2021-04-05-accounts

Charitable Incorporated Organisation (Foundation)

Report and Financial Statements Year ending 5 April 2021

Charity number 1161841

Report of the trustees for the year ending 5 April 2021

The trustees are pleased to present their annual report together with the statement of financial activity for the charity for the year ending 5 April 2021.

AIMS AND PURPOSES

Drunken Chorus is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, established to:

• Promote, for public benefit, the advancement in, creation of and engagement in the arts:

• -Primarily in (but not limited to) London (including the outer boroughs);

-Particularly in (but not limited to) the fields of theatre, live art and film;

-Including specific provision for emerging artists, young people, disabled, learning disabled and autistic artists and participants, deaf and hard of hearing artists and audiences and other groups (particularly in the outer boroughs) who may have multiple barriers to accessing arts activities.

OBJECTIVES AND AIMS

Drunken Chorus is committed to enabling as many people as possible to access high quality,

engaging, challenging and boundary pushing theatre and performance.

The charity aims to achieve this by:

� Presenting an accessible and inclusive festival of theatre, dance and cabaret (A Bit Of A Do) each year in the London Borough of Croydon.

� Creating original and accessible performance work for audiences throughout the UK and abroad (mainly for studio theatre spaces).

� Supporting emerging artists to create new work, through financial and in-kind support, such as advice, mentoring and training programmes, with an emphasis on disabled artists and underrepresented artists.

� Programming the work of both emerging and established artists in public spaces, such as public houses and outdoor spaces.

� Designing and implementing creative programmes for groups such as disabled and learningdisabled and autistic people. These may include (but not limited to) regular workshops, one off performance projects or mini festivals.

COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The year ending 5 April 2021 has been a notable year for the organisation, due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. This has had a number of key impacts on the organisations work over the last 12 months:

• Charitable activity in general has been reduced;

• All in person activity / activity in physical spaces, including A Bit Of A Do festival and workshop / participatory programmes, were cancelled for the entire year;

• The ��������� activity was focused on supporting artists (particularly disabled, learning disabled, autistic, deaf, visually impaired and neurodiverse artists) during the pandemic, specifically our new support programme, A Glimmer;

• An additional focus was placed on strategic fundraising, in order to build reserves and increase resilience in preparation for the following financial year, and to place the organisation in a strong position as we emerge from the pandemic.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

In the financial period April 2020 to April 2021:

• We have moved DISCO DISCO - a theatre company of artists with learning disabilities � to an online format (Zoom). After missing the Summer and Autumn terms of the year due to the �

• pandemic, we trialled running the sessions online for the Spring term (January April 2021). The trial was successful and participants reported that, whilst they find Zoom technology difficult and stressful, they continued to find the sessions a positive activity. Due to core funds in place from Didymus and the Schroder Charity Trust, we were able to cover the cost of running this trial online term despite the financial impact of the pandemic.

• We have worked collaboratively with Club Soda on their SoDaDa event. Drunken Chorus were commissioned to design a toolkit for other artists on the project, as well as performing at online events.

• Unfortunately, the pandemic forced us to cancel A Bit Of A Do festival in 2020. This was due to two key factors: the pausing of all Arts Council England funding; and the issues around public safety. Whilst other organisations and festivals chose to present their programmes in a digital format, we felt that this was not the right thing to do for A Bit Of A Do, and instead chose to focus on how the festival, and the way we support artists can change in the future in response to the pandemic (see below).

• We ran a new project called A Glimmer, supporting 20 artists working in all performancebased artforms, and at any stage of their career, who felt that the pandemic was having a negative impact on their ability to make work.

• �

• Worked with 36 artists, including 16 artists with disabilities as guest speakers, masterclass artists, advisors, consultants and collaborators.

• Worked with 25 participants with disabilities, including artists and local community members.

• Engaged or collaborated with 32 different arts organisations and/or independent arts professionals.

PROJECTS:

DISCO DISCO � Our theatre company of adults with learning disabilities

DISCO DISCO was placed on hold at the start of the financial year, due to the impact of Covid19. We resumed the group at the start of 2021, using Zoom as an online digital platform for the workshops. This will continue in the Spring term of 2021, until we are satisfied it is safe and sensible to resume in person workshops.

DISCO DISCO was funded by grants from The Schroder Charity Trust and Didymus.

Future: In 2021/22 we will continue working with the group online for Spring, with a view to resuming in-person sessions in the Autumn. We also plan to begin two new groups (originally planned for 2020/21) at the start of 2022.

A BIT OF A DO 2020

Unfortunately, the pandemic forced us to cancel A Bit Of A Do festival in 2020. Whilst other organisations and festivals chose to present their programmes in a digital format, we felt that this was not the right thing to do for A Bit Of A Do, and instead chose to focus on how the festival, and the way we support artists can change in the future in response to the pandemic. � We have done this partly through our new artist support programme A Glimmer (See below).

A Glimmer was both a project to support artists to continue making work during the pandemic, as well as a way to explore what A Bit Of A Do Festival could and should look like post-Covid. Throughout the project we consulted artists and professionals, and encouraged discussions on the future of the sector. Through doing this we identified three key areas of focus for developing the festival in 2021, much of which is pertinent to our wider programmes:

Covid safety

Artists raised the key concern of Covid safety based on a number of reasons:

• SAFETY FOR ARTISTS: It was cited as of primary importance that events and venues feel safe for artists who are taking part. This is especially for artists who are clinically vulnerable, or may experience anxiety due to risks associated with Covid. In response to this we have included a £3,000 Covid safety contingency in the budget, to be used to ensure the venue is kept safe, based on guidance and restrictions at the time of the festival. We will also adhere to all guidance around social distancing and safe venue capacities, and provide any and all safety equipment as appropriate. We will also consult with all participating artists, to check what we can do to ensure they are safe, and help them feel comfortable in the venue.

• SAFTEY FOR AUDIENCES: As with artists, it is a major concern for audiences to feel safe attending an event due to the pandemic. Audiences will be offered an opportunity to ask questions and register any Covid safety concerns at the time of booking, or to request a conversation with a member of the festival team in advance of their visit to the venue.

Digital content as way of widening access

Through discussions with artist participants and guest speakers, we came to the realisation that a positive to come out of the last 18 months was that digital and online work was reaching audiences who cannot normally attend physical venues. In some cases this may be people who are vulnerable to Covid, or anxious or concerned about coming to a venue due to the pandemic; others may have already been unable to attend an arts venue or event in person, for reasons related to disability, mental health, or geographical location.

Artists said they hoped that digital and online work would continue into the future regardless of pandemic restrictions and risks, as a way of ensuring those who cannot attend events in person can continue to access arts events. As such, we have committed to presenting a digital programme alongside our live programme at the festival for all future instalments. This will include work made specifically for digital platforms, alongside live work adapted or streamed for online audiences.

We will also encourage other organisations to follow suit and present work online, and outside of the confines of physical venues.

Accessibility

Access and inclusion is always an important part of Drunken �������� work. One of the aims of A Glimmer was to develop accessibility for Disabled, Visually Impaired and Deaf and Hard of Hearing audiences and artists using digital platforms. There are unique challenges to implementing British Sign Language, captions and audio description on platforms such as Zoom and YouTube, that are very different to live performance. We significantly developed our understanding in this area, and feel significantly more confident to implement this for the digital element of the festival.

Artist support

The supported artists were consulted extensively on how venues, festivals and artists could better support them as we emerge from the Covid Pandemic. The key areas relevant for the festival were:

• Covid Safety for Artists (see above).

• �

• Ensuring Artists Are Paid All artists at A Bit Of A Do 2021 will be paid an appropriate fee for their work.

• Long-term support (not just ��������� nights) � We will provide commissioning opportunities and ongoing artist support programmes associated with the festival, and �

• are committed to increasing this strand of our work moving forward adapting the festival to a more commissioning focused model, over the coming years.

• Accessible support and development opportunities � We will embed access across all of the festival, including (but not limited to) accessible application processes, accessible venue, BSL interpreters, staff trained to support visually impaired artists and audiences.

The findings above are all influencing the design of the festival in 2021, and the organisation believes this will lead to a stronger, more robust festival model, that works well for the people it is designed for.

A Glimmer

A Glimmer was an artist support programme designed as a direct response to the Covid-19 Pandemic, and the barriers and challenges that the crisis created and/or intensified for artists. The project was designed to support 20 artists working in all performance-based artforms, and at any stage of their career, who felt that the pandemic was having a negative impact on their ability to make work, stay creative and sustain a career in the arts.

�� his really was an important and enriching experience for me and my work. � [Participating artist]

����� genuinely found this such a supportive and uplifting experience and feel inspired to keep moving forward with my projects �� [Participating artist]

The project took place over five months in 2021, and included:

• 10 weekly Zoom Sessions, composed of:

• 7 sessions with guest speakers

• 4 sessions of advice, mentoring and programme support

• 3 Peer Support Windows

• Weekly Goal Setting & Check-In

• 5 Group Discussion Seminars

• 2 Work Sharing Events

• 2 one-to-one sessions for each artist

• An online artist community space, for exchanging ideas, sharing opportunities, and peer-support.

OUTCOMES:

• 100% of artists reported feeling better equipped to make work at the end of the project than at the start � with an average increase of 3 points (out of ten).

• 40% participants identified as disabled

• 85% of artists shared new work as part of the programme. Some of these in a private group sharing, and others for invited audiences. All work was shown online on digital platforms, including Zoom and YouTube. Many of the participants found this challenging, due to a lack of experience working with technology and digital formats, but all artists reported feeling more confident presenting work online afterwards. This is an important outcome and point of learning �

• from the programme showing that many artists do not feel equipped to make the leap to online performance platforms, and will require support in the future if digital performance is to grow and reach audiences who cannot attend venues in person.

• 40% of artists said they had secured opportunities as a result of the project. This has included paid work, performances and opportunities.

• A further 15% said they were confident that they would receive opportunities as a direct or indirect result of the project.

• 100% of artists reported feeling better connected after taking part in the project. They were asked to rate how connected they felt on a scale of 1 to 10 at the start and end of the project, and this showed an average increase of 2 out of 10 at the end of the project.

• 90% of artists reported feeling more resilient after the project, with an average increase of 2.5 (out of ten).

• �

• Findings from the project are directly influencing future plans for artists support programmes both as part of A Bit Of A Do festival, and the organisations wider programme of work (see ��������� ��������� and ������� below).

• Findings, feedback and consultation outcomes have been used to begin planning the 2021 A Bit Of A Do Festival (see ������� on A Bit Of A Do ��������� below).

• We have submitted an application for funding from Arts Council England for the festival, and all other match funding is now in place.

BRITISH SIGN LANGUAGE / DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING AUDIENCES AND ARTISTS

We have continued to work with British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters and members of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community to make our work more accessible. This year we have particularly focused on BSL for A Glimmer, working with BSL consultant Becky Barry and Clare Edwards, to make 100% of the programme accessible to deaf artists. One supported artist on the project, and three of the guest artists were Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

An additional outcome from incorporating BSL into A Glimmer was that supported artists learned ways in which to incorporate access into their work. This is becoming a key feature of our work � advocating for arts and culture in the UK to be more accessible, and giving experience, knowledge and inspiration for artists and professionals to help make that happen.

Future: For A Bit Of A Do 2021 we plan to work with interpreters again to make the entire programme, including workshops, accessible to Deaf and Hard of Hearing audiences. We also plan to increase the number of Deaf and Hard of Hearing artists in the programme, and to work with a deaf consultant alongside Becky Barry, who will focus on ensuring our provision is suitable for Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities and that we able to reach them with marketing and publicity.

VISUALLY IMPAIRED AUDIENCES AND ARTISTS

We are continuing to expand our access and inclusion provision for visually impaired artists and audiences, with the aim of making this as extensive and high-quality as our provision for Deaf and Hard of Hearing audiences and artists. We took advice from Vocaleyes to ensure A Glimmer would be accessible to visually impaired artists. We included audio description, selfdescription from all speakers and supported other artists to ensure their work was accessible. One of the participating supported artists is visually impaired, and they were also able to give us feedback and advice in order for us to improve the access provision. This provided an excellent opportunity to develop this area of our work ahead of the festival in 2021, so that we can programme and plan the event to be more accessible to visually impaired audiences.

FINANCE

Income

This year saw a reduction in annual income, from £44,198 in 2019/20, to £32,510. This is largely due to the impact of Covid 19, as we estimate approximately £20-25,000 of likely funding was lost due to the pandemic. Unrestricted income accounted for approximately 40% of total income � a significant increase from 25% in the previous year. This represents what the organisation is doing to increase unrestricted income, diversify funds and become more sustainable and resilient.

Expenditure

� Approximately 80% of expenditure this year has gone directly to charitable activities primarily DISCO DISCO and artist support programmes. The majority of the remaining 20% has been

spent on strategic and development work, primarily fundraising in preparation for 2021/22 as a pandemic recovery year.

Future

2020/21 presented a significant challenge to the charity due to the COVID-19 crisis. However, our response to this has been robust and well considered, and we have been able to focus our efforts on strategy and recovery. This has put us the organisation in a strong position for the � next financial year, and we are now predicting a turnover in excess of £80,000 in 2021/22 doubling our annual turnover.

Reserves Policy

We have established a reserves policy, set out to cover 6 months operational costs.

These reserves are ringfenced to provide stability in the event of: unforeseen costs or emergencies; falls in income / grant funding; the need to spend funds on projects before funding is received; any decision to permanently close down the charity.

Reserve amounts are calculated to cover 6 months of running / core costs, including, but not limited to: public and employers liability insurance; email / website hosting costs; membership fees; legal costs; expenses for trustee meetings; staff training; DBS checks.

As a small charity, we have no fixed premises, and no salaried staff. Therefore, such costs are not included when calculating reserve amounts.

Current reserves are set at £7,000.

The reserve policy will be reviewed every 6 months.

TRUSTEES

The board of trustees met three times during the financial period of 5th April 2020 to 5th April 2021.

Charity trustees during this period were:

Dan Farrell Nicky Selwyn Stephen Coltrane (Treasurer) Cathy Naden (Chair)

Directors: Chris Williams and Sheena Holliday

DRUNKEN CHORUS ststement of Financlal Actlyltles Year EndSng 5 Aprll 2021 Total last y•ar Incomins re$ourcS Incornlng resourugfro Z58 stsMoryllnabLUbon￿OTrn B.SSO 5.750 12.5 18.550 12.81 thatilabkn herln¢omlry re¥oyr Totalincomin9 rosorii¢ 210 210 17.010 15.5 31510 44.19B Resources expended C¢stsof Qener4Wfj9Fund¥ 14.766 14.766 1,199 TotlresooK¢es expended 14.7 14166 37,054 13.610 734 14.344 7.144 translÉrs Total funds broughtfornard 7.398 2S3 13.610 734 21,742 £7.398

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Nicky Selwyn 26/08/2021
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Michael Richardson 13/12/21