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2024-03-31-accounts

A Message from The Trustees and Lanre Olagoke, Artistic Director and founder of Art Alive Arts Trust

The year 2023/24 has proven to be quite challenging for Art Alive. Having a dedicated studio-workshop space in W1 for the past six to seven years has been incredibly beneficial. While the current climate has posed difficulties, we have managed to stay afloat.

Having served the Westminster City Council for over 12 years, we have established valuable connections with local councillors, council officers, and organisations such as Centrepoint, which supports young people in the borough. Our collaborations with other groups, including London Probation and the Metropolitan Police, have instilled a sense of optimism and confidence for the future. We are especially grateful to Crown Estate for their generous support over the last six years, allowing us to operate from one of their premises.

Despite encountering setbacks in our fundraising efforts earlier in 2023, we remained hopeful. As the year came to a close, we faced challenges in sustaining our arts initiatives for our beneficiaries, but we are optimistic that 2024 will bring significant funding to support a variety of projects. Given the competitive fundraising landscape and the economic downturn, we have also sought alternative revenue streams, including commissions for public and corporate art, although this has been a struggle.

To enhance our visibility, we have aimed to host more exhibitions and sell quality artwork, as well as secure commissioned projects for our beneficiaries. However, this endeavor has also proven difficult. We have frequently shifted locations to accommodate pop-up exhibitions, yet we are fortunate to have received support from Shaftesbury Plc over the past decade, who have provided us with pop-up spaces, in addition to the Crown Estate recognizing the value of our community work with youth. Currently, we are operating workshops at Linen Hall and have established our main office at 162-168 Regent Street.

With strong ties to local community leaders and businesses, we aspire to encourage them to commission our beneficiaries for art projects in their offices throughout the London boroughs.

Despite the challenges faced, 2023 ended on a positive note when Cayetana Hope Chest came to our aid, granting us an unrestricted fund of £30,000. We have decided to concentrate on addressing the core issues faced by our unemployed beneficiaries. I recently met with the CEO of Centrepoint to discuss potential collaborations on their Engagement in Art Community Project, which aims to strengthen connections between their services, the community, and the voluntary sector. This initiative has shown great success,

and we look forward to continuing to build a robust partnership to enhance our community in greater London.

Our Goal

Art-Alive Arts Trust was established in 1997 and became a registered charity in 2001, aiming to provide children, adolescents, and vulnerable young adults with opportunities to realize their potential and find their place in society through the arts and creativity. We leverage the therapeutic and educational benefits of art education, focusing primarily on three groups: primary school children with behavioral or learning difficulties, and young vulnerable adults who are unemployed, homeless, at risk of homelessness, or at risk of offending. Our mission is to engage these individuals in purposeful activities that equip them with essential life skills to secure work placements and ultimately achieve employment or return to full-time education.

Our ability to deliver exceptional services has been sustained by the support of The National Lottery Community Fund, as well as organizations like Shaftesbury Plc, Crown Estate, and Westminster City Council. Additionally, we work with school children on the margins of the education system who face potential exclusion from mainstream education, motivating and supporting those with challenging behaviors.

Art Alive believes that art can bring balance to young people's lives, foster self-esteem, and ultimately help cultivate responsible citizens.

Art Alive in 2023/24

In 2023/24, our focus has been on rebuilding trust and adapting to the current climate, making fundraising and enhancing our profile our top priorities. Due to funding constraints this year, we were able to work with only 20 beneficiaries. Despite this limitation, we successfully found paid employment for 5 beneficiaries and engaged them in various projects, allowing them to volunteer during their spare time. This initiative proved highly successful, resulting in commissioned work for these beneficiaries, job placements, and opportunities to further their education.

Our Approach

Art Alive's beneficiaries gain a sense of identity and purpose through their involvement with the trust. Some have transitioned into productive roles within the local community, and approximately 5 beneficiaries have returned to our arts center to mentor new participants. Our focus has shifted towards achieving measurable outcomes, particularly in helping our beneficiaries enter employment, education, or training, especially among youth.

We believe that this outcome-oriented approach will resonate with funders and commissioning organizations, who increasingly seek tangible results for beneficiaries and the local community from the grants they provide.

Our Arts-Based Courses Include:

In addition to these courses, we provide basic skills training, support for beneficiaries aspiring to become self-employed, and a job brokerage service, which is enhanced by our partnership with the local JobCentrePlus.

Outreach Art Tuition

The Trust’s outreach work has been a significant strength, connecting us with HMPS, Pupil Referral Units (PRUs), schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, care homes, and approved premises throughout Greater London and beyond. We have a fully operational studio that hosts art workshops, a film recording studio, and activities in painting, fashion, and photography, which are essential for fulfilling the Trust’s mission.

We aim to expand our outreach initiatives to include art tuition in local hostels for young people who are homeless or at risk of offending or re-offending. We hope to collaborate with organizations such as London Probation and Centrepoint, among others, to broaden the range of activities available to these vulnerable adults as they transition from prison or temporary accommodations.

Fundraising and Marketing:

Art-Alive Arts Trust – Annual Report 2023/2024

Since the summer of 2023, our dedicated fundraiser has been tirelessly working to secure resources for the Trust. Unfortunately, we have not yet reached the level of success we had hoped for. However, thanks to the unrestricted funding from Cayetana Hope Chest, we are able to sustain our operations through the summer of 2024. We remain determined and are optimistic about securing additional funding from the Arts Council and donations from smaller organizations that support charities like ours. We aim

to raise funds for a full-time fundraiser/administrator to assist with our administrative tasks, which have suffered due to financial constraints.

Raising Art Alive’s Profile

Networking has been crucial during these challenging times. We are grateful for the relentless efforts of our volunteers, who share our vision for Art Alive. Lanre Olagoke, our Artistic Coordinator, continues to build relationships with local councillors, partner organizations, and, importantly, London businesses that have been significant supporters of our projects in Westminster. We are striving to increase our community engagement and collaborate with businesses to demonstrate how art can serve as a vital connection between vulnerable communities and youth at risk of offending or remaining unemployed. However, securing funding to support these efforts has proven to be a challenge. We are hopeful for more collaboration with Centrepoint in the future.

Current Projects

Art-Alive has been navigating a challenging period since 2019, with funding significantly impacted by government cuts. The support from Cayetana Hope Chest has been invaluable, particularly during our time of need in 2023/2024. We continue to face difficulties, but we remain hopeful for improvement in 2025.

We are still receiving referrals from young people at the Young Offenders Institute. While our scope of work has been limited, we are concentrating on assisting vulnerable young adults in the community. Our “Part 2 Play” project continues to operate, providing a quarterly gathering for past and present beneficiaries. This initiative allows participants to discuss personal challenges and share their aspirations and obstacles for the future, facilitated by our dedicated volunteers, although it has been a significant challenge.

Partnership Working

We are cultivating strong partnerships with various local organizations in Lambeth and neighboring boroughs, including:

With this expanding network of partners, including businesses and educational institutions, we can offer our beneficiaries a wider array of programs. Our goal is to immerse them in the creative world of art while exploring innovative pathways to reintegrate them into everyday life, employment, education, and shared community values.

Volunteers

Art Alive continues to engage with volunteers and promote opportunities for voluntary involvement within the Trust. We are excited to announce plans for a week-long exhibition in 2025. While we typically host annual exhibitions at the end of each year, the current climate has prevented us from doing so at the end of 2024. Our volunteers have been instrumental in Art Alive’s growth, and their contributions are invaluable; they truly deserve recognition for their hard work.

Future Projects:

Collaboration with What Water - Project: Water 4 Youth

As part of our initiative for Black History Month in 2025, we aim to collaborate with What Water to promote culture and raise awareness through a major campaign and fundraising event, potentially at the British Museum. This project will focus on the role of the arts in youth empowerment and sustainable development, bringing together artists from Commonwealth countries to celebrate diversity and highlight those who have made significant contributions to art and society.

Engagement with Approved Premises

We are currently in negotiations with several Approved Premises in London to continue providing sustainable and meaningful services and activities for our beneficiaries. Discussions have been ongoing since 2018/19, and we remain hopeful for a positive outcome in 2020. Although funding has been a significant challenge in our work with young vulnerable adults, we are optimistic that this situation will soon improve.

With Art Alive's vision, we believe our initiatives in the Westminster community will foster positive change for the youth. We plan to engage them in a variety of creative projects that will instill a sense of belonging and build their confidence in themselves and their community in the coming years.

Public Art Commissioning

In addition to our involvement in the BIG SOHO CLEAN UP, Art Alive is actively working to establish itself as a public art provider across several London boroughs. We aim to expand our reach and impact through public art initiatives.

Art Alive Arts Trust Annual Accounts 2023/24

The accounts for Art Alive covering the period from April 2023 to March 2024 are outlined below. This includes project details, budgets for our talented actors and filmmakers, and our daily operational and staffing costs, supported in part by Cayetana Hope Chest. We are currently in search of a full-time fundraiser/administrator to help us achieve our objectives.

Attached is the projected core funding from last year, which has been crucial in sustaining various charity needs. The operational expenses of our center are essential, especially following the success of our two Pop-Up galleries, which are vital for showcasing artwork and raising funds for our future film projects.

This breakdown details the anticipated costs for administration, salaries, workshops, and additional support, ensuring a thorough approach to our project's financial planning. We successfully hosted two exhibitions this year, effectively reducing costs while continuing to advance our film vision. Our largest expenses remain studio hire and materials.

Special Thanks

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Cayetana Hope Chest and our sole supporter, Venetia Findlay, for their generosity, which has been pivotal to our accomplishments and has provided a solid framework for fund allocation.

Art-Alive Arts Trust Registered Charity No. 1088773

Status

Art-Alive Arts Trust ('Art-Alive') was established by a Deed of Trust dated 28 August 2001 and was registered as a charity on 5 October 2001.

Trustees

Steering Group/Tutors

Registered Office and Operational Address Suite 319, Linen Hall - 162 168 Regent Street London W1B 5TD

Telephone: 07951 519282 Email: info@artalive.org.uk Website:www.artalive.org.uk

Bank Santander

From: Lanre Olagoke lolagoke@icloud.com Subject: Date: 30 January 2025 at 19:02 To: Lanre Olagoke lolagoke@icloud.com

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CHARITY COMMISSION Indopendent examiner's FOR ENGLAND AND WALES roport on tho accounts s￿tIOn A Independent Examlnefs Report R•port to the trusteesl member5 of Lhanty Name Art-Alive Arts Trust On accounts for th• y•ar ended 202312024 Charlty no (11 any) 1088773 8•t out on paqes I reFK)rt to the trustees on my examination of the accourrts of the above charity llhe Trusf) for the year erKled DD I I YYYY. Responsibilities and basis of r•port As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparab'on of the acwunts in acx¥)rdance ￿th the requirements of the Chariti'es Act 2011 (Ihe Acr). I rep)rt in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts ￿rrIed out under sedion 145 of the 2011 Acl and in carying out my examination, I have followed the appIl￿ble Directtons given by the Charity Commission urKfer section 145(51(b) of the Ac. I have o)mpleted my examination. I confirn that no material matters have come to my attention {other than that disclosed beltr l in cx)nnection wth the examination whiL gives me cause to believe that in, any material resFct". • actounling records were not kept in aC0)rdan￿ wtth section 130 oftheAdor • the accounts do not accord with the a(JxJunting records Ind?p•ndgnt •xamin•rfs stat•m?nt I have no cfjncems and have come ￿￿O$S no other matters in connection the examination to which attention should be dran in order to enable a proper understsnding of the acrxrtjnts to be reached. . Please dalete the words in the brackets rftr￿y do not apply. Siqned: Date: ia Name: OkEzIE Relevant professional qualifJcation(s) or body (if any): Address: o Sectlon 8 Dlsclosur• Only t￿rnplete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concem (see CC32, Independent examination of arity ac£ounts.' diredions and guidan( for examiners). Glv• h•r• brl•t d•talls of any Items that th• •xamln•r wlsh•s to dlsclos•