Company Registration Number: 04566484 Charity Registration Number: 1105174 CREATIVE FOLKESTONE (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Year ended 31 March 2024 CREATIVE FOLKESTONE Report of Trustees For the year ended 31 March 2024 The Trustees, (who are also dlrectors of the Charlty for the purposes of th8 Companies Act) present their annual report tog8ther with the audited financial statsm8nts of Creative Fo￿eStOne for the year ended 31 March 2024. The Trustees confirm that the Annual Report and financial ststements of the Charity comply wlth the current statutory requlrements, the requiremenis of the Charity's governing document and the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practi￿ (SORP) °Accounting and Reporting by Charities. including FRS102 'Th8 Financial Reporting Siandard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland. As Creative Folk8Stone Is a company limited by guarantee, the report and siat8m8nts also comply with the Companies Act 2006. P8g8s 1 to 4 comprise the Strategic Report as required by company law, as well as providing the Information required by SORP for the Trustees. Annual Report. Referenc8 and administrative details Reglsterad company number Reglster8d charlty number Reglstered offlc• 04566484 (England and Wales) 1105174 {England and Wales) Quarterhouse Mill Bay, Folkestone Kent CT20 1BN Tru8tee8 Sir Roger De Haan (Chair) Cathy Bear8 (resigned 30th April 2024) Lady Alison De Haan Sir Steph8n Deuchar CBE Paul Hudson Andrew Ironskje Trevor Minter OBE DL (Reslgned 1 Il August 20231 Judlth Nesb The Earl of Radnor David Shriver {appolnted 26th June 2024) Vanessa Stone Alastair Upton Chiaf Exacutlve Alastair Upton Deputy Chief Executlve Flona Kingsman (ResTgned 31rt October 2023) Sebastian Cater (Appointed 2151 November 2023) Company Secretary Angela Ludlow Audltor RSM UK Audlt LLP 25 Farrlngdon Street London EC4A4AB Sollcltors Wither5 LLP 20 Old Bailey. London EC4M 7AN Bankers Natwest Bank Folkestone Branch. Europa House 49 Sandgate Road Folk8Stone Kent CT20 1RU CREATIVE FOLKESTONE Report of Trustees For the year ended 31 March 2024 Investm•nt Brok•rs Rathbon8s Investmént Management 8 Finsbury Circus London EC2M 7AZ Webslte V4fi*VW.creativefolkestone.or ObjectiV6s and activities Establlshed In 2002. Creative Folkestone Is an arts charlty dedlcated to produclng and enabllng the very best creative activity to help transfom Folkestone and the surroundlng area of Kent. Working with Ihe people of Folkestone, our partners and other stakeholders, we alm to make the town a better place to Ilve, work. play. study and visit. The Charity's objectives. as set out in the governing document. are "The fostering of knowledge and appreciation of art, music and literature: the relief of poverty by assisting individuals who are in need, in particular by asslstlng artlsts to become self-supporung through their art; the provision of facSlltles In th8 interests of social welfare for the inhabitants of Folkestone and the surrounding district; the promotion of regeneration in areas of social and econorniG deprivation." Creatlve Folkestone believes that everyone is creative. and that creatlvlty has the power to change people and places for the better. With a passion for creativty at its heart, the Charity will enable peopl8'5 creativity to flourish, 8nriching the town and those who liva in it, or visit it, and transform Folk8stone's reputation. All our Board and staff ar8 tommitt8d to enabling the very best work to be created. We ahvays appoint skllled and ambltlous curators and prograrnmers who are empath8ti¢ to art, arllsts. place and communlty. Creatlvlty drlves the goals we set ourselves and whlch contlnue to gulde the organSsatlon: Goal 1: Craatlvaly engag8 the paoplé of Folkestone Goal 2: Creatlvely transform the look of Folkestone Goal 3: Creatively change the economy of Folkestone Goal 4: Change the reputation of Folkestone as a creative town Goal 5: Create a sustalnable Creatlve Folkestone A prlnclpal focus for the Charlty In achlevlng these goals Is the development of the Creative Quarter, In the historic old town area of Folkestone. through a process of propety acquisition. refurbishment and letting. The Charity benefits from a collabordtion with the Roger De Haan Charitable Trust (RDHCT). which shares many of the Charlty's goals. Typically, RDHCT funds the acquisition and ￿fUrblshMent costs of properties and after the renovation works are complete leases them to the Charity on a long term basis at a peppercorn rent. Creative Folkestone then proceeds to let the refurbished property at affordable fates to artists, education provld6rs and a wide range of creative organisations. Creative Folkestone has a remarkable record of success having already transform8d th8 most run down part of Folkestone. Around ninety buildings have been restored In the Creative Quarter and the area Ss populated by artlsts and creative Industries. We use the Quarterhouse. our performance venue that we bullt in 2008, to stage our annual Folkestone Book Festival and a full programme of music. theatre. danca and comedy. The area has been animated by fwe intemationally acclaimed Folkestone Trlennials when we commlssloned site specific artworks to be exhiblted in the public realm around the town. After each show we kept many of the exhibits and added them lo Folkestone Athorks which have then been kept on permanent display. As our collection ha5 grown, so has Folkestone's reputation as a unique destination for those who enjoy contemporary art. In 2021 we took on the stewardship of Prospect Cottage. Derek Jarman's former home in Dungeness. along with a commitrnent to open its doors to the public through visits and a residency programme. The Charity continues lo work with a range of public and private sector organisations on a number of strategically important initiatives which ar8 helping us to have a profound regenerative impact on thè community. CREATIVE FOLKESTONE Report of Trustees For the year ended 31 March 2024 The creative transformation of Folkestone is being achieved through a number of core projects developed and managed by Creative Folkestone: the Creative Quarter, Quarterhouse, Folkestone Book Festival, Folkestong Triannlal, Folkestone Athorks and Prospect Cottage: all these iniliatives are underpinned by our Learning and Engagement programme. Public benefit The Charity's Trustees h8ve complied wtth Iheir duties under the Charitses Act 2011 to have dua regard to public banefit guldance (PB1. PB2 and PB3) published by the Charity Commission. They are aware of the publlc beneflt requlrement. its implications for charities and their duty to report how th8y have carried out the Charity's purposes for the publlc benefit and tske the publlc beneflt guldance into account when maklng decisions. The Charity's partlcular publlc beneftt actlvlfjes are Included laler In thls report under Achievements and Performance. Our activities, and particular￿ our Leaming and Engagement work and co-produced feslivals, ar8 deeply embedding Creative Folkestone in the local cornmunity- Folk8ston8 Trlennlal, and many other actlvities, are free of charge to the public. The Charity continues to contribute to the overall soclal and economic regeneration of deprived areas In Folkaston6 through the advancemenl of the arts. culture. heritage. learning and the establlshment of community of over 800 creative individuals and businesses. Structure, governance and management The Charity is a company Ilmlted by guarantee with no share capital, and a registered charity. Tho Charltls mgmorandum and articles of association are the primary governing documents of the Charity. Creatlve Folkeslone has a supportlve Board of hlghly skllled and commÉtted Trustees. Th8 Trustees durlng the year were those set out on page 1. Trustees are also m8mb8rs of the Charity. The Trustees have complied wilh the duties described under the Charilies Act 2011, and wlth proper regard to the guidance published by the Charity Commission. The Creative Folkestone Board provides Ihe statutory governance and also governance over artislic vlsion and quality. The Board Is supported by four Sub Committees Ihat oversee Management, Vlsual Arts, Performlng Arts and Learning and Engagement and Creative Quarter Regenaration, and report back their recommendations to the main Board. We 8CtiV8ly advertise for new members of sU￿0Mmittee8 of the Board and applicants are Intervlewed by Ihe CEO and another Trustee. They are invited to join the sub Committees and if approprlate can move on to the rnain board. Our Inducllon process Includes Trustees belng glven a copy of our constltutlon, audlted accounts and coples of trustee meating minutes, together with the Charity Commlsslon's guldellnes for charlty trustees. The new Trustee is also given a detailed tour of th8 Creatlve Quarter and an inlroduction to all the projects b8ing undertaken by the Charity. Although there is no fomial training policy In place, the Trustees are encouraged to participate in tralnlng programmes elther through their principal employer or through partirApation in ad hoc tralnlng courses. CREATIVE FOLKESTONE Report of Trustees For the year ended 31 March 2024 Key management personnel and pay pollcy The Charity considers its key management personnel to be its Board of Trustees, the Chief Executive and thé Deputy Chlef Executlve. The remuneration is nornially set annually in accordancé with the pay policy, with any changes taking effect from the 1st April each y8ar. Th8 Chi8f Executive and the Deputy Chlef Executive are tha only paid key management personnel. The pay policy for the Chief Execulive and the Deputy Chlèf Exacutlve Is the same as for othér staff. This egi¢ R port was approved by the Board of Trustees on ...... . and signed on their behalf Sir Roger Oe Haan - Chair of Trustees CREATIVE FOLKESTONE Report of Trustees For the ear ended 31 March 2024 Achievements and perfonnance Creativ8 Folkestone overview At the end of the financial year, Folkestone VRS namod the best place to live in the South-East by The Sunday fimes,- a title whlch recognises over twenty years of transfomiational creative placemaklng In the town by Creatlve Folkestone. The importance of Creative Folkeston8's work was also recognised in Folk8Stone and Hythe District Council's decision, in April 2023, to partnar with the organisation on a major infrastructure project Levelling Up Fund (LUF). April 2023 also saw the start of our renewed three-year Arts Council England (ACE) fundlng as a National Portfolio Organisatlon (NPO). An ambltlous, diverse and inclusive cross arts and engagement programme was presented fora wide-ranging demographic, including people ofall ages and backgrounds. This raflects the ambltlon of our current Business Plan's (2022 - 2027) restated mlsslon to make Folkestone a b8tter place to live. work. study, play and visit for ALL. In recognition of the changed economic environment, ACE allowed arts organisations to Cut thelr output by 15 /0 Wlthout reducing their funding commitment. In this dbfficult siluation w8 reviewed our ouiput. However, with utility prices and general Inflation continuing to rise into the new financial year, changes needed to be made. Our Initlal focus in 2023124 was to embed the cost cuttlng measures made the year before and concentrate on income generatlon. Amongst other things, the Quarterhouse Performance Programm8 focused on more profitable events. The decislon was made to move the 6th edltlon of Folkestone Triennial to take place in 2025 instead of 2024. This was to align the exhibition with the town's Levelling Up project (LUF) for whlch Creative Folk8Stone Is a partner. Our Curator, Sorcha Carey, progressed her vlslon for the next Triennial and ended the year wlth all LUF artlsts and 700/0 of the rest of the artists confirmed. The Quarterhouse Performance Programmé saw a shlft In emphasls from famlly events. theatre and dance shows to late nlght disco, dance and music events for a younger audlence and events such as music, comedy and streaming all of which generated higher Income. While much of this work had all been started in the previous year, the main change took place in 2023124. By year end we could see the change to the Quarterhouse Programme had generated an increase in audSences of over 60Vo and a financial improvement of over £100.000 a year. The Creative Quarter remained a sought-after place attractlng a wlde range of increasingly high-quality artists and other creatives. Demand was particularly high for our residential and retail prop8rt18s, as well 8s mid-prlced studio and office spaces. Our portfolio comprised a total of 270 propertles housed in 90 bulldlngs. We attracted 56 new tenants in 45 propèrtlas. Averag8 occupancy exceeded 90%. Open Quarter returned In the summer, inviting Folkestone residents and vlsitors to Joln our annual celebration of the Cr8atiV8 Quarter as an amazlng and Inspirlng place. More than 1.500 people enjoyed a weekend of 5ive music. dance. workshops, food and drink or taking up the offer to look behind the scenes and explore the hldden creative spaces. The Festlval Fund, a joint initiative between the Roger De Haan Charitable Trust (RDHCT) and Creative Folkestone. continued to offer financial support and partnership to encourage new festivals and artistlc activities centred around Folkeslone's Creative Quarter for the benefit of the community and vlsltors to the town. Grants of up to £5,000 were made available to 14 arts organisatlons. Our ext8nswe Le8rning and Engagement Programme conlinued lo enjoy immense popularfty, and our offer of workshops for schools and families, as well as sessions specifically deslgned for young people, adults and people with sp8cial educational needs and disabilities grew. The programrne comprised a total of around 250 individual sessions, gatherings and other engagement events and were taken up by 8,000 people. CREATIVE FOLKESTONE Report of Trustees For the ear ended 31 March 2024 A n8wly appointed Book Festival curatorial duo. Jennifer Thatcher and James Harkin. delivered the 2023 Book Festival. The Intentlon was to be 'hyper local. and use the strong network of writers, journalists and thlnkèrs In Folkestone to create the 10-day programme. We sold a totsl of 2.711 tickets to 38 evants and the school engagement programme attracted an additional 1.471 chlldren and young people. Prospect Cottage remained a popular destination to visit throughout the year and during the 52 open days, Derek Jarman's former home was enjoyed by 1,456 people. A successful first round of residencies was completed whlch was followed by a second call for applications which attracted 550 submissions. 16 of which were chosen for a paid Stay of up to iwo weeks at the cottage. The cotlage featured in the media several times and was also awarded Treasures of European Fllm Culture. status by the European Film Academy. The cottage was one of six new recipients of lh8 award. The Hi3 Network project offlcially came to an end In August 2023 wlth the focus on working with our partners to ensure that all of its objectives and contractual requirements were met. One of the successes and a 18gacy of the project was that Screen South remained a tenant supportlng film and dlglt81 artlsts and busSnesses In Ihe dlstrict. The Metropole ColleGtion was transférred from Creativé Folkèstona to thè Town Councll as we consld8r8d they were best plac8d to own and car8 for th8 works. The Board of Trustees would like to express their appreciation for th8 contlnued generoslty of its benefactors, includlng Art Councll England (ACE), Kent County Councll (KCC), Folkestone and Hythe Distriot Council (FHDC), Canterbury Christ Church University, Saga, H53 Network, Le Shuttle, Linbury Trust, Lord Glendonbrook Trust, Rockefeller and Oak FourKlation. The Board of Trustees would like to convey special Ihanks to the Trust8es of RDHCT for their Contlnued support for the work of Creative Folkestone. The Board of Trustees would also Ilke to express their appreclatlon for the dedication and hard work of both the Charitys staff and its committee members who are not Trustees. Their hard work, dedication and willingness to adapt to changing condltlons, due to thé energy crisis and other inflauonary pressures made it posslble to contlnue delivering an ambitious and challenging arts and performance programme. Creatlve Quarter Folkestone's Creative Quarter boasts a creative community of over eight hundred people includSng designers, filmmakers, musician5, web developers and artists located in the Old Town, It is made up of over ninety restored and newly constructed buildings spanning 79 residential flats, 51 relail units and 140 studios and office spaces. The area is home to many creative businesses who have created hundreds of jobs whlch helped to rejuvenata the local economy. All but three properties are leased by RDHCT to Creative Folkestone on a 125-year term for a p6pper¢orn rent. About 15QA of the 270 propertles changed occupancy wlth 25 tenants moving into residential properlies. seven Into retall unlts and 24 into studios and office spaces. There was also a demand for pop-up shops and short-term leases and a total of 10 short torm rentals were arranged generating additlonal Income. Eleven existing tenants moved within the Quarter to adapt to a change in their business or personal requirements. Three downsrzed their properties while eight tenants moved to larger spaces. Amongst those partlcularly successful tenants who upscaled their properties was Kitty Mccall, who moved from a smaller unit on the Old High Street to a larger space on Tontine Street. This enabled Ben's Vintage to take a four-year lease on one of our most substantial retail spaces on the Old High Street. Ben's Vintage joined the Creatlve Quarter in 2020, and is now In Its third unit. They have upscaled with each move. This type of growth demonslrates extraordinary business achievement and is an excellent 8xamp18 of Cr8aliva Quarter properties acting as incubation spaces for cornmercial enterprises. Demand remained particularty high for our residenllal and retail propertles, as well as mid-priced studio and office spaGes. As demand for these properties started to outstrip availability, we instigated cost- 8ff8Ctive ways to split larger, spaces forwhich there was less demand into smaller ones. Due to its success, we will continue with this approach to secure incorne, maximlse occupancy levels and enable more creatives to enter the Creative Quarter. CREATIVE FOLKESTONE Report of Trustees For the ear ended 31 March 2024 The Creative Quarter Art Market continued to take plac8 tn digital:glassworks giving tenants the opportunity to na￿ork with fellow local creatives and promote their products to the public. There are plans to develop this concept into a new arbst led market In 2024125. W8 continued to strengthen the relationship with our tenants through regular newsletters and consultatlon meetlngs and sesslons where we sought their views and advice in order to plan ihls year's Open Artlst Studlos event whiGh was part of the annual Op8n Quarter féstival. The H13 Neiwork project officially came to an end in August 2023 after It was granted a two-month extension. Part-funded by the European Reglonal Development Fund, the project started in 2020 and successfully established a network of researchers, Industry specialists and businesses under the leadershlp of a consortium of five partners. including Creative Folkeston8. The outcome is a legacy of support for freelancers and small busSnesses working in the field of moving image and screen-based technologie5 through access to specialist advice, space and equipment al one of the ihree digital hubs in Maldstone, Canterbury and Folkestone to further the development of innovative digital projects. In tha Creatlve Quarter. thls Is dellvered by Screen South. long tenr tenant at digital:Glassworks. Open Quarter took place over a weekend in June and stsrted with C<)nnectlng Creatives; a popular event for our tenants to showcasé thelr work and connect thèlr fèllow crèatives. In Quarterhouse auditorium, mor8 than 50 partlclpants heard about developments in the Creative Quarter presented by tenants and followed by drinks and an opportunity to dive deeper into the projects. The Saturday started wlth an extra edbtion of the Creatlve Quarter Art Market located in the r8C8Ptlon and atrlum area of digital".glassworks where artlsts, makers, deslgners and creatlves were promotlng and selling their products. Parkfest In Payers Park th8n welcomed muslc ènthuslasts and families to an afternoon of live and electronic music, workshops and other outdoor acllvitles. The festlval ended on Sunday wilh Open Studios & Exhibitions. More than 27 artists and other creatlves opening their doors and givlng the public an opportunity to see behind the scenes and wander around the studlos and creative workspaces. Learnlng and Engagement At the heart of our actlvltles is our Learning and Engagement Programrne giving Folkastone resldents of all ages and abilities the opportunity to develop their creativity and artistic pot8ntlal. Mora than 250 inspiring and engaging sessions provldad approxlmately 8,000 places. Three terms of the Neon After School Club took place for four different age groups betrwe8n the ages of 5 and 16 years. More than 240 ¢hlldren and young peoplè craated and d8v8loped orlglnal work that was then shared ￿th famlly and friends during a special event at the end of the course. During th8 summer temi, the oldest age group {14-16) produced a short film about their lives in Folkestone that was accepted for GENFest at The Gulbenkian in Canterbury last June. Neon continued during the summer school holidays offering 20 partlcipants an exciting and creative week to explore theatre, lighting, set d8Sign and sound and to leam how to develop and dellver a new theatrical experience. The praclitioner Lydia HSbbert was a130 back with her Young Animators Club offering three tems of four slx weekly courses workshops with each term includiro two specially adapted series for chlldren y￿th Special Educational Needs (SEN>. The sessions were fully booked, attracting a total of 151 participants beiween the ages of 8-16. The Young Animalor Summer School took placé in August OV8r three days including specffic sessions for young peopl8 with SEN. Forty-seven participants between the ages of 12 and 16 worked with animators, Illustrators and fllmmakers to explore and experiment with stop-motion and digital animatlon to create mus5c vldeos for local bands and musi¢ians. CREATIVE FOLKESTONE Report of Trustees For the ear ended 31 March 2024 Fifteen free family drop-in workshops, attended by 980 people, took Pla￿ in Block 67, In digital'.glassworks. Th8 Sessions which were open to all ages and participants. offered the opporiunity to explor8 a wide range of creative subjects with local artlsts that Included film. sound, photography, flag making, collage, illustratlon, puppetry, dance. brass rubblng. Ilghllng and set deslgn. storytelling and exploring th8 concept of free play. Three Christmas workshops offered families the opportunlty to make thelr own Chrfstmas decorations, cards and lantems. Thirty school workshops. attended by 773 children and young people. took place with our Leamlng Offlcer who also delivered an additional six workshop5 to year 10 pupils from Folkestone Academy. Thls included workshops giving the oppertunity to create large banners depicting Indlvldual and class interests, school values and positive messaglng and Inspired children to think about the environment. We contlnued with our projectwith sludents frorn The Edge School of Creative Business In dlfferent aspects of our creative programme in order to give them a greater understsnding of the careers available in the cultural and creative sector. One student started her work with Ihe Head of Curatorial and was assigned to shadow London-based artist duo Cooking Sections Ihroughout the research period, fabrlcatlon, plannlng and launch of their artwork in order to gain valuabl8 work expèrience and new skllls. Six community workshops attended by a total of 72 participants were offered to various groups including Young Carers, the mental health charity South Kent Mind, Touchbase and to reftjgee resldents of the Napler Barracks. These sessions were similar to the school workshops, but W8r8 adapted to cater for dlfferent levels and abilities. A second term of monthly adull evening class was rolled out in June and attractod n8w partlclpants. Th8 sesslons started with exploring mark maklng and drawing. Th8 class sLqrted out on locatlon to draw before working collaborattvely In the studlo to flnallse the sketches. In September, an Articulation Discovery Day took place In Quarterhouse that was Ilnked to the Articulation Prize organised by the National Gallery. Thirteen students from Folkestone School for Girls were given tour of the Folkestone Artworks to devise a presentstion about the artworks wlth a view to entering the competition. The Sixth Edition Folkestone Trfennlal Trlennlal curator, Sorcha Carey, developed the theme of the exhlbltlon whlch wlll explore the deep histories of Folkestone, its 98ology, the Channel and the stones and bones of the area. Creative Folkestone work with Folkestone and Hythe District Council as the Creative Partner on the town's levelling up project. Our role was to provide artistic guidance on public infrastructure works and to commisslon and oversee the delivery of several art installations in the town centr8. Thr&8 artists's proposals have been chosen and we are working with Ihe Levelling Up project team and these works will be included In the 61h Triennial. The target for the Triennial is to commission up to 20 excellent local. regional and international artists to produce new works. During the year th8 Triennial project team welcomed 14 artists to Folkestone and supported them with their site-speclfic research to Identify ideas for proposals. Eight proposals were received by end of March 2024 and iwo local freelance proJect managers were assigned to approved proposals. An outllne plan was drafted for the Triennial Engagement Programme and collaboratlon began with local community groups, including Tha Edge School of Creative Business, People United. KRAN and local schools. One of the focuses has bean on hard-to-reach groups and young people to inspire and engage those who feel that contemporary art 'is nol for them,. The Head of Curatorial worked with People United, and assisted with Iraining of four young refugees to become art project managers who will then train other refugees. CREATIVE FOLKESTONE Report of Trustees For the ear ended 31 March 2024 Folkestone Artworks The Folkestone Athorks continued to be enjoyed by visitors, students, and many in our local communlty and we offered tours, walks, and talks around the artworks. Mark Dion's Seagull continued its role as signpost for the exhibition on the Leas and on the Harbour Ami. We received planning consent and landowne￿$ permissions lo keep some of the artworks from Folkestone Triennial 2021 which brought the total number of artworks in the collection to 92, produced by 52 arlisls. The exhibitlon continued to be maintained to a very high stsndard and regular repairs and renovatlons works were carried out on more than 10 arlworks Induding Lubaina Himld's Jelly Mould Pawlion (2017), Hamish Fulton's 31 Walks From Water To Water 1971- 2010 (2011). Comella Parkerfs The Folkeston8 M8rmaid (2011) and Pablo Bronstein's Beach Hut In The Style Of Nicholas Hawksmoor (2014). Progress was made wlth the Folkestone Harbour Company and specSallst structural engineers in reinstating AK Dolven's Out of Tune (2011). Quartarhouse Quarterhouse, our bespoke, fully accessible perfomilng arts venue continued to present a dfverse programm6 of muslc, comedy, dance. film, festlvals and was also use for communtty gatherings. As our laadlng reglonal cultural hub for three rural and coastal dlstrlcts with a population of over 300.000, attracted people from all backgrounds and protected characteristic groups. Its dlverse programme offered something for everyon8 In the communlty, at affordable prlces. 2023124 saw the full Implementatlon of the change In the slrateglc dlrectlon of our p8rfoffnance programme that had been agreed the year before and Its success was monltored throughout the year. We are pleased to report that by the end of the financlal year. 99 perfomiances had attracted more than 15,000 people. An Increase of over 60%. The newly estsblished Quarterhouse Latss and Dance and MusSc Sessions alone attracted nearly 10,000 p80pIe. Comedy Cornedy remained a lop seller and one of our most popular perfomance categories, with six out of gight sold out perfomances attended by a total of 1,790 people. We secured several well-known national and intemational comedians including Ivo Graham and the mulli-award v4inning Paul Foot to further consolidate Quarterhouse's reputatlon as a comedy venue. Muslc The Performance Team scheduled 13 live muslc gigs which 81tr8Ctad a total of 2,954 guests. We contlnued to work wlth the Brighton based, Independent Ilve musiG promotion company Melting Vinyl who dellvered eight live music gigs including the audio-visual artist Max Cooper. the IrSsh ballad group Mary Wallopers + Nlxer and The Unthanks. For our new Saturday late night dance and music events, the team established working relationships wilh local promoters. including Your House or Mine & Damp Disco. who brought inlemational and national talent to Folkestone as well as giving local muslcians a platform to develop their own perft)miance and music style with support from our technical team. Eleven events took place and were attended by 2,700 people. We also introduced Quarterhouse Lates. a new music platform offering DJS. producers, artists and music collectives from across Kent the chance lo dellver a music set In Quarterhouse every Friday night. We focused on young upcoming artists and members of minority groups who had limited opportunities to gain experience of live performance. The Performing Arts Team supported nearly 50 events that attracted more than 7.000 people. Llve Screenlng We showed s8V8n Nalional Theatre, six Royal Opera Hous8 live screenings and two live performances of the West End hit, A Llttle Llfe, fllmed at the Savoy Theatre In London. The 15 live screenings were enjoyed by 1,528 people. CREATIVE FOLKESTONE Report ofTrustees For the ear ended 31 March 2024 Community Engagement In addition to using our buildings as the base for our own leaming programme. we a150 used them when we worked In partnerships wilh various other, supp)rted artists, development and community engagement events. This included free use of our spaces for Folkestone's Women's Forum (12 per annum). Folkestone Food Hub Iw8ekly), Folk8Stone Book Group (monthly), Nrtists Development {24 per annum), Yo Songsters (weekly), Young Strings (weekly in term time), Folkestone Perfoming Arts (weekly in temi time), Confldance and Confico (weekly in term timé), MCDC Danc8 (monthly), Shepway Youth Group {weekly in tsrm ts'me). Fostival8 The call for applications to the Festlval Fund was announced In January 2023 for projects to take place between April 2023 and March 2024. We Invlted applicants to apply for up to £5,000 each, There were three rounds In March, April and July chosen to glve tlrne to the grantees to seek match funding rf necessary. In total we received 27 applications of whlch 14 were successful, in total allocating £50.000. Tho successful projects V￿re - Folkestone First Timers Festival (£1,000), Muslc In May- Busking Out All Over (£4.000), Sacconi Music Chamb8r Festival (£4,OC(l), Charlvari 2023 (£4.000), fABLE Film Festival (£1,000>, Folkestone Pride 2023 (£4,000), Sunny Sands Sandcastle Competition (£580). Folkestone Fllm Festival (£5,000), Folkestone Living Advent Calendar 2023 (£5,000), Gateway Muslc Festival 2024 (£5,000), SALT + EARTH Festival: Festival of Landscape, Seascape & Environment (£5,000), Queers on the 8locklLast Fridays (£5,000), Livlng Muslc (£3,000). Take up Space (£3,420). Below are some of th8 highlights described in more detail. SALT & EARTH: F•stlval of Landscape, Seascape & Envlronment SALT + EARTH returned on 8 - 10 September 2023. The weekend conslsted of the sixth it8ration of the festlval and continu8d the collaboratlon belween FolkeSt0￿ Frfnge. Creative Folkeston8 and Kant Downs Area of Outstsndlng Natural Beauty (ANOB). The weekend consisted of a rich programme of dlscusslons, exhlbltlons, film, dancing, liv8 art, walks, workshops, exparienc8s for famllles and chlldren. swimming and eating. The particlpatlng artlsts were invited to share, %￿lh audlences, an understanding of the unique landscape of the Kent Downs, why they are intematlonally important, imbuing the people of Kent with an exeitement about their distinctiven8ss and supporting Kent Downs AONB'S aspiration to achieve UNESCO Global Geopark Status. An 8udience of 1,033 was recorded and many thousands more were reached through the soc5al medla channels Facebook, X and Instagram. Folkestone Livlng Advent Calendar 2023 Folkestone Living Advent Calendar (FLAC) was established by Jim Jam Arts, a Folkestone-based the8tre company specialising in projects, performances and events that are for, by and wilh the local communlty. Each evening from December 1st to Ihe 24th. a different door in totyA￿ was op8ned to reveal a unique, live performanc8. A wide range of 8rtists and collectlves were commissioned to deliver a diverse programme ranglng from modern dance to an improvised musical, frorn big bands and opera to cabaret, pupp&try and art Installatlons. The festival attracted a wlde cross-sectton of audlences whlch were enhanced by Ihe organlsers worklng with 24 communlty groups many of whom supported people who have had dfficulties bullding relationships withln the community. Twelve new venues were used, broadening the reach of the festival to Cheriton and Sandgate, showcasing more of what Folkestone and the district had to offer. The events were attended in-person by 4,298 people, and more than 25,000 online. and the website had over 3,000 visltors. 10- CREATIVE FOLKESTONE Report of Trustees For the ear ended 31 March 2024 Folkestone Book Festival Every Autumn. Creative Folkestone hosts the Folkestone Book Festival which first stsrt8d in 1982 as Kent Literary Festival. For 10 days in November, books and ideas took over Ihe town with discussions taking place between renowned authors, joumalists and thinkers in front of a diverse audience of all ages and Interests. The 2023 festival's emphasls was on engaging local talent. newly appointed, locally based, curator duo Jennifer Thatcher and James Harkin, received editorial support from a group of writers and readers from Folkestone. The f8Stlval focussed on global concems and explored issues which were scrutinised through a hyper-local lens and dlscussed by over 70 writers and personalities. including Yomi Adegoke. Reverend F8rgus Butl6r- Gallla. J8r8my Deller, Jane Glover, Henry Jeffreys, Sally Hayden, Bruce Ingman, Kim-Joy, Theo Padnos, Cella Pym, Nikky Smedley, Frances Tophill, Alice Vincent and Jackie Wilks. 2,711 tlckets were sold for 38 events and the school engagement programme attracted 1.471 chlldr&n and young people. The programme was Jam-packed with eclectic and thought-provoking events which included a wide range of writing genres. fiction, po8try, hislory, sci8nc8, biography, topics of this time and place, nature, pollution and refugees. It hlghllghted many of the authors everyday interests such as food, wine, dogs, fashion, gardening, sewing and crafting. As In prevlous years. lh8 festival opened with our traditlonal switching on of the Creauve Quarter Christmas Llghts Invltlng Folkestone residents and visitors to get into the festive spirit and enjoy the winterly magic of the Quarter, This time the lighis were switched on by British baker and Gookbook writer Klm-Joy who then went to the Quarterhouse to discuss writing. baking and mental healthwilh illustralor Nlcola Sheen. The Book Festival's talks and workshops aimed at adults were complemented by a compr8hensiv8, fre8 schools programme intendéd to Inspiré a futuré g8n8ration of authors, r8ad8rs and thinkers. Four well- known authors and wrfters presented events for Ghlldren and young people from 12 primary and 5 secondary schools from Folk8Stone and the surrounding area. The author, and on8-tim8 T8letubby, Nlcky Sme(Iley, joined a family workshop that Invited chlldren to make crowns to then use them to develop and tell storles. Folkestone Book Festival was sponsored by Saga, Lè Shuttle and Canterbury Chrlst Church Unlversity. We thank them for thelr generous support. Prospect Cottage Prospect Cottage, situated on the shoreline of Dungeness, was the coaslal sanctuary of artlst, film maker and gay activist Derak Jarman, from 1986 to hls death In 1994. Jarman tumed the cottage Into a work of art and cultlvated a garden In the surrounding shingle where he grew hardy plants mixed wilh sculptures made from driftwood and other flotsam. As custodian of the cottage and garden. we contlnued to offer vlslts to the public where guides gave people the opportunity to have a unique insight into ja￿￿an'S remarkable lrfe and work. Public demand to visit Prospect Cottage rernained strong and, during the 52 open days, it was enjoyed by 1,456 p8ople. Our survéy showed that Over 90¥0 of visitors had an excellent experience and considered the format of the tour to be well designed and well delNered. The Prospect Cottage Team continued wilh Iheir conservation work to protect and maintain the cottage and garden. They were supported by independent conser¥ation experts who gave advice on future maintenance and the conservation of Jarrnan's paintings. assemblages and sculptures. With this support and that of the Prospect Cottage Advlsory Sub-commlttee, the team began the work of drawlng up detailed action plan to ensure the building and the ar￿OrkS are maintained to the highest standard. The well-known gardener Jonny Bruce continued to tend the garden. As in previous years, he organlsed weekends where students were offered the chance to gain in-depth knowledge of the famous garden and its design. CREATIVE FOLKESTONE Report of Trustees For the ear ended 31 March 2024 Following thè successful Comple￿On of ihe first Residency Programm8 a second and third were advertised in September 2023. Over 550 applicatlons were received. The Prospect Cottage Resid8ncy Advisory Pan81, chalred by Tacita Daan, selected 16 successful applicants for a paid stay of up to two weeks. The programme commenced in January 2024 and, by the end of March. six residencies have taken place. In addition to the resldencles, slx successful appllcants to the Resgarch and Dav8lopm8nt Programmè spent a day at the cottage. This programme was availabl8 to academlcs. artists, writers, researchers, gardeners, environmentallsts, and other creatives to leam more about Derek Jarnan, hls art, books and the garden. We are very grateful to the Linbury Trust. Lord Glendonbrook and Rockefeller Trust for their ggnerous contributions to the Residency Programme. In December we presented, In collaboration with the British Film Institute. video installatlons by Mlchael Pow811, Derek Jarman. Victor Burgin and Adebukola Buki Bodunrin, along wlth reproductions on paper of deslgns from Powell's unmade Tempt along wlth Derek Jannan's completed film of The Tempest. The vrfork was presented in five rooms In the cottage and highlighted the influence Powell and Pr8ssburger had on Darek Jarman, a great admirer of this legendary film-maker partnershlp. The event sold out with 92 people vlsltlng the exhibition. In February 2024 n m8morlam of Derek Jarman's death 30 years ago we streamed 8 3-hour fllm of the sunset at Prospect Cottage together wtth a link to a Spotify playllst on YouTube. Music was Ghos8n from the collectSon of 200 CDS that were own8d by Derek Jamian and hls long-term companion Kelth Colllns. An audience of 2,359 people from around the world includlng Tasrnanla. Canada. and Callfomla attended the 8ession(the Ilnk to Ihe spO￿fy playllst remalns live). The cottage was featured in the media several times and was award8d 'Treasures of European Film Culture, status by the European Film Academy. They already recognise Prospect Cottage as 'a place of hlstoric81 value that need lo be maintsined and protected not just now, but for generations to COrn8'. Dlversity Dlverslty and equality are embedded in 811 Creative Folkestone actlvltles In order that everyone in the communlty, irrespeclive of thelr raclal and soclal background and ability.has the chance to have a full cultur81 and creatlV8 lif8. W8 believe that the more we embrace diversity, the richer our results wlll be. Our intention is to represent the diversity of Britsln in our creative programming, on our stages and In our exhibitions and to represent the diverslty of our community in our team, governance, staff, volunteers. tenants and audiences. We continue to try lo better understand what the barriers to attendance were. We took aciion to develop and grow rèlationships and we reached out to. and involved, local communities In our work. Environment Creatlve Folkestone continued to monitor its environmental perfonnance with the intention of reducing waste, consumption of energy. water and. where reduction was not possible, to find a susiainable solutlon. The aims and objectives were described In deta51 In our redrafted Environmentsl Action Plan and Pollcy. The framework of the plan follows the recommendati￿5 of the Theatre Greén Book whlch outlines sustainabl8 standards for theatre buildings. productions and operations. Throught the year environmental data was collected using the Creative Cllmate Tools, a free online carbon calculator developed by the envlronmental charity. Julie's Bicycle. to measure and understand the environmental impact of our perfomance spa￿. Quarterhouse. Creative Folkestone's overall environmental impact was 64 lonnes C02e, down from 104 tonnes the previous year. Of this, 34 tonnes ￿lated to energy use which remained the same as in the previous year, water and sewage were slightly down to 273kg compared to 280kg, waste was up at 21 tonnes compared to 13 tonnes. and audience trav81 was reduced to 10 tonnes C02e compared to 56 tonnes the prevlous year. The carbon footprint from audience travel was shown to be slgnlficantly reduced despite audience 12- CREATIVE FOLKESTONE Report of Trustees For the ear ended 31 March 2024 numbers increasing. The reason was that we gathered inforrnation through a survey of how our audiences travelled. Last year we used the default measures used by JU￿'S Bicycle in previous years. It is important to not8 that although the energy use r8main8d the same, nearly a third Df the electricity {25,714kWh} was produced sustainably from our newly instslled solar panels on the Quarterhouse roof. Thls provlded a huge saving of £7,000 (17.000 kwh) in the period July- Septemb8r compar8d to the same perlod in the previous year. Press and Medla In the year there was a great deal of press and medla coverage that hlghlighted Folkestone as a great place to live, work, play, study and visit for all. Most notsbly in March Folkestone was awarded 'the best place to live in the UK. by the Sunday Times acknowledging the success in cultural placemaklng at Its centre. A total of 37 press and media items were secured, some of them published through channels with significant audience. In addluon, we also secured TV coverage vAth programmes due to be released later in 2024. For the first tlme we employed PR support to prornole our work at Prospect Cottage and the specific events are organised there, This included the Powell and Pr8ssburg8r 8v8nt, in partn8rship wlth the Brltlsh Film Institute. and our dlgltal ev8nt marklng 30 years sinc8 Jarman's d8ath. Both of th&se events provided a platfomi for us to speak about Prospect Cottage and elevate CreatNe Folkestone's profile. Press hlghllghts 2023124: 88C Travel 17 Apr 2023, A new Ilfe for Brftaln's seaslde towns by Andrew Eames Instagram Followers: 1.6 million htt s:IlM￿.bbc,co travel articl 202 ew- e-for-brilains-s&asid8vtowns The Spectator 3 Jul 2023, Move over Brighton.. Is Folkestone the next coastal propety hotspot? by Llz Rowllnson Onllne monthly readership: 2 Million htl s:Ilww.s ectstor co.uklartlclelmove-over-bri hton-Is-folkestone-the•next-coastsl- Design Week 1 Déc 2023, Traclng the deslgn legacy of Powell and Pressburgerfs films by Sophle Tolhurst Paying readers: 11.000 .desi nweek.co.ukl owell-and- ressbur er-film4J8si n48 ac The Worfd of Interlors 19 Feb 2024. THE DIRECTOR'S HUT by Jamès Graham Total r8adershlp: 152,000 htt s,'Ilwww.worldofinteriors.comlsto Iderek-'amian- ros ect-cotta Daily Mall 23 Feb 2024. Folkestone dubbed the new Whitstable after undergoing a dramatic transformation by Fred Redwood Daily readership: 2.18 mllllon htt s'.Ilwww.dail mail.co.ukl larlicle•131146931Folkestone4lubb8d-new-Whitstabl8- under oin 4jr8matic-transformation.html The Express 25 Feb 2024, The beautiful seaside town once rundovI￿ now transfonned by £100m revamp by Max Parry Daily readership: 150,000 htt s:Ilwww.ex ress.co.uklnewsluk118683391beaulifijl-uk-seaside-town-folkestone-revam 13- CREATIVE FOLKESTONE Report of Trustees For the ear ended 31 March 2024 The Tlmes 15 Mar 2024, Folkestone, Kent, named best place to live in southeast England 2024 by TIM Palmer Daily readership: 1 million htt s:Ilww.ex ress.¢o.uklnewsluk118683391beautifiJl-uk-sÈasldè-town-folkestone-rèvam Future Plans 2024125 is the second year of ACE NPO thre8-year fijnding and we will continue to build on and embed lh8 ACE investment principles of Inclusivity and Relevance, Envlronmental Responsibility, Dynamism. and Ambition and Qu81ty Into everything that we do. KCC (Kent County Council) has moved Folkestone Library to a temporary site and the old Grad811 Ilsted Folkeston8 Library building, bullt in 1888 and sited on th8 boundary of our Creative Quarter, Is now empty and at risk. Creative Folkestone discussed a Plan with KCC that could have allowed the Ilbrary to remaln in Sts building and we are hopeful that the plan may slll be viable and be acc8Pted by the counly councll. We intend to launch a campalgn to Keep The Library Alive called FOLKESTONE IS A LIBRARY wlth the alm of Identlfying Folkestone as a town where a love for literature thrlves. In response to tha closure of the library building, we are reimaglning Folkestone as a living, breathing library. Working wlth Bob and Roberta Smith once again, we will be creating a graphic for FOLKESTONE IS A LIBRARY (FIAL), which we hope to release when we launch our campaign at this yearfs Book Festlval in November. We wlll start a conversation with our community leaders, read8rs, wrlters, borrowers, 18nd8rs. actlvlsts, learners, and leachers to find out what libraries mean to them. Our Intention is that as a result of this work we will be able to develop a programme to keep the splril of the Ilbrary alive. Our new Curator of Books, Ideas and Community, Sophie Haydock, will oversee the campaign and the programme around it. Sophi8 is an author, journalist and a Folkestone r8sld•nt. The Creatlve Quarter Tèam wlll continue thelr efforts to malntaln tenanGy occupancy at over 90%. The Creatlve Quarter remalns a sought-after locatlon for artlsts and other cr8atlves and we will continue to adapt our propertles to respond to th8 changlng demand in retail and office spaces in order that we keep attra¢tlng hlgh-quality and promlslng applicants. W8 wlll continue to support the community in the Creatlve Quarter by providing buslness opportunilies for our tenants whenever we can, and delivèrlng a programme of networking and skill-sharing events. Our tenants will be glven the opportunity to be involved in our shaping community events such as Open Quarter and the Creative Quarter Market. We wlll continue to aim at growlng high stsndards of maintenance throughout the year responding swiftly to any issues raised. The Creatbve Quarter team wlll continue to lead on the environmental impact vrfork driving lower use of utility and exploring opportunities for green energy productlon. Our Learning and Engagement programme will continue with its work of deliverlng a wide ranga of workshops, including Neon After School Club, Young Animators and free famlly drop-in sessions. The school programme will strengthen its relationships with local schools and Higher Education Institutions and continue to expand its efforts with hard-to-reach students. The new adult art classes that w8r8 tested in 2023 will b8 contlnued as will the work communty groups such as Mlnd, Touchbase and the refugees housed in Napier Barracks. Plans for the slxth editlon of the Folkeston8 Triennial are advancing well, under the leadershlp of the curator, Sorcha Carey and the selection of up to 20 artists for the exhlbltion will be completed and the athorks commissioned. Production of some of the artworks has already started. Detalls of the exhibition route wlll be mapped out and work on submitting Ihe planning applications for the artworks will start. The plans for the Triennial Engagement Programme will be finalised and the Triennial project team will continue to engage wlth Community groups and indtviduals. 2024125 wlll be the second year of our new Quarterhouse programme with its emphasis on music. late nights, streaming and comedy. all of which have skK)wn to increase audience numbers and income. We 14- CREATIVE FOLKESTONE Report of Trustees For the ear ended 31 March 2024 will continue to develop our relationships with agents and prornotors to enable us to expand the programme. We will also be testing the viability of bringing back family shows. film and iheatre to Quarterhouse. We will continue to work in partnership with the RDHCT to support local creative organisations and individuals with grants from the Festivals Fund with a focus on diversty and inclusion of underrepresented groups and to delivering high qualty Greative activlty. Our Prospect Cottage team ￿11 contlnue to off8r public visits. They will dellver the resldencles, selected In 2023, In Derek Jarman's home In short-term Research and Development artlst vlslts. The malntenance programme wlll contlnue to ensure the cottag8 and its contents are cared for and Derek Jannan's legacy protected for future generations. Over the next year the overarching objective for all our actfvltles wlll be to continue to help Folkestone's transformation. Our creatlve placemaklng will continue to benefrt the whole communlty In order to make Folkestone a better place to INe, work, study, play and visit for ALL. Flnanclal revlew The flnanclal posltlon of the Charlty Is as set out in the financial statements for the year. Durfng th8 flnanclal year ended 31 March 2024, the Charlty achleved a surplus of £422,497 (2023: £85,973). The majority of the surplus came from funds donated to the 2025 Folk85tone Triennial and wlll be reserved for the exhibition. As a response to the challenges of hlgh levels of inflation and the high rises in the cost of, insurance, utilities and building maintenance the Charty redU￿d its costs, Whe￿Ver posslbl8, while continuing to provide support to its staff and tenants. The Charity. which had been taking steps to bulld up its cash res8N6S, improved its resilience during the year. The Charlty held long leasehold propertles wlth a balance sheet value at 31 March 2024 of £15.2 mllllon. These properties are owned by the Roger De Haan Charitable Trust and leased to Creative Folkestone at a peppercorn rent for 125 years. They provide a rental Income for the Charlty whlch Is used to satlsfy Its charitable objectives. These propertles wlll only be rented for er8ative and educational purposes, and thelr capltal value may never be re81ised by the Charity. The high level of restrfcted funds shown In th8 b818nce sheet as at 31 March 2024 relates prSnclpally to properties In th8 Cr8aliv8 Quart8r. The organisation has agreed with the Arts Councll to d81iver a set of objectives and focuses ils perforrnance to delSver them. In addition, It has set a number of hlgh level flnanclal KPI'S and it ensures, through its reportlng and governanc8 structures. that its perfomiance is scrutinised regularly. Reserves policy Since 2016, the chartty has bullt a cash reserve in addition to its property ass8ts. As a result of a risk-based assessment of need the Creatlve Folkestone Board of Trustees has set a tsrget range of betwe8n £250,000 and £400.000 for its free reserves. This figure was raised ternporarily, to £600,000 In responsa to the difficult economlc envlronment. The resenies a￿ set out in note 22 of the financial statements. An updat8 of the resepies policy will be conducted once a more normal economlc environment is reestablished. Designated funds Each Folkestone Tri8nnial incurs costs beyond the charity's usual annual èxponditure. In the years between preparatlon for the Trfennlals the Board designates reserves for future exhibitions. The cost of a Triennial is circa £2,300,000. The Trustees have designated a total of £652,363 to Triennial 2025. A further £248,000 is designated to the 2028 Trfennlal. 15- CREATIVE FOLKESTONE Report of Trustees For the ear ended 31 March 2024 Investment pollcy During the year the charity looked to maximise its incom8 whilst taklng a low risk on its investment It purchased a £1,100.000 Treasury Gilt that will mature in January 2025 and kept minimal funds for working capital In Its Natwest interest account and placed the balance with a Rathbones Bank Tlrne Deposit. Prlnclpal risks and uncertainties The Trustees have a duty to identify and review the rlsks to which th8 Charity is exposed and to ensure appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error. Regular formal Trustee and management meetlngs were held to review progress tovrfards achieving th8 Charity's obj8Ctives. The Senior Management Tearn regularly addressed the sch8dul6 of risks identified by the Trust8es and put in place procedures and controls to ensur8 those rfsks were adequately managed. The principal risks ware a) economlc dovmturn b) loss of key Board members and staff and c) failur8 lo hit earned income and fundralsSng targets. The mltigatlng actions were id8ntified In Crea￿ve Folkestone's buslness plan, Including setting aside appropriate reserves, good property management, succession plannlng and investing in fundralslng. Equal opportunltles and diversity policy The Trustees recognised that ensuring equal opportunities for all is an Integral part of good practice within the workplace and Creative Folkestoné remained committed to Sts comprehensive Equality and Diverslty Policy. The Charity ansured that the bulldings It occupied complied with the stalutory rogulatlons In place In relatlon to disabled access. Auditor In accordance wlth the charitsble company's articles, 8 resolution proposlrKJ that RSM UK Audit LLP be reappolnted as audit will be put at a General Meetlng. Strateglc report The matters which the Trustees deem to be of strateglc Importance have been included within the Report of Trustees on pag8s 1 to 4 In accordance wtth sectlon 414c(11 } of the CompanSes Act 2008. Th ehalf, by: asa roved by the Board of Trustees on %3.1?/>p.................. and signed on their Sir Roger De Haan- Chalr of Trustees 16- CREATIVE FOLKESTONE STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES. RESPONSIBILITIES The Trustees (who are also directors of Cr8ative Folkestone for thè purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Strategic Report. Report of the Trustees and the financial statements in accordance WFth applicable law and Unlted Klngdom Accounting Standards (United KSngdom Generally Accepted Accountlng Practlce). Company law requires the Trustees lo prepare financial statements for each financial year which glve a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing those financial statements. the Trustees are required to: select sultable accounting policies and Ihen appty them conslstently. obs8rv8 the methods and principles in the Charitl8s SORP; maka judg8ments and accountlng estlmat6S that are reasonable and prudent; state whether applicable UK Accountlng Standards have been followed. subject to any materlal departures disclosed and explalned in the financial stat6m6nts and; prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charltable company wlll contlnue In business. The Trustees are responsible for keeplng proper accounting records Ihat discl¢)se with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financlal statements comply with the CompaniesAct2006. They are also responsSble for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for laklng reasonable steps for the preventlon and detecllon of fraud and other irregularltles. The Trustees ere responslble for the malntenance and Integrlty of Ihe corporate and flnanclal Informatlon Included on the charltable companys webslte. Legislation In the UnSted Klngdom governlng the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may dlffer from legislation in other jurisdictions. 17- INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF CREATIVE FOLKESTONE Opinion on flnanclal statements We have audited the financial statements of Crèative Folk8ston8 (the 'charitabl8 cornpan￿) for the year end8d 31 March 2024 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities (including the Income and Expenditure Account), the Balance Sheet. the Cash Flow Ststement and notes to the financial statements, Includlng slgnlficant accountlng pollcles. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their pr8paration is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards. including FRS 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" (Unlted Klngdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). In our opinion the financial stateménts: give a true and fair vlew of the state of the charitable company's affairs as at 31 Mar¢h 2024 and of its incoming resources and application of res¢)urces, including its Income and expenditure, for the year then ended", have been properly prepared in accordance wlth United Klngdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and have bean prepared in accordance wlth the requirements of the Companles Act 2006. Basls for oplnlon We conducted our audit in accordance with Intematlonal Stsndards on Auditing (UK) (ISAS (UK)) and appllcable law. Our responsibilities under those standards 8r8 further dascribed In the Audltor's responsibilities for lh8 audit of the financial statements section ofour report. We are independent of the charitable company In accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audrt of th8 flnanclal statements in the UK, including the FRC'S Ethical Standard and w8 hava fulfillad our other ethlcal responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. W8 b8llev8 that the audlt evidence we have obtained is sufficignt and appropriate to provide a basls for our oplnlon. Coneluslons relatlng to golng concern In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees, use of the golng concern basis of accounting in the preparatlon of the financlal statements 5s appropriate. Based on the work we have performed, we have not Identlfied any material uncertainties relating to events or condillons that. Indlvldually or collectlvely. may cast signfficant doubt on the charitable company's abillty to continue as a going concem for a period of at least twelve months from when the flnanclal statements are authorised for issue. Our responslbilities and the responsibilities of the Irustees wilh respect to going concern arg described in the relevant secilons of this report. Other Informatlon The other Information comprlses the Infomiatlon 5ncluded Sn the Report of Trustees other than the financial statements and our auditorfs report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the 0th8r information contalned withln the Report of Trustees. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise expllcltly stated In our report, we do not express any form of assurance condusion ther80n. Our responslb511ty Is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other Information is materially inconsislent with the financial stat8m8nts or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material Inconslstencles or apparent material misststements, we are required to detemiine whether this glves rise to a material misstatement in the financial statem8nts thems81ves. If, based on the work we have P8rformed. we conclude that there is a material misstatem8nt of this oth8r information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard. 18- INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF CREATIVE FOLKESTONE Opinions on other matters prescrlbed by the Companles Act 2006 In our opinion, bas8d on the work und8rtak8n in tha cours8 of th8 audit.. the information given in the Report of Trustees. which includes the Directors, R8POrt and the Strategic Report prepared for the purposes of company law, for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial ststements. and the Directors. Report and the Strategic Report included within the Report of Trustees have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements. Matters on whlch we aro requlrod to report by •xcoption In th8 Ilght of the knowledge and understandlng of the charitable company and tts environmant obtain8d in the course of the audlt, we have not Identffied materlal mlsstatements In the Directors, Report or the Strateglc Report included within the Report of Trustees. We have nothing to report in r6sp8ct of ihe following matters wher8 the Compani8s Act 2006 requires us to report to you il. In our oplnlon: adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate ft)r our audlt hav6 not been received from branches not visited by us; or the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounling records and returns; or Certaln dlsclosures of trustees. remuneratlon specmed by law are not made. or we have not received all th8 infomiation and explanations w8 requir8 for our audlt. Responslbllltles of trustees As explained morè fully in the Ststemént of Trust88s' responsibilitl8s sat out on paga 17. the trustees (who are also the dlrectors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparatSon of the financlal statements and for belng satlsfied that they glve a true and fair view, and for such Intemal control as the trustees determlne Is necessary to enable the preparation of flnanclal statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparlng the financial statements, the trustees are ￿spOnSible for assessing the chariiable company's ab51ity to contlnue as a golng concem. disclosing. as appllcable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic altemative but to do so. Audito¢s responslbllltlos for tho audlt of lh• flnanclal statomonts Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole ara free from materlal mlsstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to Issue an auditor's report Ihat Includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assuranca, but is not a guarant88 that an audit conducted In accordance wlth ISAS (UK) wlll atways detect a materlal mlsstatementwhen It exists. Mlsstatements can arlse from fraud or error and are consldered material if. individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to infiuence the econornic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements. The extent to whlch the audlt was consldered capable of detecting Irregularities, including fraud Irregularities are instances of non-cornpliance with laws and regulations. The objectives of our audit are to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding compliance with laws and regulations that have a direct effect on the delerminalion of material amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, to perform audit procedures to help identify instances of non-compllance wrth other lav and regulations that may have a material effect on the financial slataments, and to respond appropriately to Identlfied or suspected non-compliance with laws and regulatlons Identffied durfng the audit. 19- INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF CREATIVE FOLKESTONE In relation to fraud, the objectives of our audit are to identify and assess the risk of material misstatement of the flnancial statements due to fraud. to obtsin sufficient appropriate audit 8vid8nce r8garding th8 assessed risks of mat8rial misstatement due to fraud through designing and implementing appropriate sponses and to respond appropriately to fraud or suspected fraud identified during the audlt. However, it is the primary responsibillty of management. with the overslght of those charged wlth governance, to ensure that the entity's operations are conducted In accordance with the provisions of laws and regulations and for the prevention and detectlon of fraud. In identifying and assesslng rlsks of material mlsststement In respect of irregularities, including fraud, the audit engagement team: obtaln6d an understandlng of the nature of the sector, including the legal and regulatory framework that the charitable company operates in and how the charitable company is complying wilh the legal and regulatory framework; inqulred of management, and those charged wlth govemance, about their own identlfication and assessment of the risks of irregularities. including any known actual, suspected or alleged instances of fraud: dlscussed matters about non-compllance wlth laws and regulations and how fraud mlght occur InGluding a6sessrnent of how and where the financial statements may be susceptlble to fraud. As a result of these procedures we consider Ihe most significant laws and regulations that have a dlrect impact on the financlal slatements are FRS 102. Charities SORP (FRS 102), Companies Act 2006, Charitles Act 2011 and the charitable company's governing document. We performed audlt procedures to detect non