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2024-03-31-accounts

DREAM ARTS, ANNUAL REPORT 2024 CHARITY REGISTRATION 1162525 At DreamArts I can talk about what's bothering me and express myselffreely, Carers Express pc7rticipant www.dreamarts.org.uk Image from the Carers Express photography exhibition Through The Lens at the Institute of Contemporary Art

CONTENTS

Annual Report

The Chair’s Message _________ 2. Friends of DreamArts __________ 3. Reference & Administration ________ 4. Structure, Governance & Management _______ 5. About DreamArts; Charitable Objects and Programmes _____ 6. Outputs & Outcomes during 2023-24 _______ 7. Express ___________ 9. Experiment ___________ 12. Expand ___________ 14. DreamArts Star _________ 16. Financial Review _________ 17. Looking Forward __________ 18. Annual Accounts Report of the Independent Examiner _______ 19. Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 March 2024 ______ 20. Balance Sheet __________ 21. Notes on the Accounts – Accounting Policies, Trustee Remuneration, Movement in Funds __ 22-26. Notes on the Accounts –Staff Costs, Comparatives, Debtors ____ 21. Notes on the Accounts – Creditors, Movement in Funds, Related Party Disclosure __ 22. Notes on the Accounts - Reconciliation of Income and Expenditure ____ 23 - 26.

Friends From Afar performing at The Marylebone Theatre, August 2023

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THE CHAIR’S MESSAGE THE CHAIR’S MESSAGE

DreamArts has been busier than ever responding to the needs of young people and addressing the growing mental health crisis. In recent years, we’ve all come to appreciate the transformative power of creativity in supporting our wellbeing. At DreamArts, our mission to fuse arts and therapy to transform young lives has never been more important.

This year, it has been a privilege to celebrate the remarkable achievements of the young people we support. Our Experiment Performance Company , for example, had the extraordinary opportunity to create their own immersive theatre piece with the internationally acclaimed Les Enfant Terribles. From developing characters to designing props, costumes, and sound, young people led every aspect of this creative journey.

The urgency of our work is underscored by the stark reality that those living in poverty are 4 times more likely to experience a mental health challenge, with the cost-of-living crisis hitting vulnerable families the hardest. Our Express Plus arts therapy programme addresses this by working in Westminster’s most deprived wards, including Church Street, which has the highest level of child poverty in London. The success of DreamArts is rooted in the strength of relationships we build; Express Plus has a 100% retention rate for young people attending more than 3 sessions. These sessions provide a safe space to address issues including domestic violence, sexual abuse, anxiety and suicide ideation. They are supported by our outstanding therapeutic team, which includes many who volunteer their time and expertise to deliver Westminster’s only open-access therapy service for young people. By using creative approaches, we break down barriers to accessing mental health support, as evidenced by the fact that 80% of participants are from global majority backgrounds.

Young carers, among the groups hardest hit by lockdowns, remain a key focus for DreamArts. We lead a partnership with 11 organisations to support young carers and their families across Westminster. Our Carers Express group produced and presented a captivating exhibition of their photography at the Institute of Contemporary Art, featured on the cover of this report. And we’ve trained over 150 professionals to better identify and meet young carers need. Simple changes, like replacing punitive measures with check-ins when a young carer is late for school, make a profound difference.

Our impact also extended to new groups experiencing acute challenges. Family Express supported 40 refugee families living in hotel accommodation, while our creative projects with unaccompanied young refugees—which participants beautifully named Friends From Afar —continues to thrive. These young artists created and presented their original production at the Marylebone Theatre and toured to local community centres and Theare Royal, York, leading workshops with peers and elders.

Supporting young people with complex needs requires an exceptional team, and we prioritise fostering their wellbeing through self-care, reflection and connectivity. Regular Practice Development Sessions and reflection spaces help staff process their work, and we’re proud that 100% of team members reported they felt inspired and valued at DreamArts.

Our achievements are a testament to the dedication of our incredible practitioners and volunteers, led by our Director Graham Whitlock, our Assistant Director Catherine Palmer and our Therapeutic Service Manager Fariha Rashid. I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to them, as well as our dedicated Trustees, including our newest members, Gem Pinkney who recently joined bringing extensive expertise in marketing, and Anis Suterwalla who adds valuable business acumen to the board. Together, we remain steadfast in our commitment to transforming young lives.

NIGEL JONES, Chair

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Word cloud bringing together key words expressed by clients across Express Plus therapy service.

FRIENDS OF DREAMARTS

The following members of the DreamArts Family kindly donated to the charity during 2023-24; Chorus of Angels Anis Suterwalla Ovation Jon Gyngell Harriet Sutton John Hyatt Mark Bunyan Zaffer Raniwala Asif Raniwala Toni Medcalf Nigel Jones Cecil Quillen Ann Goodger Applause Ed Lascelles Osahon Orchard Naomi Roper

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REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATION

Full Name: DreamArts

Status: Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIO) registration number 1162525 (between 1997 and April 2017 DreamArts operated as a charitable trust, registration number 1070614).

Trustees Appointment Resignation Serving in Trustees on date
financial year of Accounts
ending 2024 approval
Asif Raniwala (Treasurer) Feb ‘17 Yes Yes
David Mumeni March ‘19 Yes Yes
Janine Francois April ‘21 Yes Yes
Nigel Jones (Chair) Oct ‘21 Yes Yes
Racha Mohsen Afiouni March ‘22 Yes Yes
Catherine Drake Wilkes Feb ‘23 Yes Yes
Gem Pinkney Dec ‘24 No Yes
Anis Suterwalla Dec ‘24 No Yes
Ian Dougal June ‘24 No Yes

Primary Office: 34 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0DH

Principal Officers: Director – Graham Whitlock Assistant Director – Catherine Palmer

Bankers The Cooperative Bank Payroll Willow Pay Ltd, Kingsway Business Park, Hampton TW12 2HD Fundraiser Sue Crow Independent Albury Associates The Future Is… Ltd Examiner 2[nd] Floor 1 Hobbs House Bessborough Road Harrow HA1 3EX

Examples of photography by Carers Express members taken in and around Church Street

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STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing Document

The Charity is a Charitable Incorporated Company (CIO - registration number 1162525).

Appointment of Trustees

Trustees are nominated by serving members of the Board, and are appointed at Trustees Meetings and retire by rotation or are eligible for re-election. Trustees serve for a 3 year term, after which a Trustee is eligible for reelection for a further 2 terms of 3 years and up to a maximum of 3 terms.

Officers: The Board nominate and elect the Chair and Treasurer.

Observers: Board of Trustee Meetings are attended by the Director and Assistant Director, with other team members regularly invited to share the work they’ve been delivering.

Trustees Induction and Training

New Trustees undergo a meeting with the Chair and the Director to brief them on their legal obligations under charity law; the content of the Memorandum and Articles of Association; the financial performance of the charity; and aspects of the charity’s work. Where possible a visit to see DreamArts’ work in action is arranged. Trustees are encouraged to attend as many DreamArts projects throughout the year as they can.

Organisation

The Board of Trustees can have up to 15 members meeting at least 5 times per year and administer the charity’s strategy, finance, audit and compliance. To facilitate effective operations the Director has delegated authority for operational matters including finance, employment, policies (including safeguarding), and service delivery.

Related Parties

DreamArts is a partner within the Early Help Partnership . This is a collaboration between Westminster’s statutory young people’s services and Family Hubs alongside voluntary sector youth providers.

We have also been designated a core partner of the Early Help Targeted Service , Westminster’s statutory service that supports families in need, and as a result we are commissioned to deliver work including leading support for young carers.

As an outreach organisation DreamArts has an extensive referral and partnership network through which we share and contribute to the work of a large number of voluntary and statutory agencies that provide a range of services to children and young people.

Risk Management

The charity has a risk management strategy which comprises;

This work has identified the need to mitigate financial risk by the setting of a reserves policy to cover costs in the event of the charity ceasing its activities.

Child protection issues are central to the charity’s work, with all staff and volunteers undergoing safeguarding training. and those involved in direct work checked through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Staff also receive annual Safeguarding and Welfare training to keep up to date with requirements and best practice, and safeguarding is a standing item at Board of Trustees meetings.

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ABOUT DREAMARTS

CHARITABLE OBJECTS

‘To advance in life and help children and young people in the London Borough of Westminster and other Greater London Boroughs by providing support and creative activities which develop their skills, capacities and capabilities to enable them to participate in society as mature and responsible individuals’.

Mission: To transform young lives by fusing arts and therapy.

Objectives: To support young people to:

Outcomes: Our Theory of Change provides a framework for the difference we want to make in young lives, focusing our current work and shaping our future direction. Our six core outcomes are to enable young people to:

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PROGRAMMES

DreamArts achieves its charitable objects by delivering three programmes of work:

EXPRESS

Express projects offer tailor-made support for vulnerable groups and individuals, collaborating with charities, social services, parents and, most importantly, with young people themselves.

Express Collective enables young people— and, in some cases, their parent or carer— to identify issues and creative mediums to explore solutions. Ongoing initiatives include Carers Express with young carers, Friends From Afar with young refugees, and Family Express which enables parents and children to create, share and learn together.

Express Plus provides individual therapy for those struggling to manage their feelings and behaviours. As the only free therapy service of its kind in Westminster, it helps young people to explore their challenges and strengths, building a greater sense of selfworth.

EXPERIMENT

Weekend Creative Labs enable 6-19 year olds to explore and unleash their talents. Our skilled team support participants to create their own work which leads to better selfexploration - from new musicals to short films. Experiment reduces social isolation and builds positive relationships with peers and adults. No other equivalent affordable arts programme exists in Westminster, the heart of UK Theatre land.

EXPAND

Our leadership schemes expand skills and horizons, empowering young people to lead their peers, manage their own projects and become creative entrepreneurs and positive forces within their community. This includes our role as a delivery partner for City Lions, Westminster City Council’s flagship arts project for ages 13-16.

OUTPUTS AND OUTCOMES

Young participants we worked with during 2023-24 totaled 440 (2023=407), which is particularly encouraging at a time when many youth and education providers report that participation patterns remain in flux due to the ongoing impact of lockdowns. Additionally, we engaged 55 parents and carers through Family Express and by conducting young carers assessments which provide families with a pathway of support to help meet their needs.

In Westminster, where 1 in 4 children live in poverty, most DreamArts participants came from the borough’s most deprived wards. Two-thirds of participants were from global majority backgrounds, with the largest groups being Arabic-speaking communities, and the majority of participants were female.

Outcomes

Each project tailored its evaluation approach, from online surveys to reflective discussions, with outcomes assessed through our Outcome Star framework, measuring six key outcomes.

Young people consistently highlighted the value of expressing themselves with their peers . They were able to share their thoughts and feelings including their anxieties and fears as well as sharing their ideas , which they told us felt especially important after experiencing isolation.

Opportunities to learn new skills remained central; for example, the Experiment Performance Company created their own original cabaret show, taking control at all stages, from choreography to writing powerful speeches on women’s rights.

Through these activities, we continued to achieve our core goals: creating opportunities for young people to build their strengths, explore their challenges and help them realise their potential.

The DreamArts Way

Our ethos is: ‘yes you can, so let’s do it together’. We invest in our skilled staff who learn to combine arts-based practice with aspects of attachment, systemic and neuroscience theories. This fosters secure, understanding relationships that support young people with complex needs to engage and reflect upon themselves.

Core to this ‘DreamArts Way’ is applying the principals of the PACE attachment model, ensuring our team embody Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy. This creates a sense of safety and trust, and we believe DreamArts is the only organisation applying PACE within a youth arts setting. Additionally, our core team is Trauma Informed Trained, enabling us to effectively support young people who have experienced trauma in their lives, further enhancing our impact on their wellbeing.

“This is a chance I’ve never had before, improving my confidence, conversation and communication.”

“A great space to be myself."

“It was good to share an emotion and relate to others.”

“I’ve gained lots of confidence and maturity and made new friends.”

“My child says she felt respected, valued and was able to express her feelings. The therapist understood her fears and helped her think better.”

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Above are Word Clouds taken from our snapshot experience survey of 60 young people who were taking part in DreamArts projects over a 4-week period.

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EXPRESS

Express engaged 245 participants (2023=287).

Express Plus

Westminster’s only free-to-access arts

therapy provision is delivered in the borough’s three Family Hubs serving the most deprived areas. We expanded from 3 to 4 days, creating 12 more spaces for support.

Express Plus achieved an 80% attendance rate, a significant achievement for an out-ofschool service supporting families facing considerable challenges. This reflects the high value young people and parents/carers place on the support they receive, and we are proud that over 80% of participants came from global majority backgrounds, further demonstrating its accessibility and reach.

A notable rise in cases involving domestic violence underscored the importance of Express Plus, allowing us to intervene and provide safeguarding support to protect young people and their families. DreamArts regularly contributes to multi-agency reviews, ensuring joined up support that places the needs of young people at its heart.

We supported 50 young people, with the majority referred from Children’s Services. Feedback from professionals highlights the transformative difference made. This includes over 90% of young people saying they have a greater sense of self-worth and developed coping skills and resilience in the face of difficulties.

“ ‘ I loved how I could share anything without feeling mistreated or judged.”

“Staff let children take the lead which I thought was an awesome way for kids to feel at home and cared for.” - parent

Express Collective

Family Express DreamArts was

commissioned by Westminster Children’s Services to adapt our Family Express model to support 15 refugee families. The project gave 24 children and 17 adults living in hotels the time, space and support to strengthen their relationships.

By building trusting relationships, we helped overcome stigma around mental health. As a result, 5 children accessed 1:1 therapy to help with the emotional impact of their trauma.

Parents had the chance to cook communally, breaking down isolation and enabling them to nurture their loved ones. Dedicated parent sessions introduced strategies for maintaining their own wellbeing to better support their loved ones. And using visual arts, families mapped and celebrated their successes while identifying challenges and exploring how using PACE could help address them.

100% of participants felt their family had become closer through the project and felt more confident to share how they feel with others. The group celebrated together by visiting Christie’s for a special private tour of their Art of the Arab World exhibition.

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Carers Express empowered young people to experiment with digital photography. They explored different lenses and met acclaimed artists at The Photographers Gallery. Taking to the streets of Westminster, the group captured images that reflect their lives.

This formed the foundation for a major exhibition where 15 participants displayed their work at the Institute of Contemporary Art. Running for 10 days in June, the launch event was attended by over a hundred family, friends and policy makers who shared and celebrated their achievements. Young people took full creative control of the exhibition, curating the work, telling their stories and presenting the meaning behind their work.

“My parents are going to come to see the exhibition every day it’s on to see my work! I am going to invite all my family and my friends at school as well.”

“I didn’t know they made lenses for mobile phones. It’s really cool to find out your phone can become a real camera, and I’ve learned teamwork can create a good photo.”

Carers Pathway Since 2023, DreamArts has co-ordinated support for young carers and their families in Westminster. Our Young Carers Navigator leads a pathway partnership of 8 charities and statutory services who offer support ranging from family mentoring to respite. We trained over 100 professionals to identify and support young carers, and our new assessment model, now adopted across Children’s Services, has already resulted in 30 assessments in the first 4 months.

Friends From Afar (FFA) continued to thrive, supporting 40 unaccompanied young refugees. A core group of 12 regularly attended weekly sessions to devise and present original work, exploring themes they are passionate about while celebrating their identity beyond immigration status and media stereotypes.

Young people consistently praise the difference FFA makes by breaking down loneliness and providing a consistent safe space in their lives where they can feel valued and express themselves. With multiple languages spoken within the group, activities like movement, dance and physical theatre help them to bond and improve their communication and English skills.

FFA participants had opportunities to explore the UK, including a residential to York, where they presented excerpts of their work and led a workshop at Theatre Royal, York. In summer 2023, they toured Westminster to present their original rap and theatre show, The Big Hous e, at community venues. Audiences included refugee families, climaxing with a performance at London’s newest professional theatre, The Marylebone Theatre which has since become FFA’s home. Following this success, the group began devising a new piece exploring love to take on tour including performing at Birmingham Rep.

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Friends From Afar Case Study

Young Person K – Supported wellbeing after mental health challenges.

K joined DreamArts in the winter term, coming to the project with another group member that he attends City of Westminster College with. K reports poor mental health, has chronic insomnia and severe digestive problems. K has had several challenges this year particularly around his family’s safety and health in Sudan and being in and out of contact with them. He is also attempting to process his own personal traumas around being imprisoned, tortured and the homicide of family members.

This year, he has struggled with his engagement with housing, education and employment and not completed any assigned programmes. Despite finding participation challenging, K has attended consistently throughout the year and found a space of belonging and support at DreamArts.

Exploring the creative arts, which he feels very passionately about, alongside building relationships with others, K has enhanced his wellbeing and seen improved mental health outcomes. He commented:

“I need this space to express myself, listen to other people, communicate, share my creativity. I feel that love and care, I don’t have that anymore, but I feel it here.”

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EXPERIMENT

Experiment is Westminster’s only accessible, ongoing opportunity where children and young people can create original performances to express their thoughts and feelings. We reached 65 participants over the year (2023= 65) and the majority were from families on free school meals.

positive they’ve observed in someone else; this helps to foster teamwork, helps participants to see themselves differently through the eyes of others, and also opens them up to reflecting on their own positive qualities which builds self-esteem.

“It is a great place to be.”

Experiment began with a special puppetry project in Easter 2023 that continued our collaboration with the award-winning international theatre company, Les Enfants Terribles. Our Juniors and Performance Company members came together to explore puppetry, from animating everyday objects into new beings through to having the opportunity to manipulate puppets designed and used in professional productions.

Summer holiday projects proved popular as ever, running in the North and South of Westminster to ensure young people from across the borough can express themselves and enhance their wellbeing. Sessions included work with the acclaimed Shobana Jeyasingh Dance company.

When Juniors groups aged 6-13 returned in the autumn it was clear that lockdowns and educational disruptions had left many members struggling in a group setting. We therefore spent time focusing on fun and relationship building, developing teamwork and communication skills through creative devising and games.

Young people’s wellbeing has been supported through weekly check-ins which are opportunities for participants to express their thoughts, feelings and emotions. Many enter the space feeling anxious from their week. Through the course of the day they get to work and connect with their peers, achieve something they can feel proud of and unleash their energies in a safe and non-exposing way. The check-outs are also structured to encourage the group to share something

“I really enjoy meeting new people.”

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SPOTLIGHT: EXPERIMENT IMMERSIVE MURDER MYSTERY

DreamArts Performance Company joined forces with City Lions to offer 13-19 year olds an exciting collaboration with the awardwinning international immersive theatre company, Les Enfants Terribles. Together, young people created their own original immersive theatre piece hosted at the dazzling neo-Gothic Two Temple Place.

17 participants were involved at every level, gaining hands-on experience in props design, marketing, sound and music, costumes, devising and performing. They created an ‘immersive murder-mystery’ involving the murder or Lord Astor who originally built 2 Temple Place. The production attracted an audience of 100 across two performances, including the Lord Mayor of Westminster who joined in celebrating the creativity and talent of the young people involved.

100% felt their teamwork had improved

100% felt they made a new friend

100% felt more open to learning new skills

77% had a better understanding of different roles in the creative industries

“Anyone can be creative, and no idea is a bad idea.”

“It’s a perfect mix of strict so you do a lot of work, but also super relaxed that you can really let your creativity flow.”

“It’s a lot of fun and I feel like it’s also great to be treated with a lot of responsibility. So we get like sot of adult things like budgets, and we learn how to prioritise what we need to get.”

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EXPAND

Expand created opportunities for 130 participants to expand their creative experiences (2023=98).

We are committed to enabling young people to access the arts, which included two trips to the Puppet Barge as well as West End theatre trips to shows including Lion King .

DreamArts continues to help develop and deliver City Lions, Westminster City Council’s flagship project to support 13-16 year olds from the borough’s deprived areas to engage with creative opportunities on their doorstep.

DreamArts has a long track record of empowering young people to take control and run their own projects. Although this momentum was interrupted by the pandemic, we were thrilled to use our links with Christie’s to secure their support for initiating a youth-led Events Team (pictured right) in partnership with City Lions.

Meeting weekly, the group of young people had the opportunity to gain valuable insights into planning and delivery from Christie’s world-class events team. They put their new skills into practice delivering the cast and crew party for our immersive murder mystery, showcasing their creativity and organisation.

Next, the group went large in every sense and in February 2024 hosted a Masquerade Ball at Christie’s itself for fifty of their peers who rated the event a perfect 10/10.

Through DreamArts team member Kiz AytonGreen, City Lions Creative Curator, 40 students from St Augustine’s School benefited from a new arts and wellbeing programme entitled ‘Project 8’. Meanwhile, in-person holiday programmes have engaged over 90 young people with creativities activities such as workshops at The Saatchi Gallery and The Cartoon Museum.

“The Events Leadership Programme enabled us to gain insight into different aspects of event planning alongside skills including working s a team, time management and organisation skills. It has also allowed me to meet other young people and experience a programme together.”

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DREAMARTS STAR

DK Fashoula

DK joined DreamArts aged 14 and took part in Street 2 Stage where young people created their own original musicals. DK took lead roles including Metropolis in 2005 at The Cochrane Theatre in Covent Garden (pictured, with DK on the top step) displaying her interest and talent for all aspects of creativity.

DK always had a passion for devising her own work and signed up for our Advanced Youth Art Leadership Scheme developing skills in taking a creative idea through to production, budgeting, marketing and working with your peers. Through the scheme DK founded her first company which built into an awardwinning force in dance and physical theatre.

DK has continued as a multidisciplinary performer and theatre maker, her company Initiative.dkf winning commissions from Theatre Royal Stratford East and creating the Melanin Box Festival. Recent credits include movement for the National Theatre’s Hot Wing King, the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Much Ado About Nothing (pictured right alongside another DreamArts star Luke Wilson as Benedick) receiving acclaim in the British Theatre Guide review; “Movement director DK Fashola - who also appears as the Friar - is simply electric with the choreography, that includes elements of disco, ritual and a Maori haka.”

“DreamArts was the space for me. It gave us a base to be comfortable and free, developing our talents and encouraging us not to be afraid of the gifts we have. During the Leadership scheme I ended up formulating a group that has gone on to perform around the world. Even more important we found out who we are as individual artists

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and people which made us

stronger in all areas of our lives.”

FINANCIAL REVIEW

It is the opinion of the Board of Trustees that the charity remains financially sound. Income for the year ending 31 March 2024 totaled £418,971 whilst expenditure was £420,127. This produced a year-end deficit of £1,156, leaving the charity with reserves of £56,025 .

Incoming resources were up 21% from last year at £418,971 (2023 = £346,450). Our main source of income this year has been grants applied for by the charity primarily to deliver its core programmes. The level of this funding source rose to £301,291 (2023 = £262,773). This includes a John Lyon’s Charity grant of £40k per year towards our core costs, and a 2- year extension of our City Bridge grant supporting Express Plus (£40k per year).

In 2023-24 commissions were £103,524 (2023 = £63,580) which included developing and delivering aspects of City Lions, our young carers commission and our work with unaccompanied asylum seekers.

Our income from donations and tickets generated £ £14,196 (2023 = £19,497).

Charitable expenditure was £401,887 (2023 = £323,712). £267,817 was expended on Express, £93,802 on Experiment and £38,378 on Expand. The costs spent on generating funds was £18,240 (2023= £18,210) which includes 40% of our Chief Executive’s time and our freelance fundraiser’s fees. Our governance costs for the year were £1,890 (2023 = £1,156). Thus, we continue our policy of living within our means.

Reserves Policy

Reserves at year end stood at £56,025(2023 = £57,181). We have therefore achieved what trustees consider to be a satisfactory reserves level since the charity has no fixed liabilities beyond its core full-time staff team and is structured to be able to reduce its work if funding is not secured for a particular programme.

Supporters in 2023-24

We are grateful to the following Trusts and Foundations for their support:

John Lyon’s Charity

Young Westminster Foundation City Bridge

St Giles and William Shelton Education Trust City of Westminster Charitable Trust Awards for All

Westminster Foundation Strand Parishes Hyde Park Estate Charity Westminster Almshouses Arts Council England

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LOOKING FORWARD

Our work breaks down barriers to creativity and mental health so that young people can improve and sustain their own emotional wellbeing. Our ambition over the next 3 years is to secure, strengthen and share even more widely our fusion of arts and therapy, whilst remaining true to our core vision that young

people across Westminster can express themselves on their own terms, explore their challenges and build on their strengths so they can realise their potential.

Our key strategic goals are to:

Our reputation for quality and innovation remains strong. This is reflected in two new major 3-year grants of £30k each by Westminster City Council from their newly launched Core Grant Fund and Healthy Communities Fund (the first time Express Plus has received local authority support).

City Council have also extended until 2026 our commission to host the Young Carers Navigator role which advocates for and supports the needs of young carers, and the major investment in this work by John Lyon’s Charity will see us expand Carers Express and deliver 1:1 and group therapy.

We are committed to assessing and sharing the impact of our fusion of arts and therapeutic practice. Queen Mary University are carrying out an independent study of our work with young refugees, exploring our impact on participants, partners and communities. We continue to work hard for DreamArts to be a ‘brave space’ where we

positively challenge ourselves and embed inclusive practice. This includes continuing conversations around inclusiveness and what it means to create a ‘safe space’ where everyone can try things out, express themselves and grow their skills so that DreamArts can achieve the best outcomes for all young people.

Our key priorities for the coming period are to:

Future Fundraising

We are grateful to our loyal funders for their past and continuing support, including individuals, Trusts and Foundations and commissioners. We know (because they tell us) that they recognise the impact we have and want to continue to invest in advancing our work. But we also recognise that no funder can guarantee continued funding at the same level or at all. So we will continue to explore ways of diversifying funding sources so that we ensure our long-term success.

This includes support from business and individuals, both those who already know about and recognise the value we provide to local communities and new faces. To this end we will seek to build a network of support from individuals and business to sustain and grow our vision and diversity our income. Please let us know if you would like to join that network, or know of people of businesses in that position.

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TAKE THE STAGE 181 Page

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO ThETRUSTEES OF DREAMARTS Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Dreamarts I report lo the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Dwmarts Ilhe Try￿) for the year ended 31 March 2024. Responsibilitie5 and basi5 01 report As th8 chaiity Iruslees of the Trust you are re5Fx)nsble for the preparation ol the accounts in aCtt￿danc8 With the requirements of the Chanties Act 2011 Ilhe Acfl. I report in respect ol my exarnination ol the Trust's accounts Carried out uThJer secbon 145 of the Act and In carying out my •xaminalion I hav• folk)wed all applicabk Dir￿l￿n$ given by the Chanty Commi￿(¥} under secbon 145lSllbl ol the Ael. Independent examlner's statement Sin¢e your ¢harity's gross Income exceeded £250.000 ywr examiner must be a member of a listed boty I can confimi that l am qualified to undertake the examinabon because l am a registered member of The Insbtute of Chartere(l Accountants in England and Walgs Ithich is onè ol th8 listed ￿j1•S. I havè eompleted rny exarnination. l eonfirm thai no rnaterial rnattets havè eomè to my attènlion in eonntets.on with thè examination giving rne cause lo bg11gve that in any material rgspecl aeo)unting records wère not kepl in rèspèct of th8 Trust as rtquirèd by sècbon 130 of the Act." or the accounts do not accord Wlh thos• records,. or tho accounts do not eomply with Ihè applicablè rewirements cone•ming the fom) and contènt of aceovnts sèt out In the Charities IAcetsunis and Reports) Regulations 2008 Olhèr than any requirtmènl thai thè aeeounts gwt a truo and lair vi8w which Is not a mall8r considèrod as part of an ind•p8n¢J8nt 8xaminatson. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in conneclion with Ihe examinatKJn lo whKh attenbon thukl b8 drawn in this report In order to ènab￿ a proper understsnding of lh8 accounts lo be ro￿h*￿. atel PFCA Albury Associates Lmrted 2nd Floor. One Hobbs FKIu58. Harrovian Business Vluage Bessborough Road Ha￿oW M￿dIeSeX HA1 3L¥ Date.. 27 January 2025

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees on 29 January 2025 and were signed on its behalf by

A Raniwala - Trustee

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DREAMARTS STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 2024 2024 2024 2C123 INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM Restricted Fund Unre8trlcted Fund Total Tot*1 Funds D¢nati¢ns and L•g8¢1•$ 14.15e 14.156 19,497 Incorning resources from charitabl8 actlvity 3SS.895 40.1 Xi 404.815 326.9S3 Total Incorning resource5 355,695 63.276 418.971 346.450 EXPENDITIJRE ON Raising funds 18.240 18.240 18.210 Charitable a¢tivitl Express 238.848 28.989 267.817 196.451 Exp•rirn•nt 78.445 15.3$7 93.802 89.239 Expand 38.378 38.378 38.022 Olher 1.8 1,890 1. 156 Totql 355.671 64.456 420.127 343.078 NET INCOMEIIEXPENDITUREI 24 -1.180 -1.156 3.372 RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS Total lund• brought lorward 57.181 57.181 53.809 TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD 24 56.001 56.025 57. 181 The finan￿al statements were approv•d by the Board of Trust￿￿ on 29 January 2025 and I￿re wJnod on its b•half trr. A R•niwala - Tw•t•o 211 Page

DREAMARTS NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 ACCOUNTING POLICIES Basis of preparinu the financial slatements The financial stateTnents of the Gharity, which Is a publi¢ benefft entsty undw FRS 102. have been k¥epared in accordance with the Chantes SORP IFRS 1021 'A¢counting and Repo￿n9 by Charrties.. Statement cl Recommended Practice applicable to tharrties preparing theiraccounts in accordance wth the Financial Reporbng Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Irèland IFRS 1021 (Èffective 1 January 20151.. Financial Reptsrtiw Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Stsndard appli¢able in the UK and Republi¢ of Ireland. and the Charibe$ Act 2011. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. Income All income is recognised in Statement of Financial Activities once the chanty ha$ ntiUwn¢nt to thg fvnd$. rt i• prOba￿e that the in¢ome will be ￿¢¢IVe￿ and the amount ¢an be mea$iJied ￿lIablY. Expenditure Ll•bllibes are recognlsed as expenditure as ¥oon as Ihr¢ i¥ alggal or ¢¢n>tructiveoblvJabon cornrnthng Ihe charity to that expenditure. it is probable that a transfer of economK benèfits wll be requir¢d in se1￿*M¢￿t and the amtyjnt of the tsbligation Can be measured reliawy. Expenditu￿ 1$ a¢¢ounted for on an a¢¢rual$ basi$ has been Classified under hèadings that aggregate all cost related to the catwry. Where costs cannot be directly atthbuted to P8rbeular headlngs they hava been allixated to activities ￿ a basis corrfaistont ￿ Ihe use ol r•sources_ Taxation The ¢harity is ex¢mpt from tax on its ¢haritalYt aCti￿tI0$. Fund accounting Unrestricted funds can ba used in accordance wth tha charitable objectives at the ol tha tru8tO88. Ro$tri¢ttd funds ¢an only b• usod for particular r6$triCt￿ purpos•$ wilhin Ihe tsbJ¢ds tsf th¢ ¢hanty. R¢$tr¢tions arise when speafiad by the donor or ￿then funds are raised for pakticular r8stnct8d purpjses. Further explanation of Ihe nature and purpo8e of each fund Is induded m the rKJte8 to the finarKid $t8t8ment$. Pension costs and other post-retirement benefits The charity operat6s a defined C£￿trIbUtion pension $them¢. Contritsution$ payabl¢ to thg ¢hanty$ F•nsion scheme are charged to th8 Ststem8nt of Financial Activities in the p8ri¢>J to which Ihey relate. RAISING FUNDS R¥i$ing donation$ and lega¢ie$ 2024 2023 Support costs 18,210 TRUSTEES. REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS Th¢ro w•r• no tru$t•o$' r•rnun•rotK)n or glh•r ￿n•fitty f¢f th• y•ar •nd•d 31 M•r¢h 2024 nor for th• y••f •r￿•d 31 March 2023. Trust••s' •xp•n• There werè no truste85' expenses paid for the year ended 31 March 2024 nor for the year ended 31 March 2023. 221 Page

DREAMARTS NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. CONTINUED FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 STAFF COSTS The aveoge monthly number of Èmpk)yee$ durlno the ytrar was a$ follows.. 2024 2023 Full Time Part Tima Freelanc& Project staff 14 14 28 No employ885 received emo1u￿nts in exc85s of £60,000. COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES 2023 Unrèstrictéd funds 2023 Restrthd runds 2023 Totsl runds INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM Donaiions and18gaues 19,497 19,497 Incoming Resource5 Ircrn Charil4ble qGlwity 78.849 248.104 328,953 Total 98.348 248.104 346,450 EXPENDITVRE ON Raising funds 18,210 18,210 Charitable activities Exprass Exp8rlm8nt Expand 41,382 24.269 9.977 155,089 64.970 28.045 198,451 89,239 38,022 Olhtrr 1.156 1.156 Tot•1 94,974 248,104 343,078 NET INCOME 3.372 3.372 RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS Tot•1 fund5 brought for%v•rd 53.809 TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD 57,181 57,181 DEBTORS.. AMOLINTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR 2024 2023 Tr8de d8blor8 Other debtors 27,111 245 28.846 245 26.891 231 Page

DREAMARTS NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTrNUED FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 CRED￿ORs.. AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR 2024 2023 Trade creditor5 Other creditors 1.422 1.137 2,355 2.559 MOVEMENT IN FUNDS Net movement in lunds At 114123 At 3113124 Unrèstricied lunds General fund 57,181 11,1S61 $6,02S TOTAL FUNDS Nel movement in funds. in¢luded in the atx)ve we as fol￿￿$.. Incoming resources Resources Movement in expended funds Unrestricted funds General fund Restricted funds General fund 63.276 164A561 11.1801 355,695 1355.6711 24 TOTAL FUNDS 418.971 420.127 1.1561 Comparatives for movement in funds Net mov•m•nt in lunds Al 114122 At 3113123 Unrestricted Funds General fund 3.372 57,181 TOTAL FUNDS ComparatNe mvemenl in funds. irKluded in the atthie are as folkyws= Incoming resources Resources Movem8nl in expended fijnds Unrestricted funds General fund Restricted Funds General Fund 98,346 194.9741 3.372 248,104 1248.1041 TOTAL FUNDS 241 Page

DREAMARTS NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS- CONTINUED FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 MOVEMENT IN FUNDS. Continued A currènt year 12 months and ￿or year 12 months combined pc6iknn is as follows= Net movement in funds At 114122 At 3113124 Unrestrided funds General fund 53.809 2.216 56.025 TOTAL FUNDS S3,809 2,216 $6,025 A Current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined net movement in fuThJs. induded in the atJ)ve are as follows". Incoming resources Resources Movement in expended funds Unrestricted funds General fund Restrlcted Funds General fund 161.622 1159.4301 2.192 603.799 603.TT51 24 TOTAL FUNDS 765,421 763,2051 2,216 RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES There were no related party transactions for the year ended 31 March 2024. 251 Page

DREAMARTS DETAILED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 2024 2023 INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS Donation$ and lega¢ie$ Donations Incoming resource5 froTn tharitable 8cb.vity 14,156 19.497 326,953 Total incoming resources 418.971 346,450 EXPENDITURE ¢haritabl¢ a¢tivitie$ Wages Social security Production & Proloet Costs 173,797 18,894 173.143 11.75e 82.003 313.573 266,902 Support costs Management Wage5 penS￿n$ Support Costs 54,081 5,900 44,683 21.498 5,318 48.204 104,664 75.020 Gov•rnanco costs Accountancy and legal lèes 1.158 To¢01 resouT¢gS expgnd?d 420.127 343,078 N•t Incom•ll•xp•ndltur•l 3.372 261 Page

r!K 3Yp DreamArts 34 Grosvenor Gardens London SW1W ODH graham@dreamarts.org.uk f&t @DreamArts www.dreamarts.org.uk