IIREAM ARTS NUAL REPORT 2025 CHARITY REGISTRATION 1162525 "I didn't like socialising or meeting people. At DreamArts I make friends, learn lots of new skills and make memories." DreamArts Rep Participant www.dreamarts.org.uk
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 2024-25 _______ 7. Express ___________ 9. Experiment ___________ 12. Expand ___________ 13. DreamArts Star _________ 14. Financial Review _________ 15. Looking Forward __________ 16. Annual Accounts Report of the Independent Examiner _______ 18. Balance Sheet _____________ 19. Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 ____ 20. Notes on the Accounts – Accounting Policies, Trustee Remuneration, Movement in Funds _ 21. Notes on the Accounts –Staff Costs, Comparatives, Debtors _____ 22. Notes on the Accounts – Creditors, Movement in Funds, Related Party Disclosure _ 23-24. Notes on the Accounts - Detailed Statement of Financial Activites ______ 25.
Members of DreamArts Rep creating films to fuse into their show during their tour to Paignton
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THE CHAIR’S MESSAGE THE CHAIR’S MESSAGE
DreamArts has continued to respond with energy, creativity and care to the growing and increasingly complex needs of children and young people. At a time when mental health challenges, poverty and instability are deeply affecting families across Westminster, our mission to transform young lives by fusing arts and therapy has never felt more urgent.
This year, DreamArts has been both busier and stronger, consolidating our practice while extending our reach. As ever, the achievements celebrated in this report belong first and foremost to the young people themselves, whose imagination, courage and generosity continue to inspire everyone who works alongside them.
Our targeted work through Express has remained central. Express Plus continues to be Westminster’s only free-to-access arts therapy service of its kind, providing a vital lifeline for young people experiencing anxiety, trauma, domestic violence and other acute pressures. Engagement and retention remain exceptionally high, reflecting the trust young people and families place in our team and the value of creative, relational approaches that break down barriers to support. Alongside this, our work with young carers has continued to grow in scale and impact. The Young Carers Support Programme now provides a clear, joined-up pathway of support across the borough, helping to identify young carers earlier and respond more effectively to their needs.
We are proud of the continued development of Friends From Afar, our creative project with young refugees. Spaces where they can feel valued are more important than ever, and this work exemplifies DreamArts’ ethos: placing artistic ambition and young people’s voices at the centre, while holding wellbeing and safety as foundational. Over the past year, participants formed a ‘DreamArts Rep Company’ touring original work to audiences locally and nationally, building community, reducing isolation and developing confidence, communication and leadership along the way.
Our Experiment and Expand programmes have continued to provide accessible routes into creativity and leadership for children and young people across Westminster. From rebuilding confidence and relationships among younger participants following years of disruption, to supporting older young people to take on responsibility, develop professional skills and lead their own ambitious projects, these programmes offer experiences that many would otherwise never access.
Behind all of this work is an exceptional staff team. Supporting young people with complex needs requires care, reflection and resilience, and we remain committed to fostering a working culture that values support, learning and wellbeing. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank our Chief Executive Graham Whitlock, our Artistic Director Catherine Palmer, our Therapeutic Director Fariha Rashid and the senior team for their leadership, integrity and vision, as well as our dedicated practitioners and volunteers.
I would also like to extend our gratitude to our funders and partners, particularly John Lyon’s Charity, whose continued commitment provides a vital foundation as we look ahead. And finally, thanks to our dedicated Trustees, including Janine Francois who has stepped down from the Board after many years of involvement with the charity’s work.
DreamArts enters the coming year with a strong reputation, a clear sense of purpose and an unwavering belief in the potential of every young person we work with. Together, we remain committed to creating brave, creative spaces where young people can explore who they are, strengthen relationships and build the emotional wellbeing they need to thrive.
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 Racha Mohsen Afiouni 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 2025 | approval | |||
| Asif Raniwala (Treasurer) | Feb ‘17 | Yes | Yes | |
| David Mumeni | March ‘19 | Yes | Yes | |
| Janine Francois | April ‘21 | Oct ‘25 | Yes | No |
| 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 | Yes | Yes | |
| Anis Suterwalla | Dec ‘24 | Yes | Yes | |
| Ian Dougal | June ‘24 | June ‘26 | Yes | No |
Primary Office: 34 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0DH
Principal Officers: Chief Executive – Graham Whitlock
Artistic Director – Catherine Palmer Therapeutic Director – Fariha Rashid
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 Harrow HA1 3EX
Members of Carers Express at the UK Young Carers Festival
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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;
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an annual review of the risks the charity may face;
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establishment of systems and procedures to mitigate those risks identified in the plan; and
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implementation of procedures designed to minimise any potential impact on the charity should these risks materialise.
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:
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Explore who they are
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Strenghthen relationships
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Develop their emotional wellbeing
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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Develop positive relationships with peers and adults
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Explore their views, thoughts and feelings
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Share ideas and skills with others
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Take a creative risk
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Take a lead
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Be open to learning new skills
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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 2024-25 totaled 556 (2024=440 ). This 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 51 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 short films, taking control at all stages, from story board to directing and acting in their films.
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 Collective
Express engaged 350 participants (2024=245).
Well Body, Well Being
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.
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 60 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 liked finding out different ways I could be creative with expressing how I feel.”
“It was really nice to be able to talk to somebody without the worry of judgement.”
DreamArts designed and delivered a preventative mental health project to raise awareness of disordered eating among young people and professionals in Westminster. Commissioned by Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust. DreamArts delivered creative and interactive student workshops and staff training sessions across two higher education settings and a boroughwide youth worker forum.
The project reached 185 young people aged 16–19 and 59 staff , providing clear information on disordered eating, the impact of social media, recognising warning signs, and where to access local support. Feedback showed strong outcomes: over 70% of young
people reported improved understanding , and 90% knew where to seek help if needed. Staff reported increased confidence in identifying concerns and supporting young people appropriately.
The project exceeded its original reach targets and highlighted strong demand for continued delivery. It strengthened DreamArts’ therapeutic practice and contributed to earlier awareness, informed conversations, and healthier relationships with food and body image among young people.
“It was really nice to see eating disorders being spoken about without the stereotypes.”
“It helped me be more aware as I am very susceptible.”
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Friends From Afar
FFA continued to thrive, supporting 50 young refugees. A core group of 12 formed DreamArts Rep Compan y, regularly attending weekly sessions to devise and present original work. They explore themes they’re 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.
DreamArts Rep set out to create a show with universal appeal, chosing ‘love’ as their theme. They toured the UK, performing at Birmingham Rep, Bristol and Paignton , to audiences that were predominantly from refugee communities and young people.
Their homecoming performance took place at FFA’s home, The Marylebone Theatre in August. This sell-out show took place against a backdrop of anti-immigrant violence, and their message of togetherness could not have been more timely or powerful.
“I haven’t been outside of
London. Wow, it was amazing, I got to relax from stress, we are laughing so much.”
“It made me think about my own dreams, aspirations, life.” – audience member
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SPOTLIGHT: SUPPORTING YOUNG CARERS
Young carers, among the groups hardest hit by lockdowns, remain a key focus for DreamArts. Since 2023, we have developed and led Westminster’s Young Carers Support Programme to ensure young people with
caring responsibilities get the support they need and deserve to thrive in their caring role, education, and childhood.
Young Carers Pathway
Utilising our links with providers across the borough, our Young Carers Programme Manager leads a pathway partnership of 8 charities and statutory services who offer support ranging from family mentoring to respite, therapy and employability.
Carers Express & Therapy Support
DreamArts Carers Express is a space to explore, create and enjoy. During the year we empowered young people to experiment with spoken word, showcasing their work at The Poetry Society and in a Poetry Zine. We launched a new Juniors group and provided over 100 hours of respite ranging from trips to the cinema, museums and West End shows, with our Seniors group taking part in The Young Carers Festival – the largest gathering of young carers in the world.
DreamArts also provides dedicated weekly one-to-one arts therapy sessions for young carers and monthly wellbeing workshops for adolescents exploring issues including anxiety and relationships.
“I really like the collaborative environment and the fun we have with everyone in all the trips.”
“I don’t enjoy creative writing at school but this was totally different. I’m proud of my poem and my mum is too.”
Reaching young carers
We trained over 200 professionals to identify and support young carers, and our new assessment model, now adopted across Children’s Services, has resulted in nearly 100 assessments since it launched (previously there were fewer than 10 identified). We’re also launching a package to engage schools. 11 | P a g e
Story C – joined-up support in action
C cares for their mother and younger brother practically and emotionally, and much of their free time is regularly occupied by helping to translate. During their assessment, C said:
“It’s extreme, caring is either very good or really hard! Sometimes I have no choice, I have to step up and I wish there was someone at home who could help me.”
C’s pathway is a wonderful example of the strength and variety that the pathway offers. So far, they have accessed support from 6 different organisations, including mentoring, peer support, therapeutic support, employment advice, and housing advice. The flexibility of the pathway has allowed C and their family to dip in and out of services when it best suits their needs.
“I was really surprised to see options (on the pathway) for myself as well as my child. I’m so glad we can all receive
support so we can deal with the challenges we face as a whole family.” – Parent feedback
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 60 participants over the year (2024= 65) and the majority were from families on free school meals .
Experiment began with a special puppetry project in Easter 2024 that continued our collaboration with the award-winning international theatre company, Les Enfants Terribles. Participants explored animating everyday objects into new beings through to having the opportunity to manipulate puppets 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. Two members of our Performance Company wrote and directed their own short films, screened alongside 4 new musicals created and performed by the Juniors at our sell-out Gala in March 2025 .
Young people’s wellbeing has been supported through weekly check-ins which are opportunities for participants to express their thoughts and feelings. 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, with
93% telling us they are now more open to
learning new skills . The check-outs are also structured to encourage the group to share something 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.”
“I really enjoy meeting new people.”
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EXPAND
Expand created opportunities for 135 participants to expand their creative experiences (2024=130).
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 Lion s, 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.
Project 8 , our City Lions arts and wellbeing programme, supported 30 students from St Augustine’s School and 15 from College Park Special Needs School. In addition, our inperson holiday programmes engaged over 90 young people through creative activities, including workshops at The Saatchi Gallery and The Cartoon Museum.
The City Lions Events Leadership Team, funded through support from our links at Christie’s auction house, staged a Halloween event at Royal Kensington Palace.
And we relaunched our Youth Arts Leadership Scheme , training 8 young people to lead their peer s (pictured below). One of the young leaders was a participant from Friends From Afar and after the training, took on a staff role at DreamArts Experiment.
“It gave me lots of insight and I learned how to present with different people about topics that are useful – leadership styles and tactics to persuade people which challenged my potential.”
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DREAMARTS STAR
Sylvia Darkwa-Ohemeng
Sylvia recalls she wasn’t doing anything the summer she decided to get involved with DreamArts. She joined aged 15 to play in the band of Street 2 Stage new musical Can You Live Without It? at The Cochrane Theatre and the next year ended up stage managing at a West End theatre, which was “exciting and scary as I’d never run a show in my life.”
Sylvia stage managed numerous DreamArts Galas as well as Carnival which performed at The Royal Opera House. She studied stage management at Rose Bruford going on to stage manage with the Young Vic, Royal Court, the Tricycle now known as The Kiln, at the National Theatre (including Nine Nights ) and international tours ( Barbershop Chronicles ).
Sylvia still finds time to meet and inspire today’s DreamArts stars, giving technical theatre masterclasses and hosting Q&As with Carers Express. She launched Backstage Niche, an exciting initiative and agency aimed at encouraging and promoting people from ethnic minority backgrounds into technical theatre and backstage, and helps DreamArts recruit backstage teams for our shows.
”I started Backstage Niche because the representation of me was absent backstage. I was the only black woman on my technical theatre course and wrote my dissertation on ‘Why is there a lack of ethnic minorities working in backstage theatre?’
At DreamArts we were all young people who lived in London and came from various backgrounds. I only experienced the lack of
versity when I started drama school and working in the professional theatre workforce.
Anne-Marie Reid at DreamArts was the first black woman I learned stage management from and hired me for various events and festivals. I spoke to her about what I noticed and she said I should do something about it and this is where the seed of Backstage Niche came from.
Not only do we need to reflect our society within theatre, we need to make an active effort to make creative teams inclusive and inspire future generations, just as DreamArts inspired me.”
For more information on Backstage Niche visit backstageniche.com.
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FINANCIAL REVIEW
It is the opinion of the Board of Trustees that the charity remains financially sound. Income for the year ending 31 March 2025 totaled £435,759 whilst expenditure was £427,468. This produced a year-end surplus of £8,291, leaving the charity with reserves of £64,316 .
Incoming resources were up 4% from last year at £435,759 (2024 = £418,971). 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 £338,885 (2024 = £301,291). This includes a John Lyon’s Charity grant of £40k per year towards our core costs, and a 3- year grant from Esmée Fairbairn (£40k per year) to support Friends From Afar.
In 2024-25 commissions were £92,015 (2024 = £103,524) which included developing and delivering aspects of City Lions, our young carers commission and our work with unaccompanied asylum seekers.
Supporters in 2024-25
We are grateful to the following Trusts and Foundations for their support:
John Lyon’s Charity
Young Westminster Foundation
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
City Bridge
St Giles and William Shelton Education Trust
City of Westminster Charitable Trust
Awards for All Strand Parishes Hyde Park Estate Charity Westminster Almshouses
Arts Council England STS & MS Foundation
Our income from donations and tickets generated £4,859 (2024 = £14,196).
Charitable expenditure was £408,304 (2024 = £401,887). £272,863 was expended on Express, £90,312 on Experiment and £45,129 on Expand. The costs spent on generating funds was £18,000 (2024= £18,240) which includes 40% of our Chief Executive’s time and our freelance fundraiser’s fees. Our governance costs for the year were £1,164 (2024 = £1,890). Thus, we continue our policy of living within our means.
Reserves Policy
Reserves at year end stood at £64,316 (2024 = £56,025). 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.
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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:
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Build our fusion of arts and therapy to meet young people’s wellbeing needs, particularly those in Westminster’s most deprived wards.
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Secure commissions that enable us to reach young people most in need and provide us with key resources.
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Develop and diversify longer-term funding.
Our reputation for quality and innovation remains strong, with the voice of young people at the heart of our work . This is reflected in a new 3-year grant of £40k from Esmée Fairbairn Foundation’s Youth Led Creativity Fund to support Friends From Afar, and in both Westminster City Council and John Lyon’s Charity extending their investment in the Young Carers Support Programme for a further 2 years.
We are excited to be part of a major 3-year collaboration to strengthen wellbeing and transitions to secondary school, working with 5 schools and 2 youth clubs with a grant of £57k per year from John Lyon’s Charity. We look forward to assessing and sharing the impact of our fusion of arts and therapeutic practice in reducing school non-attendance , which has been rising since the pandemic.
Further assessments of our impact will come from Queen Mary University who are carrying out a study of our work with young refugees.
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 priorities for the coming period are to:
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Sustain the quality, reach and impact of our programmes.
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Seek opportunities for expanding our support among communities hardest hit by the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, without compromising on quality.
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Share our practice and success, making our pioneering projects more visible in communities and across the sector.
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 F:Ir";• "'Il
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF DREAMARTS Independent examiners report to the trustees of Dreamarts I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Dreamarts (the Trust) for the year ended 31 March 2025. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsble forthe preparation of the accounts in accordance wth the requirements of the Charrties Act 2011 (Yhe Acfl. I report in respect of my examination of the Trusfs ac(x)unts Carried out under section 145 of the Act and in (arrwng out my examinatK)n I have folk)Ed all applicable DI[tnS grrfen by the Charty CoMmi10n under section 14515llbl of the AGt. Independent examine$ statement nce your charws gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a rnember of a listed body. I can confir that l am qualifd to undertake the examination because l am a registered member olThe Instrtute ol Chartered Accountants In England and WalesIch is one of the listed bLYJies. I have cornpleted my examination. I confirm that no material matters have Gome to my attention in GonneGbon wth the examination giving me cause to belwe that in any material reSpt.. accounting records re not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act or the 3GGounts do not aword wth those i&ords, or the 8ttounts do not mmply wth the applicable requiretrÉnts concerning the form 2nd content of accounts set out In the Charrtie5 IAGcounts and Reportsl Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts gwe a true and fair viewwhich ts not a matter considered as part of an independ8nt examination. I have no concerns and have across no other matters in cOnntic wth the examination to thich attentn should be In this report In oidei to enable a proper unde151anding of the accounts to be reached. PAYA 8FP FCA KHI Abury Llm Floor, One Hobté HJÉe. Be88bomugh RrJ8d MJdla58X HA13EX Dat8. 15 January 2026 181 Page
DREIMARTS STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AT 31 MARCH 2025 2025 2024 Total funds Unrestricted fund CURRENT ASSETS Debtois Cash at bank 13,558 27,3 31 024 85,847 58,3 GREDITORS Amounts falling due wthin on8 year 121.5321 12.3551 CURRENT ASSETS 56 025 TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 64,315 56,025 NET ASSETS 56 025 FUNDS Unre$tried funds 56 025 TOTAL FUNDS 56 025 The linan¢ral statements were approved by the Board of Trustees on 15 January 2026 and here sned on its behalf by.. dsif A RaniwaL2-Trustee
DREAMARTS STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THEYEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 2025 2025 2025 2024 INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM Restricted Fund Unrestricted Fund Total Total Funds Donations and Legac$ 4,859 4,859 14, 156 Incoming resources from ¢haritable activty 354.900 76,000 430,9C 404, 815 Totsl incoming rescA1rS 354,900 8Q,859 435,759 418, 971 EXPENDITURE ON Raising funds 18,000 18,000 18,240 Charitable activities Expr8SS 272.378 485 272,8&3 267.81T Experim8nt 42.923 47,389 90,312 93, 802 Expand 45,129 45,129 88,378 Transfers to Restricted Funds 15,5C61 5,506 Other 1,164 1,164 1,890 Totsl 354,924 72,544 427,468 420, 127 NET INCOMEIIEXPENDITUREI 1241 8,315 8,291 (1, 156) RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS Totsl funds brought fOard 24 ,001 56,025 57. 181 TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD 64,316 64,316 56.025 The financial staterllents were approved by the &)ard of Tiustees on 15 January 1126 and N¥Eie signed on rt5 behalf by". dsif hwwAL A RarnidIa- Trustee 201 Page
DREAMARTS NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THEYEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 ACCOUNTING POLICIES Basis of preparing the financial Statements The financial staterntS of the charity. vthich E a Publ b8nefi't entty under FRS 102, have been prepared in acxx>rdancè with the Charibe5 SORP IFRS 1021 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities". Statement of RecoMrrded Practice applicab to charrfcies preparing their accounts in accordance wth the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland IFRS 1021 (effective 1 January 20151,. Financial Reporbng Standard 102'The Financial Reporbng Standard applicable in the UK and Republ of Ireland. and the CharitEs Act 2011 The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. Ineome All incL¥re is [OgniSed In the Staternent of Financial Ao*vities Or1 the chanty has ents"tlement to the funds, It 15 probable that the income ¥MII b8 received and the arUnt can be raSured reliably Expenditure Liabilibe5 are reGognised as expenditure 3ssoon asthere is a legal oiGonstruGtive obligats.on cornrnrtting the chairty to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits 111 be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be mea5uied reliably. &penditure is accounted for on an acrruals basis and has been Glassrfied under headings that aggregate 311 c05t related tothe Gategory. Where GOSt5 GaTrnot be dirertly attributed to parbGular heading5 they have been all¢Kated to adDlItE5 a basis wnsstentwth the use of resource5. Taxation The Charity is exempt frorn tsx on its Gharitable artivities. Fund accounting Unre5trlGt1 fund5 can be used in awordanrewth the Gharitsble obieGtives at the d15Gretion of the trustee& Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes wtt)In the objects of the charity Restrictions arise when specrfied by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes. Futher explanation of the nature and purKX)sè of each fund is included in the notes to the fin2nciql statements Pension costs and other post-retirement benefits The charrty operates a defined contribution pension scheme Contribubons payab tothe chantys pension scheme are charged to the St6ntOf Financial Activrties in the peric tr> ¥thich they reLqte. RAISING FUNDS Raising donations and legacie5 202S 2024 Support costs TRUSTEES, REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS There yre no trustges, remuneration or other benefrts for the year ended $1 March 2025 nor for the year ended 31 March 2024 Trustee5' expenses There were no trustees, expenses paid for the year ended 31 Marth 2025 nor for the year ended 31 March 2024. 211 Page
DREAMARTS NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS- CONTINUED FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 STAFF COSTS The average monthly number of employees during the year was as fc41 2025 2024 Full Ti Part TIMÈ Freelance Propct staff 33 29 No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,Crf. COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTMTIES 2D24 Unrestrited fund5 2024 Restrictttj fund5 2024 Total funds INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM Oonations and legleS 14,156 19,497 Inwmiry ResourGesfrom Chaitsble artivity 49,120 355,695 404,815 Total 63.276 355.695 418,971 EXPENDITURE ON Ratsing ftjnds 18,240 18,210 ChaTitsble actwitie5 Express Experiment E¥par 28,969 15,357 8.848 78,445 38,378 287,817 93,802 38,378 Other 1.8 1.890 Total 64,456 5.671 420,127 NET INCOME 11,1801 24 11,1561 RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS Total funds brought fOard 57,181 57,181 TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD 56,001 24 56,025 DEBTORS.. AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR 2025 2024 Trade debtors Other debtors 13.313 27.111 245 13.558 27.3Sfj 221 Page
DRE4MARTS NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-CONTINUED FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 CREDITORS.. AMOUNTS FALLING DUEWITHIN ONE YEAR 2025 2024 Trade creditors Other cr8ditors 17,993 3,539 2.355 21,532 2355 MOVEMENT IN FUNDS Net movement in funds At 114124 At 3113125 unrestCto(l funds General fund 56,028 8,291 64,316 TOTAL FUNDS 56,025 8,291 64,316 Net mcrfarnt in funds, included In the above are as fc410.. Incoming resources Resources Movement in expendefj funds UnreStcto funds Gèneral fund Restricted funds General fund 80,859 172,5441 8,315 354,900 1354,9241 1241 TOTAL FUNDS 435 759 427 4681 Comparatives for movement in funds Nèt movement in funds At 114123 At 3113124 UnStCto Funds General fund 57,181 11,1561 36,023 TOTAL FUNDS 57,181 1,1561 56,025 Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follow5.' Incoming resources Resources expende(I Movement in funds Unrestricte(I funds General ftjnd Restricted Funds General Fund 63,276 164,4561 11.1801 355,695 1355,6711 2d TOTAL FUNDS 418971 420 1271 231 Page
DREAMARTS NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-CONTINUED FOR THEYEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 MOVEMENT IN FUNDS- continued A current year 12 tronths and prior year 12 trnnths combined position is as follows. Net movement in funds At 1M123 At 3113123 Unrestricted funds Gen8r81 ftjnd 57.181 7,135 64,316 TOTAL FUNDS 7,135 A current year 12 months and prior y8ar 12 rmnths combined net movement in funds, included in the above ar8 as foll Incoming resources Resources Movement in expended funds Unrestricted funds Gener81 fund Restricted Funds General fund 144,135 1137.CN)01 7,135 710,595 710.5951 TOTAL FUNDS 847 5951 RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES There were no related party transactions for the year ended 31 March 2025. 241 Page
DREAMARTS DETAILED STA TEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THEYEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 2025 2024 INCOMEAND ENDOWMENTS Donations and legacies CDnations Incoming resources from charitable activity 4,859 14.156 408815 Total incoming resources 435,759 418,971 EXPENDITURE Charltablè actlvftlès Wages SK)cial security Production & Project Costs 176,Q)7 21.402 173,797 18,894 120882 307,241 313,573 Support costs Managèment Wage5 Pensions Support Cos 60,998 6,883 54,081 5,900 119,1%3 104,ee4 G0Mance costs AccL)untancy and legal fees Total resources expende(I 427,468 420,127 Nèt Incom(eXPèndlturtl 8,291 1,156 251 Page
r!K 3YP DreamArts 34 Grosvenor Gardens London SW1W ODH graham@dreamarts.org.uk f&t @DreamArts www.dreamarts.org.uk