## **OBLIQUE ARTS** ## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period From 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2023 Charity name: Oblique Arts Charity registration number: 1142653** This year the charity has income of £50,136 with restricted grant income of £22,762. Funds were carried forward from previous year. Expenditure £73,410. Accounts have been externally audited. ## **Objectives and Activities** Oblique Arts works with communities to deliver innovative arts-based outcomes. We provide unique creative workshops with communities and individuals (often young people) to inspire and educate. We use the arts to explore important questions around sustainable futures and encourage critical thinking and creative action. We work with hard-to-reach communities (including GRT), which would not usually have access to arts engagement. We consider the arts in the broadest sense, including creative thinking and new methodologies to address problems. The projects allow for empowerment of the communities we work with, giving them a “voice” where once they had none. We support up to 12 freelance artists, a coordinator and have 8 to 12 volunteers. We work on partnership projects, both nationally and internationally. We offer training for our artist/tutors. ## **Objects:** **T** o deliver arts projects for the benefit of communities, particularly those who are disadvantaged and lack access to the arts. To curate exhibitions, shows and events. To manage community projects with a view to sustainability and environmental awareness. To raise funding for the charity. To raise awareness about the practice & innovation of art and related activities in the community. To access training and development for the benefit of artists and volunteers. To work in partnership with related interest organisations to benefit communities and artists. To promote accessibility and inclusivity in events, activities, exhibitions and workshops. ## **Reporting Public Benefit** The trustees have considered the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit. Our annual report details activities that further the charity’s purposes for the public benefit. In particular, the annual report also addresses the two key principles by which we will assess public benefit: 1) There must be an identifiable benefit or benefits which have been evaluated. - 2) Benefit must be to the public, or a section of the public, particularly the disadvantaged communities that we work with. ## **Achievements and Performance** This year we have delivered projects to: teenagers facing economic and other hardships, older participants facing isolation and our Neuro-diverse community. Peer support groups have continued, particularly with our Neuro-diverse participants. This work was supported by the Cambridge City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council. Our ‘Creative Curiosity Walks’ in the countryside around Cambridge have been very popular. This year we also began working on our ‘Music for Wellbeing’ group, very successfully. Exhibitions included Intuitive Nature at Richmond Road, Cambridge. We delivered Eco Fashion Workshops with Cambridgeshire Library Services, Celebrated music in Romsey Town, Cambridge with outdoor summer events and delivered the Arts for Cambridge Folk Festival. Other Festival delivery included the Food for the Planet Festival at the Museum of Technology and the Wall of Love at the Cambridge Strawberry Fair. Also the Long Road College ‘Wellbeing for Teens’ festival invited us back. The Re-Think Fashion show enabled us to present an alternative look at the world of fashion. This year we took it to London to the Art Bypass Gallery. It was a glam event highlighting the option to upcycle in the fashion world. Our Advocacy Project with the GRT community has continued supporting Travellers facing a range of issues from evictions to schooling and discrimination. We worked the GRT research group at Essex University. This is part of a longer term aim to offer Health Care via a community of practice informed by the GRT community. Our peers, Friends, Families & Travellers, Gypsy Council and the Showman’s Guild continue to work with us. In October we delivered the highly popular Haverhill Halloween Arts Trail. With over 2000 visitors it was a wonderful challenge for us, terrifying for us and the audience and well received. Again we planted 400 trees again this year and continue our commitment to environmental responsibility. During 2023 we have prepared a detailed application to the Arts Council to be a Portfolio Organisation from 2023-2026, which has been successful. We move into delivery as an NPO and have many more opportunities and long term financial support. Our work was covered in the press and media. Nick Mulvey is now our Patron and we are very pleased about that. Participant numbers: Direct participants: 1422 Audience totals: 16,149 Online engagement: 44600 ## **Financial Review** Income for this period: £50,136. Restricted grant funding of £28,880 and unrestricted income of £22,762 The Accounts The accounts include a Statement of Financial Activities, a Balance Sheet and notes to the accounts. The Statement of Financial Activities distinguishes between the unrestricted and restricted funds Statement on Reserves Policy: The large portion of our income is ‘Restricted’ and is therefore applied only to set-aside projects. As a general rule, 10% of this restricted income is used to pay unrestricted running costs (as listed in the accounts expenditure above) so that the charity can function. Some of the income we receive is as a commission or unrestricted grant to carry out a particular project(s), and on occasions we are able to complete the project(s) with money in hand. This enables us to build up a modest unrestricted reserve which can help with running costs and also any potential overspend on projects in the future or other unanticipated costs or opportunities eg where we have to provide unrestricted contributions in order to access grant monies. We aim to keep at least £10,000 in unrestricted funds therefore. ## **Structure, Governance and Management** Description: Oblique Arts is a charity registered with the Charity Commission in 2011. Registration number **1142653.** It is governed by a deed of trust. ## Organisational structure The charity trustees are responsible for the general control and management of the charity. The trustees give their time freely and receive no remuneration or other financial benefits. The trustees are responsible for all decisions taken in relation to running of Oblique Arts and the activities provided by the charity. The management committee, comprising Chair, Secretary and Treasurer manage the smooth running of the charity. The Co-ordinator is responsible for administration, fundraising and project organisation. A bookkeeper oversees day-to-day finance. A media manager oversees publicity and marketing for the charity and for projects. ## Recruitment and appointment of trustees: The existing trustees are responsible for the recruitment of new trustees in consultation with management and other members of the charity. In selecting new trustees, we seek to identify people who regularly attend events and take an active interest in the work organised by the charity and have skills to share. They demonstrate that they are willing to volunteer to help in our broader work with communities. Potential trustees are invited to attend events and activities. They are appointed at the AGM. ## Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities The charity trustees are responsible for preparing an annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the charity trustees to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are required to: - select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP; - make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; - prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business. The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 1993, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The trustees for the purposes of charity law who served during the year and up to the date of this report are set out here. ## **Reference and Administrative details** Charity’s principal address: 14 Cockburn Street, Cambridge. CB1 3NB ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** Peter Torak appointed 10th June 2020. Amanda Gawthrope and Julian Pickles appointed June 2022. ## **Management committee 2022/3** **Chair:** Karen Kellet **Secretary** : Penny Sobr **Treasurer:** Simon Buchan **Name of Coordinator:** Beverley Carpenter ## **Declarations** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees Signature (s)** **Full Name Julian Pickles** **Position Date Trustee 14.9.23** ## OBLIQUE ARTS Charity Number 1142653 Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2023 ## Contents Receipts and Payments accounts for the year ended 31st March 2023 Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at 31st March 2023 ## **OBLIQUE ARTS (Charity Number 1142653)** **Receipts and Payments accounts for the year ended 31st March 2023** ## **OBLIQUE ARTS (Charity Number 1142653)** **Receipts and Payments accounts for the year ended 31st March 2023** ## **OBLIQUE ARTS (Charity Number 1142653)** ## **Receipts and Payments accounts for the year ended 31st March 2023** The organisation has no recognised gains and losses other than those represented in the surplus above and therefore no separate statement of total gains and losses has been presented. All activities are continuing, there have been no acquisitions or disposals during the year. ## **OBLIQUE ARTS (Charity Number 1142653)** **Receipts and Payments accounts for the year ended 31st March 2023** ## **STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AS AT 31ST MARCH 2023** ## **Statement on Reserves Policy:** The large portion of our income is ‘Restricted’ and is therefore applied only to set-aside projects. As a general rule, 10% of this restricted income is used to pay unrestricted running costs (as listed in the accounts expenditure above) so that the charity can function. Some of the income we receive is as a commission or unrestricted grant to carry out a particular project(s), and on occasions we are able to complete the project(s) with money in hand. This enables us to build up a modest unrestricted reserve which can help with running costs and also any potential overspend on projects in the future or other unanticipated costs or opportunities eg where we have to provide unrestricted contributions in order to access grant monies. The financial statements were signed by trustee: Julian Pickles OBLIQUE ARTS th AGM Date: ...17 June 2023......... ## **Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Oblique Arts** I report on the accounts of Oblique Arts (Charity Number 1142653) for the year ended 31/03/2023. ## _**Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**_ The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. You consider that an audit is not required (under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts following the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners (under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act), and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. ## _**Basis of examiner’s statement**_ My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts. ## _**Independent examiner’s unqualified statement**_ In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act have not been met, or to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Annemie Philips (ACCA 3199855) 9 Linden Road, Hampton, TW12 2JG Signed ...... Date.. th 25 September 2023