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2025-08-31-accounts

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TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 August 2025

FOR

LEEDS LIEDER+ LTD.

(A company Limited by guarantee) Registered Charity Number: 1105803

REGISTERED NUMBER: 05177020

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LEEDS LIEDER+ FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

Contents

Page
Charity Reference and Administrative Details 1
Trustees’ Annual Report 2-13
Independent Examiner’s Report 14
Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure Account) 15
Balance Sheet 16
Notes to the Financial Statements 17-22

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LEEDS LIEDER+ CHARITY REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Charity registration number 1105803
Company registration number 05177020
Trustees Kathleen Margaret Evans – Chair
Councillor Jane Alice Dowson
Caroline Alice Samantha Jane Hallam
George Kennaway
Margaret Josephine Pullan
Helen Mary Stephens
Cynthia Lynn Wainwright
Jasdeep Singh Degun
Rachael Green
Dr Stewart Campbell
Registered office c/o TC Murray Harcourt Ltd
6 Queen St.
Leeds
LS1 2TW
Independent Examiner TC Murray Harcourt Ltd
6 Queen St.
Leeds
LS1 2TW
Bankers Lloyds Bank plc
65-68 Briggate
Leeds
West Yorkshire
LS1 6LH

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LEEDS LIEDER+ TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

The Trustees present their report and the unaudited financial statements of the Charity for the year ended 31 August 2025. The Trustees have adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” (FRS 102) in preparing the annual report and financial statements of the Charity.

The Charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (October 2019), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006 and UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing Document

Leeds Lieder+ is a company limited by guarantee governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 12 July 2004 (Registration number 05177020). It is registered as a charity with the Charity Commission (Registration number 1105803).

Directors and Trustees of the Charity

The Chair and Board members, who are unpaid, are trustees for the purposes of charity law and directors for the purposes of company law.

The Trustees who have served during the year and since the year end were as follows:

Kathleen Margaret Evans – Chair Robert George Holt – Company Secretary – resigned 14 March 2025 Rosemary Annie Anderson – Treasurer – resigned 1 June 2025 Councillor Jane Alice Dowson Caroline Alice Samantha Jane Hallam Jillian Lesley Johnson – resigned 14 March 2025 George Kennaway – Company Secretary – appointed 14 March 2025 Margaret J Pullan Matthew Roberts – resigned 14 March 2025 Helen Mary Stephens Cynthia Lynn Wainwright – appointed 21 September 2025 Jasdeep Singh Degun – appointed 8 December 2025 Rachael Green – appointed 8 December 2025 Dr Stewart Campbell – appointed 8 December 2025

At the Annual General Meeting one third (or the number nearest one third) of the Trustees must retire, those longest in office retiring first and the choice between any of equal service being made by drawing lots. The Trustees can offer themselves for re-election if they so wish.

Trustee induction and training is carried out on an informal basis by the incumbent Trustees.

Each Trustee promises, if the Charity is dissolved while they remain a member or within 12 months afterwards, to pay up to £10 towards the costs of dissolution and the liabilities incurred by the Charity while he or she was a member.

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Objectives and activities

PRINCIPAL ACTIVITY

To advance the education of the public, and promote the understanding, appreciation, composition and performance of art-song, in both its poetry and music. These activities are undertaken for the public benefit.

The powers, as set out in the Articles of Association, employed to achieve the Charity's objectives are:

To promote, initiate, develop, arrange, carry out or assist in carrying out concerts, performances, lectures, seminars, meetings and exhibitions;

To hold music festivals at such intervals as the Trustees think fit;

To promote, arrange and carry out education, instruction and training; and

To provide advice, carry out research and to publish or distribute information.

As detailed below (in the Achievements and Future Plans section) these activities principally embrace concerts, pre-performance talks, masterclasses, and workshops.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND FUTURE PLANS

This was another landmark year for Leeds Lieder, being the 20[th] anniversary of the inaugural Festival, and one we marked with our change of name to Leeds Song.

A new decade, a new name

Change can be a curious thing. Sometimes it happens in a grand, sweeping gesture, and sometimes it can be as gentle as a name changing – a subtle shift that signals something deeper. For Leeds Lieder, the decision to become Leeds Song is one that has been quietly brewing for some time, a change rooted in growth, inclusivity, and a desire to enrich the lives of as many people as possible through the power of song.

Just before the 2025 Festival, Leeds Lieder unveiled its new identity, with a small yet important change to its name as Lieder became Song. At its heart, the change is about widening the circle. The word ‘Lieder’ is beautiful and evocative, but it can feel unfamiliar to those who haven’t encountered it before and it also refers to a very specific corner of the repertoire, albeit a glorious, German, 19[th] Century one. Leeds Song, on the other hand, is open and inviting – it says, ‘This is for everyone.’ As a Festival that is well-known for our friendly atmosphere, a name that reflects our openness is important to us. It captures the essence of what Leeds Lieder has always been about breaking down barriers to classical song and welcoming new audiences to share in the magic.

The change also reflects the organisation’s growing ambition. While the Festival’s foundations are firmly rooted in the Lieder tradition, the programme has expanded to embrace a broader spectrum of song from different cultures, languages, and traditions. It is a celebration of song in all its forms – a way to honour the past while embracing the future. A cursory glance at this year’s Festival line-up shows the full range of jewels we programme, from Schubert to David Bowie, Helen Grime to Claude Debussy.

We are delighted to report significant achievements in 2024 -25:

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We continued to do everything possible to promote our artists, communicate with audiences both at home and worldwide and engage with young people through our Learning and Participation programme for schools, and we took full advantage of livestreaming, surtitling and video technology in order to do so

We maintained a hybrid working model combining working from home and in the office, thereby reducing our carbon footprint and contributing to sustainability in the city.

Ambitious plans for 2025-26 include presenting a Concert Season and another eight-day Festival in 2025; reviewing the composition of the Board and our staffing to reflect the changing needs of the organisation; building a strategic Business Plan for coming years and extending our Learning and Participation programme in schools. Plans are, as always, subject to securing the necessary funding.

2024-25 CONCERT SEASON

We were delighted to be able to work with our regular partners – the Howard Assembly Room, Leeds Conservatoire, Leeds International Concert Season, the University of Leeds International Concert Series and Wesley Concerts, Harrogate to present a varied season of concerts between November 2024 and March 2025:

Friday 8 November 2024 in the Clothworkers’ Centenary Concert Hall, University of Leeds James Newby baritone and Joseph Middleton piano

The Shipping Forecast, an evocative voyage featuring songs of the sea by Schubert to Chabrier via Elgar, Cole Porter and others.

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W ednesday 27 November 2024 in The Venue, Leeds Conservatoire

Our annual lunchtime concert in partnership with Leeds International Concert Season showcasing the Academy Song Circle , 6 young singers and pianists from the Royal Academy of Music, including alumni of our Young Artists Programme.

Friday 29 November 2024 in The Venue, Leeds Conservatoire

Huw Montague Rendall baritone and Joseph Middleton piano

We were most grateful to the exciting young baritone Huw Montague Rendall for stepping in to replace an indisposed Ian Bostridge with a Leeds Song debut recital that enchanted the audience with songs by Schumann, Mahler and Vaughan Williams.

Monday 6 January 2025 in the Wesley Chapel, Harrogate

Ashley Riches bass-baritone and Joseph Middleton piano

Our annual lunchtime recital in partnership with Wesley Concerts.

Friday 7 February 2025 in the Howard Assembly Room

Louise Alder soprano, Mauro Peter tenor and Joseph Middleton piano

A superb performance of one of the most important song collections of the Romantic period – Wolf’s Italienisches Liederbuch.

Friday 14 February 2025 in The Venue, Leeds Conservatoire

Dame Sarah Connolly mezzo-soprano and Joseph Middleton piano

In a welcome return to Leeds Song, Dame Sarah Connolly was joined by our Director in a programme of songs by Schumann, Wolf, Debussy, Duparc, Britten and Samuel Barber.

Monday 24 March 2025 at Hinsley Hall, Headingley

Thomas McGowan baritone and Joseph Middleton piano

An afternoon tea recital, our annual ‘Thank you’ event for members of the Friends of Leeds Song given by an alumnus of our Young Artists Programme.

SONG, THE SECRET OF ETERNITY The 14[th] Leeds Song Festival Saturday 5 - Saturday 12 April 2025 in the Howard Assembly Room and Opera Centre, Leeds Conservatoire, the Clothworkers’ Centenary Concert Hall at the University of Leeds, Kino@HAR, The Attic, Springwell Brewery and Leeds Minster.

Song, the secret of Eternity, marked the 20[th] anniversary of the first Leeds Song Festival. Celebrating song in all its many guises, under the directorship of Joseph Middleton, this year’s Festival was our boldest and most engaging programme yet. Spanning eight energetic days, it brought music to every corner of the city as well as engaging with 100,000s online and in broadcasts. Alongside familiar venues like the Howard Assembly Room, Leeds Conservatoire and The Minster, we explored new, vibrant spaces to reach broader and more diverse audiences. Standout performances graced locations including Springwell Brewery and The Attic, a popular live music venue. We are deeply grateful to the Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation, Arts Council England, Mayfield Valley Arts Trust, The Garrick Charitable Trust, The Jean Meikle Music Trust, The Leche Trust, the Maria Björnson Memorial Fund, the Friends of Leeds Song and generous individual supporters whose backing made this expansive Festival possible—helping us connect with devoted fans and curious newcomers alike, both in-person and online.

This year, we welcomed a record number of first-time attendees, from school children to retirees and from a wide cross section of society. Highlights of our learning experiences included our inspiring Young Artists Programme, a continuation of the innovative “A Leeds Songbook”, and powerful education projects delivered across the city. Determined that financial barriers should not prevent access to our work, we kept ticket prices low, offered free admission to students and under-30s, and offered a vast array of free-to-view on-line material. Every event was recorded or live-streamed, reaching tens of thousands online. Our BBC broadcasts reached even more, and our estimated lifetime reach of media coverage this year has been calculated at 1.81 million. As always, the Festival featured world-class talent while nurturing emerging performers. With nearly 3,000 attending in person, breaking our previous best box office total by 30% and many more tuning in from afar, this year’s Festival left a lasting impression—and built a rich digital legacy for future audiences. Director Joseph Middleton produced an eclectic programme of 11 world-class recitals as well as other educational and participatory events. A total of 40 musicians and academics, both internationally acclaimed and rising stars, showcased their remarkable talents at the 2025 Festival (in addition to the

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20 Young Artists and the 20 composers and poets comprising the Composers & Poets Forum), performing a varied repertoire of works from the canon as well as new works.

Recitals featuring the finest international artists of the art-song world included Florian Boesch, Carolyn Sampson, Christoph Prégardien, Julius Drake, Louise Alder, Beth Taylor and outstanding representation of BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists past and present: Katharina Konradi, Erika Baikoff, Kitty Whately, and Kunal Lahiry.

A rare appearance of one of the finest singers of the 20th Century, our President, the great Dutch soprano Elly Ameling, as well as masterclasses from legends of the classical music world, Sir Thomas Allen and Dame Felicity Lott.

A recital featuring the world première of Seasons, a new song cycle commissioned from esteemed composer Helen Grime for the Festival in collaboration with Wigmore Hall.

A programme reflecting on LGBTQ+ rights and the Black Lives Matter movement.

An evening celebrating the link between women in music and the history of women in the brewing industry performed at a working brewery given by The Erda Ensemble.

A sold-out community ‘Bring and Sing ’choral rehearsal and performance directed by the nation ’s favourite choir master, Gareth Malone.

A day of ‘Pop performances in Selby, Barnsley and Huddersfield.

A Relaxed Lunchtime Recital welcoming everyone and especially for those looking from a more informal performance environment including people living with disabilities, autism, dementia, or other sensory and/or cognitive impairments. This event was signed by a British Sign Language Interpreter. O ur popular informal late-evening Lieder Lounge event further broke down barriers.

Workshops and a première performance of 10 new songs created for the third edition of “A Leeds Songbook” as part of the Composers & Poets Forum.

9 masterclasses (5 public and 4 in camera) and 2 showcase performances featuring the 10 singer and pianist duos enrolled in our Young Artists Programme.

5 free pre-concert talks.

An enlightening lecture recital on the songs of Schubert from renowned accompanist, scholar and Leeds Song Patron, Graham Johnson OBE.

A study event exploring Lieder by Schubert given by another Leeds Song Patron, the eminent linguist and scholar Richard Stokes, with the members of the Young Artists Programme.

SUPPORTING EMERGING AND ESTABLISHED ARTISTS

A core founding aim of Leeds Song has been to nurture and celebrate the next generation of Lieder performers. This commitment continues to shape our work as we bring exceptional talent to our audiences, presenting Rising Star recitals during both our Festivals and concert season. We are proud to maintain a valued partnership with the Schubert Institute UK, whose generous support this year enabled a series of Festival performances by ten gifted singer-pianist duos, selected through open audition to join our Young Artists Programme. This annual initiative offers emerging musicians meaningful opportunities to refine their artistry, providing the time, space, and encouragement to develop their craft within a nurturing and artistically enriching environment.

We are pleased to continue the legacy of the Leeds Song Young Artists Programme and to have engaged 5 previous participants of the scheme as part of Leeds Song’s wider programming in 2025: soprano Anusha Merrin, baritone Thomas McGowan and pianists Camille Lemonnier, Natalie Burch and Kunal Lahiry.

Developing our work on an international scale, we are proud to partner with the finest European festivals going into next season and will share programming opportunities for young artists with LiedBasel, LiedStadt Hamburg, Schubertiade Vilabertran and Heidelburger Frühling.

PRESENTING THE FINEST TALENT

In addition to the 20 Young Artists and the 20 composers and poets comprising the Composers & Poets Forum, a total of 40 musicians and academics, both internationally acclaimed and rising stars, showcased their remarkable talents at the 2025 Festival, performing a varied repertoire of works from the canon as well as new works.

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Established artists included: singers Louise Alder, Florian Boesch, Christoph Prégardien, Carolyn Sampson, and Beth Taylor, representation of BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists past and present: singers Katharina Konradi, Erika Baikoff and Kitty Whately and pianist Kunal Lahiry, and pianists Julius Drake, Joseph Middleton, Graham Johnson and Andrew West.

NURTURING THE NEXT GENERATION The Festival Young Artists Programme

We inspire and promote the next generation of performers and composers of Lieder. In addition to featuring early-stage career artists in our main artistic programmes, we provide invaluable training opportunities and performance platforms for young musicians under 30 years of age or who have graduated from universities and conservatoires in the last two academic years through our Young Artists Programme.

The 2025 Festival continued our long-standing tradition of supporting and developing young artists, with this year seeing the return of our Young Artists Programme in its continued extended format. This year we provided training sessions and performance platforms for 20 young singers and pianists aged under 30 from the UK, China, Hong Kong, Philippines, Lithuania, South Korea and Germany. We offered an immersive eight-day programme of learning and performance, featuring nine masterclasses (five public, four private), two Showcase concerts, a Study Event with Richard Stokes, a lecture recital by Graham Johnson, and a concert premièring ten new works from the Composers and Poets Forum—marking the third chapter of ‘A Leeds Songbook’, which celebrates stories from Leeds’s diverse communities.

The ten singer-pianist duos were invited to deepen their artistic and interpretive skills through masterclasses led by esteemed artists including Elly Ameling, Dame Felicity Lott, Sir Thomas Allen, Amanda Roocroft, Julius Drake, Anna Tilbrook, and actor Scott Brooksbank. These young musicians showcased their talents in formal recitals, the Study Event, and the informal late-evening Lieder Lounge, designed to create a relaxed and accessible concert experience. Across the Festival, the Young Artists performed for a combined audience of approximately 2,500, both in person and online.

Composers & Poets Forum

A Leeds Songbook

The Composers & Poets Forum invited 10 local poets to collaborate with composition students from UK conservatoires and universities to create new songs telling stories of the people of Leeds. These 10 new songs form the third instalment of ‘A Leeds Songbook’ and were workshopped and performed by the members of our Young Artists Programme as part of the Festival.

DEVELOPING A NEW AUDIENCE THROUGH INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING

The Festival’s core mission is to introduce Song to a wider audience, achieving this in part through a series of public events such as pre-concert talks, special performances and education programmes, and some in locations outside of the traditional concert hall. These lively events make the art form more accessible to new audiences. Each is designed to deepen and enhance the audience’s understanding of art song - both its meaning and performance - regardless of age or previous knowledge.

Relaxed Lunchtime Recital in the Howard Assembly Room

This Relaxed Recital featured mezzo-soprano Kitty Whately and pianist Natalie Burch in a varied programme of song repertoire, welcoming everyone especially for those looking for a more informal performance environment including people living with disabilities, autism, dementia, or other sensory and/or cognitive impairments. Audience members were offered a range of seating options from chairs to cushions and no pressure to stay still throughout the performance, sensitive lighting, open doors in case people wished to leave and return to the auditorium during the performance and a quiet area outside the performance space. They were encouraged to engage with the music in a way that felt most appropriate to them. A British Sign Language Interpreter interpreted the performance from the stage and surtitles offered the song texts and translations in English.

Performance in Springwell Brewery

The Festival opened with a live performance on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune, followed by a unique event at Springwell Brewery, where The Erda Ensemble—mezzo-soprano Martha Fontanals-Simmons, flautist Chloe Vincent, and harpist Olivia Jageurs—presented a striking programme of works by female composers. Celebrating the link between women in music and brewing, this vibrant evening transformed the brewery into an atmospheric space for song.

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Performance in The Attic

Building on the success of our 2024 nightclub event, we returned to a non-traditional setting with a powerful recital at The Attic, a grassroots gig venue in Leeds’ South Bank. Tenor Freddie Ballentine and pianist Kunal Lahiry delivered a compelling programme themed around LGBTQ+ rights and the Black Lives Matter movement, resonating deeply with the audience.

Pop-up Recitals

In the lead-up to the Festival, we brought art song directly into local communities with a day of popup recitals in partnership with the Market Cross Shopping Centre (Selby), Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council / The Glassworks, and Kirklees Council / Byram Arcade (Huddersfield). One audience member in Barnsley commented, “It’s very rare that we get to hear classical music here,” highlighting the importance of this outreach.

Community Bring and Sing

This year ’s much-loved Bring & Sing! brought together a 190-strong community choir, drawn from across Leeds and supported by our 20 Festival Young Artists. Led by choirmaster and TV personality Gareth Malone, and accompanied by Leeds Minster organist Alex Woodrow, the group rehearsed throughout the afternoon before delivering an uplifting public performance of Fauré’s Requiem.

LEARNING AND PARTICIPATION PROGRAMME

The Leeds Song Education Programme forms a key part of our wider community engagement strategy and annual Festival activity. Delivered at no cost to schools, the programme invites children and young people across the region to experience, enjoy, and perform Art Song.

We are committed to making classical music accessible to those who might not otherwise encounter it—particularly young people in communities facing social or cultural disadvantage. Our work in this area aims to inspire musical engagement both in schools and beyond. Since 2005, we have led musicbased projects in educational and community settings, with our core initiatives, Discovering Lieder and Living Lieder, taking their current shape in 2009.

During the 2024–25 academic year, we visited 36 primary and secondary schools, 7 SEND schools and 2 SEMH settings, engaging with over 1,400 students and their teachers. In June and July, we delivered 15 sessions in specialist SEND settings and to launch a new strand of work focused on students with SEND and SEMH needs, marking a significant and exciting development in our inclusive education offer.

In parallel with our in-person activity, we maintain a suite of online educational resources through the Songlines section of our website. These materials—developed and refined over several years—include song scores, worksheets, background information, and recordings, all designed to support our learning programmes. The platform continues to grow, and our three major video resources remain freely accessible and continue to attract an expanding viewership.

Thanks to ongoing support from partners including Arts Council England and West Yorkshire Music Hub, our part-time Learning & Participation Manager is able to take a proactive approach to school recruitment, working through local networks such as the West Yorkshire Music Hub to extend the reach of the programme.

The Projects

All our projects are led by creative teams of professional musicians, all professionally active as performers and music educators.

Discovering Lieder (aged 8-11)

Discovering Lieder develops young voices and invites children into the wonderful world of stories and characters found in art song.

Living Lieder (ages 11-14) The Living Lieder project enables pupils to perform art song and encourages musicianship and quality singing practices. It is an imaginatively stimulating project that develops young people’s musical and singing abilities.

Collaboration with Pyramid of Arts

The Leeds Song: Pyramid of Arts Project was delivered in spring 2025 through a valued, longstanding partnership between Leeds Song and Pyramid of Arts - an organisation supporting people with learning disabilities, autism, or both through artistic expression. Centred on the theme of ‘Happiness’, the project brought together professional musicians Philip Smith (baritone) and Jonathan

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Fisher (pianist) with two Pyramid of Arts groups based in Bramley: the High Rise Music Group and the Legends Group.

Each group received four visits from our artists, who collaborated with participants and Pyramid’s regular facilitators to explore a joyful repertoire spanning classical song and popular standards, including Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm, Feeling Good, Schubert’s Die Forelle, Singing in the Rain, and Finzi’s Who is Silvia? The High Rise Group responded through song—learning repertoire and composing original material—while the Legends Group created vibrant visual artwork, notably a series of lamps and a large banner celebrating what brings them joy.

The project culminated in a celebration event on 4 April at Archive, on Kirkstall Road, where both groups presented their creative responses. The sharing featured live performances by Philip, Jonathan, Pyramid artists, and participants, and was warmly received by an audience of carers, Friends of Leeds Song, and members of the public. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and planning is already underway for a larger-scale project in 2026–27, building on the success and spirit of this joyful collaboration.

ORGANISATION AND GOVERNANCE

Leeds Song has developed considerably as an organisation since the visionary group of friends founded the charity in 2004 and presented the first Festival the following year, and the volume of administrative work has grown significantly alongside the artistic output. In recognition of this, in January 2024, we welcomed Tristan Watson as our first full-time General Manager.

Thanks to a successful fundraising campaign in recent years spearheaded by our Director, Joseph Middleton and which attracted a significant increase in funding from some of our high-level private donors, Leeds Song now finds itself in the most secure financial position in its history.

Following our productive ACE-funded consultative project with Counterculture LLP and a Board Awayday in 2024, we invited Susanna Eastburn MBE, the Senior Partner who led both, to return to facilitate a Board strategy day in June this year. Where appropriate, some of the sessions during the day were also attended by non-trustee Committee members and staff. This strategy day will now be an annual event.

As a result, the Board approved a number of statements, desired outcomes and objectives for the next five years of Leeds Song’s development:

Our Purpose

‘We exist to welcome many more people into the joy of creating and experiencing song, expanding perceptions of the art form through inspiring and diverse programming, commissioning and international exchange; and to fill the city of Leeds with song through an annual festival, concert season and education programmes.’

Our Values

All of our work, and the ways we are with each other, are guided by the following values: Inclusive – we actively seek to ensure that more people feel welcome and included in our work through our programming, venues, communications and how we operate

Visionary – we present work of the highest artistic standard whether it is on the main stage or in a school; we seek to expand the understanding of what song can be through embracing other cultures and commissioning; we are progressive in where and how we share our work

Friendly – everybody feels welcome, whether a child at school engaged in one of our education programme, or a first time Festival attender, or a young artist performing in public for the first time Committed – we believe in our vision and mission, and are determined to ensure that audiences and participants can share and enjoy our work.

Outcomes for 2025 – 2030

Over the coming five years, Leeds Song seeks to achieve the following outcomes:

Outcome 1: An enhanced artistic reputation

Our artistic reputation is already well established, particularly through the high regard in which our Artistic Director is held by the music industry both as a musician and as a festival director. However, there is still more to do to ensure that the full breadth and quality of our artistic work is recognised more broadly, including by key funders and stakeholders, and by the wider cultural community in Yorkshire. This includes our commitment to equality and diversity in our programming, our growing work in talent development, our commissioning and nurturing of new work creation and through our highly regarded education and outreach work which brings children, young people and under-

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represented communities into an inspiring (on both sides) engagement with our work and an expanding understanding of what song is, who can create it and how it can be performed.

Outcome 2: Increased (and more diverse) audiences, in person and online

We recognise that there is both a need, and an opportunity, to increase our audiences. We engage our audiences through multiple routes including through our Festival concerts, our education and outreach programmes, through broadcasting and online. Audiences in Leeds are diverse, with many different modes of engagement with culture and many different communication preferences. We also attract national and international audiences, both to our Festival and via broadcasting and our own online content. We want to diversify our audiences, recognising the many barriers (physical, cultural, perceptual, financial to name just a few) that many potential audiences face in engaging with our work and we are determined to address them.

Outcome 3: An improved local and regional profile and reputation

At a national level, we punch above our weight, attracting artists and media coverage that many much larger organisations in the North can only wish for. However, at a local and regional level there are still many potential partners and audience members who are simply unaware of us. Our profile in the Leeds cultural ecology is growing (including through the networks of our Board) but we were not mentioned in the Leeds Cultural Strategy 2017-2030 and there is much to be gained from growing our networks and relationships in the city region and across West Yorkshire.

Outcome 4: A more resilient organisation

The appointment in January 2024 of our first full-time member of staff was a hugely significant step for Leeds Song towards more capacity and resilience, but this remains a key area of development for us. Without core funding, we are reliant on year-by-year project-based fundraising and the support of donors, and much of this work is currently carried out by the Chair and the Director with consequent high risk attached to their departure when the time comes. Our Awayday in 2024 highlighted the Board’s diverging views on the potential for income generation and lack of overall agreed strategy. Furthermore, although a key strength of Leeds Song is the commitment and passion of our staff and Board, we recognise that we may not have access to all the skills we need. We also know that part of resilience is having a clearer shared sense of longer-term direction and strategy – to which this business plan is making an important contribution.

Our objectives for 2025-2030

We have set ourselves the following objectives, which support the outcomes (and, ultimately, our Purpose) in the framework on the next page. Each of these Objectives has one or more Key Performance Indicators against which we shall monitor our progress at quarterly Board meetings.

These Outcomes and Objectives align strongly with the Leeds Culture Strategy 2020-30, the Leeds Children and Young People’s Plan 2023-28 and the ACE Let’s Create Strategy 2020-30

KEEPING IN TOUCH

During the year, Joseph Middleton made several appearances on the BBC Radio 3 drive-time programme, In Tune. Subscribers to our mailing list and members of the Friends of Leeds Lieder received regular e-newsletters and occasional mailings by post, although we now try to keep the

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latter to a minimum. In the interests of sustainability, we made every effort to minimize the use of printed brochures and programmes while bearing in mind that there are those who either cannot access materials online or who prefer not to do so. Supporters were able to download promotional brochures and concert programmes from our website free of charge, and we provided QR codes at Festival venues to facilitate access to them. We also maintained a lively presence on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.

PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS

Special thanks are due to our principal partners: the Howard Assembly Room, Leeds Conservatoire, Leeds International Concert Season, the University of Leeds and Leeds Minster. Alongside our continuing partnerships with Shigeru Kawaii and Wesley Concerts, Harrogate, we have forged prestigious new alliances with LiedBasel, LiedStadt Hamburg, Schubertiade Vilabertran and Heidelburger Frűhling.

We are, as always, extremely grateful to Arts Council England, the West Yorkshire Music Hub, the Mayfield Valley Arts Trust, The Liz & Terry Bramall Foundation, the Jean Meikle Music Trust, the Maria Bjȍrnson Memorial Fund, the Garrick Charitable Trust, the Leche Trust, the Scops Arts Trust and the other charitable trusts and foundations that provide generous financial support; to our unfailingly generous Friends and other private donors; and to the volunteers, not least the Trustees and Committee members, together with Dr Hannah Stone, the Poets Convenor and Prof Martin Iddon, the Composers Convenor, and the student Festival volunteers and education project shadows from Leeds and York Universities and Leeds Conservatoire, all of whom give unstintingly of their time and talents. Last, but most certainly by no means least, we owe a huge debt of gratitude to our inspirational Director, Joseph Middleton and our dedicated small team of staff, without whom none of our work would be possible.

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Docusign Envelope ID: D1A34308-FE8E-4A27-A624-88C5D61EEB97

LEEDS LIEDER+ TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

FINANCIAL REVIEW

RESULTS FOR THE YEAR

The results for the year are set out in the Statement of Financial Activities on page 15 of the accounts, which follow this report.

Income in the year was £342,164. Expenditure for the year amounted to £342,562 resulting in a deficit for the year of £398.

Income during the year was principally provided by friends, via the Friends scheme, including in-kind donations (13%), private donors (21%), both supplemented by Gift Aid where appropriate, Trusts and Foundations (39%), Arts Council (14%) and performance box office and miscellaneous activities (13%).

RESERVES

The Board’s policy is to retain sufficient income to meet future revenue commitments, particularly at a time when future income is uncertain. As Leeds Lieder’s expenditure is project based and projects are not undertaken until funding is in place the Board has set a target level of reserves of £5,000 as a provision against winding-up costs only. It is the Board’s intention to build up the reserves in order to ensure that the festival can continue in the event of the fundraising target not being achieved. The reserves as at 31 August 2025 amount to £151,860

MAJOR RISKS

The principal risk to the company remains the ability to raise sufficient funds to enable the promotion of the Leeds Lieder Festival and sustain a programme of concert-giving in the periods between festivals. The Trustees manage these risks by constant fund raising.

PUBLIC BENEFIT

The Board has had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit when preparing this statement. The charitable aims are set out in the objectives and activities paragraphs. The Board considers this satisfies the public benefit criteria in a manner that is not unduly restrictive geographically or by class of beneficiary. There is no private benefit obtained as a result of the Charity’s activities.

VOLUNTEERS

The Board acknowledges with gratitude the work and commitment of the volunteers who willingly give their time to the considerable benefit of the Charity.

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Docusign Envelope ID: D1A34308-FE8E-4A27-A624-88C5D61EEB97

LEEDS LIEDER+ TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES STATEMENT

The Trustees (who are also directors of Leeds Lieder+ for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial period, which give 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 these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

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

On behalf of the Board

Kathleen Evans, Chair

Date: 18 February 2026

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Docusign Envelope ID: D1A34308-FE8E-4A27-A624-88C5D61EEB97

LEEDS LIEDER+

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Leeds Lieder+

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the company for the year ended 31 August 2025 which are set out on pages 15 to 22.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your company’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

  4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities.

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

TC Group 6 Queen St. Leeds LS1 2TW

23/2/2026

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Docusign Envelope ID: D1A34308-FE8E-4A27-A624-88C5D61EEB97

LEEDS LIEDER+

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT)

Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
funds funds 2024/25 2023/24
£ £ £ £
Income:
Donations 2 244,211 52,780 296,991 327,790
Charitable activities 3 34,220 8,347 42,567 31,563
Investments 4 2,606 - 2,606 2,089
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Total income 281,037 61,127 342,164 361,442
===== ===== ===== =====
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities 5 221,960 61,127 283,087 238,707
Raising funds 6 59,475 - 59,475 42,224
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Total expenditure 281,435 61,127 342,562 280,931
===== ===== ===== =====
Net income -398 - -398 80,511
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought forward 152,258 - 152,258 71,747
---------- ---------- ---------- -----------
Total funds carried forward 15 151,860 - 151,860 152,258
===== ===== ===== ======

All income and expenditure derives from continuing activities.

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised during the period.

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Docusign Envelope ID: D1A34308-FE8E-4A27-A624-88C5D61EEB97

LEEDS LIEDER+

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

BALANCE SHEET

BALANCE SHEET
2024/25 2023/24
Note £ £
Current assets
Debtors & prepayments 11 15,085 10,197
Cash at bank & in hand 139,935 209,741
--------- ---------
155,020 219,938
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 12 3,160 67,680
------- ---------
Net current liabilities 3,160 67,680
------- ----------
Total assets less current liabilities 151,860 152,258
===== ====
Charity Funds
Restricted funds 13 - -
Unrestricted funds 13 151,860 152,258
--------- ---------
Total charity funds 14 151,860 152,258
===== ====

The company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act relating to small companies; and

The directors acknowledge their responsibility for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Board.

Signed on behalf of the Board of Trustees

……………………………..

Kathleen Evans, Chair

19/2/2026

The notes on pages 17 to 22 form part of these financial statements.

Company registration number: 05177020

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Docusign Envelope ID: D1A34308-FE8E-4A27-A624-88C5D61EEB97

LEEDS LIEDER+

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

1 Summary of significant accounting policies

(a) General information and basis of preparation

Leeds Lieder+ is a registered Charity and a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England & Wales. In the event of the Charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £10 per member of the Charity. The address of the registered office is given in the Charity information in the Charity information section of these financial statements. The nature of the Charity’s operations and principal activities are given in the Trustees Report.

The Charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (October 2019), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006 and UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.

The financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis under the historical cost convention, modified to include certain items at fair value. The financial statements are presented in sterling which is the functional currency of the charity. The significant accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all periods presented unless otherwise stated.

(b) Funds

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the Charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.

Designated funds comprise restricted funds that have been set aside by the Trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the Charity for particular purposes. The cost of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

(c) Income recognition

All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when the Charity is legally entitled to the income after any performance conditions have been met, the amount can be measured reliably and it is probable that the income will be received.

For donations to be recognised the Charity will have been notified of the amounts and the settlement date in writing. If there are conditions attached to the donation and this requires a level of performance before entitlement can be obtained then income is deferred until those conditions are fully met or the fulfilment of those conditions is within the control of the Charity and it is probable that they will be fulfilled.

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Docusign Envelope ID: D1A34308-FE8E-4A27-A624-88C5D61EEB97

LEEDS LIEDER+

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

(c) Income recognition (continued)

Donated facilities and donated professional services are recognised in income at their fair value when their economic benefit is probable, it can be measured reliably and the Charity has control over the item. Fair value is determined on the basis of the value of the gift to the Charity. For example, the amount the Charity would be willing to pay in the open market for such facilities and services. A corresponding amount is recognised in expenditure.

No amount is included in the financial statements for volunteer time in line with the SORP (FRS 102). Further detail is given in the Trustees’ Annual Report.

The Charity receives government grants. Income from government and other grants is recognised at fair value when the charity has entitlement after any performance conditions have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably. If entitlement is not met then these amounts are deferred.

(d) Expenditure recognition

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Expenditure is recognised where there is a legal or constructive obligation to make payments to third parties, it is probable that the settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

(e) Support costs allocation

Support costs are those that assist the work of the Charity but do not directly represent charitable activities and include office costs, governance costs and administrative payroll costs. They are incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the Charity. Where support costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to cost of raising funds and expenditure on charitable activities on a basis consistent with use of the resources.

Fund-raising costs are those incurred in seeking voluntary contributions and include the costs of disseminating information in support of the charitable activities.

The analysis of these costs is included in note 7.

(f) Debtors and creditors receivable/payable within one year

Debtors and creditors with no stated interest rate and receivable or payable within one year are recorded at transaction price. Any losses arising from impairment are recognised in expenditure.

(g) Provisions

Provisions are recognised when the Charity has an obligation at the balance sheet date as a result of a past event, it is probable that an outflow of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount can be reliably estimated.

(h) Tax

The Charity is an exempt Charity within the meaning of schedule 3 of the Charities Act 2011 and is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes.

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LEEDS LIEDER+

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

(i) Going concern

The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis. The Trustees have considered the level of funds held and the expected level of income and expenditure for 12 months from authorising these financial statements.

2 Income from donations and legacies

2024/25 2023/24
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
£ £ £ £
Friends 4,555 27,780 32,335 28,212
Crowd funding - - - 20,878
Gift Aid Tax Recoverable 18,843 - 18,843 26,407
Trusts & Foundations & Local Authorities 112,500 20,000 132,500 84,000
Commission Sponsors - 5,000 5,000 5,000
Other private donors 53,333 - 53,333 108,333
Arts Council 49,500 - 49,500 48,000
Donations in kind 5,480 - 5,480 6,460
----------- ---------- ----------- ------------
244,211 52,780 296,991 327,790
===== ==== ===== =====

In the comparative period £58,413 related to restricted funds.

3 Income from charitable activities

2024/25 2023/24
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
£ £ £ £
Ticket sales 34,220 - 34,220 23,429
Young Artists Programme 8,347 8,347 8.000
Miscellaneous sales - - - 134
-------- ------- -------- ---------
34,220 8,347 42,567 31,563
===== ==== ==== =====
Income from investments
2024/25 2023/24
£ £
Bank Interest 2,606 2,089
------- --------

4 Income from investments

All Income from investments was attributable to unrestricted funds.

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Docusign Envelope ID: D1A34308-FE8E-4A27-A624-88C5D61EEB97

LEEDS LIEDER+

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

5 Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities

2024/25 2023/24
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
£ £ £ £
Artists fees 65,701 26,024 91,725 79,317
Venue and piano hire and tuning 68,787 - 68,787 58,287
Learning & Participation project costs - 35,103 35,103 27,487
Staff costs 62,098 - 62,098 43,328
Other expenses 16,362 - 16,362 15,814
Support costs 9,012 - 9,012 14,474
-------- --------- ------- ---------
221,960 61,127 283,087 238,707
====== ===== ===== ======
6 Analysis of expenditure on fundraising
2024/25 2023/24
Fundraising consultant 6,398 8,179
Staff costs 15,168 10,640
Marketing and Media support 10,130 4,818
Publicity, brochures and programmes 25,035 15,748
Support costs 2,744 2,839
-------- ---------
59,475 42,224
==== =====

7 Analysis of expenditure on support costs

Charitable Raising Total Total
Activities Funds 2024/25 2023/24
£ £ £ £
Finance 84 21 105 356
Information technology 855 214 1,069 3,794
Office costs - 1,356 1,356 3,748
Other administration costs 2,989 1,154 4,143 2,933
Governance 5,084 - 5,084 6,482
-------- -------- -------- --------
9,012 2,745 11,757 17,313
===== ===== ===== =====

8 Analysis of expenditure on governance costs

Analysis of expenditure on governance costs
Total Total
2024/25 2023/24
£ £
Independent examiners remuneration 2,640 1,680
Counterculture fees and expenses 746 4,118
Other administration costs 1,698 684
------- -------
5,084 6,482
==== ====

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Docusign Envelope ID: D1A34308-FE8E-4A27-A624-88C5D61EEB97

LEEDS LIEDER+

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

9 Trustees' and key management personnel remuneration and expenses

The trustees and key management personnel received remuneration totalling £75,484 (2023/24 £53,201) during the period. Expenses totalling £1,730 (2023/24: £2,212) were reimbursed to trustees and key management personnel.

10 Staff costs and employee benefits

The average monthly number of employees and full time equivalent (FTE) during the period was as follows:

2025 2024
Number Number
4 part-time employees 2 FTE 1.5 FTE
==== ====
The total staff costs and employee benefits were as follows:
2025 2024
£ £
Wages and salaries 75,484 53,201
Employer’s pension and NI contributions 1,782 767
--------- ---------
77,266 53,968
===== =====

No employees received total employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs) of more than £60,000.

11 Debtors

11 Debtors
2024/25
 2023/24
£ £
Other debtors 15,085 8,600
Prepayments - 1,597
--------- ---------
15,085 10,197
===== =====
12 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
and deferred income
2024/25 2023/24
£ £
Deferred income - 65,000
Accruals 3,160 2,680
--------- -------
3,160 67,680
==== ====

13 Fund reconciliation

Fund reconciliation
Brought Carried
forward Income Expenditure forward
£ £ £ £
Unrestricted 152,258 281,037 281,435 151,860
Restricted - 61,127 61,127 -
---------- ----------- ----------- ---------
152,258 342,164 342,562 151,860
===== ===== ===== =====

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Docusign Envelope ID: D1A34308-FE8E-4A27-A624-88C5D61EEB97

LEEDS LIEDER+

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

14 Fund descriptions

a) Unrestricted funds

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the Charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.

b) Restricted funds

Restricted funds were received, and expended, within the reported year, specifically to support the Young Artists programme, the Learning & Participation programme and the composers’ fees and performance of the commissioned work.

15 Analysis of net assets between funds

Analysis of net assets between funds
Unrestricted
 Restricted
£ £
Current assets 15,085
 -
Cash and current investments 139,935 -
Current liabilities (3,160) -
---------- ----------
Total 151,860 -
===== =====

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