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2021-03-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 1/4/20 Period start date To 31/3/21 Period end date

Charity name: Northern Opera Group

Charity registration number: 1167501

Objectives and Activities

SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document		 Para 1.17 FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT OF THE
ADVANCEMENT OF THE ARTS, IN PARTICULAR
THOUGH NOT EXCLUSIVELY BY THE
PRODUCTION OF LIVE OPERA AND THEATRICAL
PERFORMANCES FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF
AUDIENCES AND PARTICIPANTS IN THE UNITED
KINGDOM
Summary of the main
activities in relation to those
purposes for the public
benefit, in particular, the
activities, projects or
services identified in the
accounts.		 Para 1.17 and
1.19		 We create a range of musical productions,
suitable for participants of varying ages,
abilities and experiences. We produce works
which are rarely performed, providing artists,
participants and audiences with new and
engaging experiences. We operate in the North
of England, with a national reach.
Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit		 Para 1.18 The trustees confirm they have had regard
to the guidance issued by the Charity
Commission on public benefit

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

SORP reference Para 1.38 Policy on grant making Para 1.38 Policy on social investment including program related investment Para 1.38

Contribution made by volunteers Other

Achievements and Performance

SORP reference
Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference the
charity’s work has made to
the circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.		 Para 1.20 In spite of the Covid-19 pandemic having a
tangible financial and logistical impact on the
CIO, we are proud of what we have been able
to achieve for audiences, artists and our
community this year.
Leeds Opera Story
Our heritage project exploring the 300 year
history of opera in Leeds.
Following the national lockdown we continued
to work on the project from home, which
included having volunteers conduct their own
computer based research. We created three
documentary films featuring expert
contributors and paying artists to create at-
home recordings to accompany the films. We
completed our online exhibition with over
6,000 viewing the website thus far.
Leeds Opera Festival
We managed to achieve our busiest Festival to
date, with 20 events across 5 days. This
included an outdoor performance of ‘Thomas
and Sally’, the first indoor concert in the North
of England post-lockdown, a tour of English
ballad opera to venues across the city, and an
extensive online programme of talks and
workshops.
We worked with Made with Music for the first
time to stage an online event for young
children and families, and welcomed online
contributors from the UK, Denmark and USA.
“An excellent production and a lovely
distraction and a welcome step forward in the
current circumstances. The set up followed all
the guidelines excellently and meant we could
enjoy the production whilst feeling safe”
Audience feedback

“ [Artistic Director] David Ward is someone who will not take no for an answer. There was never any doubt in his mind that the Festival would not materialise ... Ward's dauntless optimism had led the way ” Opera Magazine Cinderella Determined to find a way to enable our community to take part in opera over the past 12 months, we decided to try something completely new for Northern Opera Group and make a film! We wanted to an adapt an opera that offered opportunity for an amateur chorus to take part digitally, that would attract a large family audience, and that was technically and logistically achievable with the realities of Covid-secure guidelines and funding available. Pauline Viardot’s ‘Cinderella’ (which we first produced as a stage production in 2016) was an ideal choice, and we were able to utilise two outstanding local venues as locations for the film shoot – Calverley Old Hall (owned and run by the Landmark Trust) and Temple Newsam (one of the UK’s finest country houses, run by Leeds City Council). Amateur chorus members were able to take part for free; joining us for weekly Zoom sessions to learn the music and choreography / acting directions, before recording their parts at home to be edited into the final film. We attracted a mix of previous and new participants, including members joining us from the Netherlands, Mexico and South Korea! We were able to assemble an outstanding principal cast of professional singers, including James Cleverton and Claire Wild, with regular Northern Opera Group contributor Jenny Martins providing piano accompaniment. All principal and chorus cast members joined us for an online ‘film premiere’ the day before general release, which was a wonderful occasion to bring everyone together virtually. The film was exceptionally well received, with a 5* review in The Guardian and winning ‘Best Opera’ at the Classical Music Digital Awards

  1. We attracted additional coverage from BBC Radio 3 (Music Matters) and BBC Look North. Audiences across the world have watched the film online, with lovely feedback from audiences aged 8 to 90. “What a brilliant project and it thoroughly deserved the wonderful praise and reviews it has received. Thank you so much for keeping music making happening in these times. It was a pleasure to be a part of lockdown project and thank you to all involved for making such an innovative production. Thank you for all your hard efforts!” Participant “Such a wonderfully engaging performance of Pauline Viardot’s Cinderella. Perfect for keeping 8 year olds mesmerised on a rainy Sunday. A magical production indeed. Thank you Northern Opera Group” Audience New Responses to Old Operas This new programme commissions composers and librettists to create new, short, music theatre works in response to existing repertoire. It encourages artists to create work for opera / music theatre for the first time, in a supportive and creative environment, producing contemporary responses to often very old (and sometimes quite controversial) repertoire. Our first two projects under this scheme are ‘ Savitri ’ – commissioning two artists from a South Asian background to respond to Gustav Holst’s Indian opera, Savitri – and ‘ The Leeds Opera Story ’ – commissioning two artists from Leeds to create a piece finding parallels between the past and present of opera in the city. Filmed and live performances of these works are scheduled for the forthcoming financial year. Planning has continued for future projects, including our 2021 Leeds Opera Festival with funds raised in this year towards it.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Achievements against Para 1.41 objectives set

Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set		 Para 1.41
Investment performance
against objectives		 Para 1.41
Other

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period		 Para 1.21 With minimal overheads and liabilities,
Northern Opera Group is in a stable
financial position moving forward with a
healthy reserve level
Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held		 Para 1.22 As we have minimal overheads the
company doesn’t have a formal reserves
policy. Management accounts are created
for each Board meeting for Trustees to
monitor
Amount of reserves held Para 1.22 1177
Reasons for holding zero
reserves		 Para 1.22 n/a
Details of fund materially in
deficit		 Para 1.24 n/a
Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern		 Para 1.23 n/a

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

The charity’s principal sources of funds (including Para 1.47 any fundraising) Investment policy and objectives including any Para 1.46 social investment policy adopted A description of the principal Para 1.46 risks facing the charity Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s
trusts:
Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)		 Para 1.25 Constitution
How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)		 Para 1.25 CIO
Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees		 Para 1.25 Trustees are selected based on
recommendation and research

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Policies and procedures adopted for the induction Para 1.51 and training of trustees The charity’s organisational structure and any wider Para 1.51 network with which the charity works Relationship with any related Para 1.51 parties Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name Northern Opera Group
Other name the charity uses
Registered charity number 1167501
Charity’s principal address c/o Northern Ballet
2 St Cecilia Street
Quarry Hill
Leeds
LS2 7PA

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20		 Trustee name Office (if any) Dates acted if not for whole
year		 Name of person (or body) entitled
to appoint trustee (if any)
Mark Skipper
SallyStephens
Sarah Calvert
Rachel Bamforth
EmilySimpson
Charlotte
Armstrong		 12/2/21 -
Lorna James

– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved

Director name

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets held in this capacity

Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of
adviser
Name
Address
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

Other optional information

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Full name(s) Charlotte Armstrong Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date 27 September 2021

Northern Opera Group

CC16a

16750

Receipts and payments accounts

For the period 01/04/2020 31/03/2021 To from

Section A Receipts and payments

A1 Receipts Unrestricted
funds
to the nearest £
-
7,000
539
-
-
-
-
-
7,539
-
-
-
7,539		 Unrestricted
funds
to the nearest £
-
7,000
539
-
-
-
-
-
7,539
-
-
-
7,539		 Restricted funds
to the nearest £
20,404
2,350
150
1,000
4,000
-
-
-
27,904
-
-
-
27,904		 Restricted funds
to the nearest £
20,404
2,350
150
1,000
4,000
-
-
-
27,904
-
-
-
27,904		 Endowment
funds
to the nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 Endowment
funds
to the nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 Total funds
to the nearest £
20,404
9,350
689
1,000
4,000
-
-
-
35,443
-
-
-
35,443		 Total funds
to the nearest £
20,404
9,350
689
1,000
4,000
-
-
-
35,443
-
-
-
35,443		 Last year
to the nearest £

Government		 - 36,900
Trust and Foundation 7,000 31,100
Donation 539 185
Box office - 9,914
Arts@Leeds - 4,000
Commissions - 300
Misc - 346
- -
Sub total(Gross income for AR) 7,539 82,745
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
-
- -
Sub total - -
Total receipts
A3 Payments
82,745

Operacast		 150 - - 150 400
Artist fee 120 20,558 - 20,678 52,456
Marketing 1,500 150 - 1,650 1,548
Accommodation / travel - 821 - 821 2,635
Venue hire - 475 - 475 8,970
Production 121 1,549 - 1,670 5,109
Administration - 550 - 550 1,800
Overheads 168 - - 168 408
Equipment - - - - 1,208
Governance 240 - - 240 240
Volunteer expenses - - - - 207
Training - 510 - 510
Vendor fees - - - 805
Other 128 18 - 146 -
**Sub total ** 2,427 24,631 - 27,058 75,786
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
-
-
**Sub total ** - -
Total payments
Net of receipts/(payments)
A5 Transfers between funds
A6 Cash funds last year end
Cash funds this year end
75,786
5,112 6,959
- 7,365 -
3,430 3,556
1,177 10,515

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
Categories
B1 Cash funds		 1
Current account
Details		 Unrestricted
funds
to nearest £
1,177
-		 Restricted funds
to nearest £
17,723
-		 Endowment
funds
to nearest £
Current account 1,177 17,723 -
1 - - 17/09/2021
-
- - -
Total cash funds 1,177 17,723 -
(agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) OK OK OK
Unrestricted Restricted funds Endowment
funds funds
Details to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £
B2 Other monetary assets Tax reclaimable through Theatre Tax Relief 10,987 - -
- - -
- - -
- - -
- - -
- - -
Details Fund to which asset
belongs		 Cost (optional) Current value
(optional)
B3 Investment assets - -
- -
- -
- -
- -
Details Fund to which asset
belongs		 Cost (optional) Current value
(optional)
B4 Assets retained for the - -
charity’s own use - -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
Fund to which Amount due When due
Details liability relates (optional) (optional)
B5 Liabilities WYCAS - Independent Examination Unrestricted 240
-
-
-
-
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees		 Signature Print Name Date of approval
Charlotte Armstrong 27 September 2021

CCXX R2 accounts (SS)

17/09/2021

2