

From July to November 2024 , Kala The Arts delivered a vibrant community project at Popley Fields Community Centre , offering a series of inclusive workshops in art, music, and dance . These sessions were open to all and designed to encourage creativity, participation, and community connection.

Workshops

Community Event – 21 November 2024

A celebratory community event was held at Popley Fields Community Centre, attended by 150 people . Activities included:

Outcomes and Impact

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Productions touring Performances partnerships and Community Engagement

There were some other key performances throughout the year.

8 June 2024 – Victoria Day Parade (Aldershot): Kala students, young dancers, and professional artists performed as part of the Aldershot events team programme. Four Kala artists and 26 students and parents took part, using ethically sourced Patachitra masks from India as part of the choreography. Other NPOs involved included Nutkhut, Stop Gap, and Artswork. Around 60 students participated in workshops, with 21 performing on the day, reaching an audience of 600–700. The choreographed piece Shivoham , commissioned by Rushmoor Borough Council , premiered here.

15 June 2024 – The World Party (Basingstoke): Kala dancers and professional artists led workshops attended by MP Luke Murphy and local councillors, engaging 22 participants. Tabla and dance performances reached an audience of nearly 200.

13 July 2024 – Southampton Mela: Sushmita Pati and her dancers performed twice, with a workshop element attended by over 70 participants. The programme included Odissi repertoire and Kathak student performances.

21 July 2024 – Holyrood Community, Southampton: Sharmistha and Sushmita led workshops for 20 participants aged 7–14, in collaboration with Zoie Logic Dance Company. Participants learned a choreographed sequence and created their own movements.

21–22 September 2024 – Onam Harvest Festival, Elai Basingstoke

Kala The Arts presented a programme of classical dances including Mohiniattam, Bharatanatyam, and Odissi . Newly recruited artists worked intensively with the Artistic Director over two weeks to deliver the project. This marked the second collaboration between KTA and a local business.

October 2024 – Diwali on the Square, Trafalgar Square, London

A Kala The Arts student was invited to perform at Diwali on the Square in Trafalgar Square. She also conducted an Odissi workshop with nearly 40 participants , sharing the tradition with a wide and diverse audience.

Touring New production Shivoham and Sapta

26 August 2024 – Test Valley Multicultural Festival, Andover Shivoham was also commissioned by Test Valley Council and performed at the Test Valley Multicultural Festival. Alongside the performance, workshops were delivered, engaging more than 500 participants .

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“Just wanted to say thank you for yesterday. The artists of Kala were amazing, they did a great job of getting people involved in the workshops and I think everyone had a great time.”

— Cultural Events Curator, Community & Leisure Service, Test Valley Borough Council

16 November 2024 – Pavilion Dance, Bournemouth

Sapta and Shivoham toured to Pavilion Dance, with the Artistic Director collaborating closely with the Pavilion’s production and artistic team. The performers were Kalichandrasegaram, Sushmita Pati and Sharmistha Pandit. The programme included performances and workshops, introducing new audiences to the venue.

“We reached new audiences with your show” – Jeannette Production manager Pavilion Dance

23 November 2024 – Riverhouse Barn Arts Centre, Surrey

An “electric night” at Riverhouse Barn featured Shivoham alongside performances by Odissi students and professional artists Sharmistha and Suchismita , accompanied by violinist Rohan Roy . The event, attended by 116 people , showcased the skill and resilience of Kala’s dancers. The Diwali Light It Up! performance at Riverhouse Barn was a sold-out success , warmly received by audiences.

The set of performance activities through the year enabled us to meet our KPIs.

KPI 1 – Expanding Reach and Participation

KPI 2 – Building Partnerships

KPI 3 – Regional Role

KPI 4 – Museum Curation and Collaboration

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KPI 5 – Touring and New Audiences

Educational Projects

The youth dancers of Kala The Arts were selected to perform on the 10[th] of March at South West Regional U.Dance Platform on Sunday 10th March 2024 at the Theatre Royal Plymouth. This was the first time Odissi was represented in the platform. As the timings and distance made travel impractical, the youth company Tribhang filmed their dance which was shown at the event. The dancers received excellent feedback from the jury member afterwards on their delivery and passion for the dance.

May–June 2024: Trial dance classes for 6–11 year olds were held in schools in Aldershot and Farnborough, developing choreography for students to perform at a June festival.

May 7[th] and 8[th] There was a master class with Padmashree Dr Illeana Citaristi in Odissi attended by 7 students.

11 May – Forbury Fiesta, Reading: Kala students both performed and taught at this popular community festival.

May – Odissi Workshops at Reading University: Led by Senjuti Das, these workshops engaged university students and their families.

“On behalf of the University, I’d like to say a huge thank you for your workshop on Saturday! The festival was a huge success, with over 5,000 attendees throughout the day. Of course, the music and workshop elements provided a most wonderful vibe and we are hugely grateful to all for that.”

12 July – Fairfield’s Primary School: Kala artist Yousuf Hossain delivered a performance and workshop for parents and students, attended by 600+ people in the school’s cricket field.

21 July – Mindfulness Workshops: Through dance movement, Sharmistha and Sushmita worked with 20 children from the Holyrood community, in a project organised by Zoie Logic Dance Theatre.

28 October – Masterclass with Pushkala Gopal: An online workshop for Odissi and other classical dance artists.

Examinations and Training

Bhavan Examinations: Kala’s Artistic Director supported Bhavan’s teacher in preparing students for Odissi exams, achieving a 100% pass rate, with several students awarded distinctions.

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Teacher Training: Two twilight in-service training sessions were delivered for teachers (Spring and September 2024), reaching 17 schools. Topics included:

ISTD Odissi Syllabus Development: Three meetings were held with Lisa Harrison Jones from the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, led by Jules and Sushmita Pati, to advance the Odissi syllabus.

Summer Programmes

Regular classes/Community Workshops

The year began with the launch of new Kathak and Odissi classes at Maiden Place, Reading , followed by the introduction of classes in Aldershot from summer 2024.

Across the year, Kala The Arts delivered regular classes for more than 30 weeks in three locations : Reading, Basingstoke, and Aldershot. From April to mid-December, a total of 36 classes were held.

Marketing and Administration

Kala The Arts also moved into new premises at Chute House, Church Street, Basingstoke in January 2024, marking an important step in our growth.

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We recruited an administrator in 2024 and used specialists for roles on the production and management of the parade.

To support Kala The Arts’ wide-ranging activities, the marketing team designed and distributed promotional materials, including leaflets advertising classes, newsletters, and banners, while also creating regular content for the organisation’s website and social media platforms.

Targeted campaigns were delivered across several new and existing areas of work, including:

These campaigns were delivered alongside the ongoing marketing of regular seasonal classes.

A new website was successfully launched in September 2024, led by Ava, who managed the project effectively.

Risk Management

The Trustees of the charity regularly review the major governance, operational and financial risks which the charity faces as part of its annual business planning process and confirm that systems have been established to mitigate these risks. Kala The Arts has a risk management strategy/risk register in place which comprises which comprises of

These are reviewed regularly at quarterly meetings, with updates to risks and their mitigation made as required.

Volunteering and Fundraising

In 2024, Kala The Arts successfully secured funding and volunteer support to deliver a range of impactful community programmes.

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trained to support the programme. The initiative was widely marketed to ensure it reached schools, community groups, and disadvantaged children, and included participation from newly arrived Ukrainian refugee children.

Research and Creative Development

In 2024, Kala The Arts placed a strong emphasis on research, sustainability, and creative innovation .

The Artistic Director also collaborated with Scatchbuilt’s Artistic Director to create an ambitious new installation: a five-headed Hanuman . This large-scale work was a significant creative achievement for both organisations.

Through these projects, Kala discovered and worked with a number of new artists and partners for the first time, including:

o Inspirate

o Musication from Anvil Arts

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These collaborations not only expanded Kala’s creative network but also brought fresh perspectives and skills into the organisation’s work, strengthening its role as a hub for innovation in South Asian dance and culture.

Recognition

On 15 May 2024, Kala The Arts’ Artistic Director was honoured with an invitation to attend His Majesty The King’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, celebrating the Cultural and Creative Industries, extended by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport .

Raka Nandra (Chairman of Trustees)

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3686034

Kala The Arts Accounts Jan 1[st] 2024- Dec 31[st] 2024

Kala The Arts is a Company Limited by Guarantee (England). Registration No. 3686034. Registered Charity No. 1076790. Registered Office: Orchard House, White Hart Lane, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG21 4AF.

Income and Expenditure

Income and Expenditure
Income: 2024 2023
NPO Funding £110,000 £82,500
Local Authorities £14,532 £19,676
Private Individuals £7,476 £13,661
Community Group £3,900 £2,200
Charity/Trusts £2,185 £11,831
Arts Venue £2,000 £377
Business provider £1,454 £17,495
Educational Groups £360 £2,938
Interest £307 £118
TOTAL £142,214 £150,796
Expenditure
Charitable
Artist Fees1 £51,527 £53,331
Admin £24,464 £10,671
Arts organisations £18,231 £33,143
Accommodation £9,425 £7,733
Website £6,066 £262
Purchases £2,585 £3,415
Leaflets £1,716 £1,489
Photography and Video £1,470 £4,031
Employee Travel/Expenses £896 £406
advertising £409 £162
Volunteer expenses2 £300 £664
Sub-Total £117,089 £115,307
Non-Charitable
Insurance £890 £706
Board Meeting Accom £292 £120
Stationary £263 £395
Staff Admin £127 £171
postage £58 £86
Annual Return £34 £13
Accountant £305
Sub-Total £1,664 £1,796
Total £118,753 £117,103

3686034

Surplus/(Deficit) £23,461
Balance Brought Forward £66,621
Balance Carried Forward £90,082
Balance Sheet 31st December 2024
Assets
Current Bank £65,605 £47,877
Deposit Bank £24,474 £18,741
Petty Cash £3 £3
Total Assets/Liabilities £90,082 £66,621

For the year ending 31/12/2024 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

Directors’ responsibilities:

 the members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476,

 the directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts

 these accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime.

The accounts have been delivered in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime.

1 No Employer National Insurance. Employee Sushmita Pati, wife of Trustee Michael Long received a salary of £26518 during his trusteeship.

2 Director Travel Expenses were Raka Nandra £300

Raka Nandra (Director)

3686034

CC57(b)

Independent Examiner’s Report on the Accounts

~~Receipts and Payments Accounts~~

Report to the trustees/members of ~~PY~~ KALA THE ARTS

Registered charity number (optional) 1 0 7 6 7 9 0 rt ttt ye]

On accounts for the year ended rttt 3 1 1 2 2 4 D D M M yy Y Y

Set out on pages ~~Po~~

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

Independent examiner’s statement In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention (other than that disclosed overleaf *):

Signed Date 17.9.2025 | Name ~~PO~~ BHARTI CHIKHAL Relevant professional qualification CGMA or body (if any) ~~PO~~ Address 55 BARN PIECE CHANDLERS FORD SOUTHAMPTON SO53 4HP

~~Further information~~

Disclosure section Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material problems. Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose

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