2025-03-31-accounts

Company Registration Number 10582100 Registered Charity Number 1173849

The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

REPORT AND ACCOUNTS For the year ending 31 March 2025

The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT For the year ended 31 March 2025

The Trustees, who are also Directors for the purposes of company law, present their report and the unaudited financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Registered Charity Name The NewBridge Project Charity Registration Number 1173849 Company Registration Number 10582100 Registered Office Shieldfield Centre, 4 - 8 Clarence Walk, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 1AL

Trustees

For the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, the Board of Trustees is the Board of Directors of the charitable company and is referred to as the Trustees throughout this report.

The Trustees of The NewBridge Project during the year and to the date of signing this report are as follows:

Ilana Mitchell (Chair) Jonathan Combe Julia Heslop Eve McCracken Dr Paul Richter

Company Secretary Rebecca Huggan

Bankers The Co-operative Bank, Norfolk House, 84-86 Grey Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6BZ Independent Examiner Pete O’Hara FCA, Chartered Accountant, 26 La Sagesse, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 3AF

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The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT

For the year ended 31 March 2025

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing Documents

The NewBridge Project is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 25 January 2017 and registered as a charity on 18 July 2017. The charity is controlled by its governing document, its Memorandum & Articles of Association and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act.

The Directors of the company are also Trustees of the charity.

Eligibility for membership of the charity, and membership of the Board of Trustees, is governed by the Articles of Association. There are no restrictions in the governing document on the operation of the charity other than those imposed by general charity law.

Charitable Purpose

The NewBridge Project’s charitable objects are to foster and advance the appreciation and understanding of the arts for the benefit of the public.

Structure and Governance

The charity currently has a Board of five non-executive Trustees.

The Board meets a minimum of 4 times per year. A written Director’s report, quarterly management accounts, a meeting agenda and any other necessary Board papers are prepared by the Director and circulated in advance of meetings.

The NewBridge Project is governed by the Board of Trustees with a staff team (employed and freelance) overseeing the day-to-day operation, comprising of:

Director - Rebecca Huggan Programme Director – Frances Stacey Studio & People Manager – Ruby Glover Development & Reporting Manager – Natalie Loftus (from October 2024) Artist Development Programmer – Daniel Russell Create / Disrupt Project Manager – Izzy Finch For Solidarity Project Manager – Hannah Kirkham Community Producer – Elaine Robertson (left Feb 2025) Marketing Co-ordinator – Kitty McKay (left April 2024) Communications Producer – Meaghan Stewart (from September 2024) Bookshop & Reading Room Co-ordinator - Maya Wallis Admin and Front of House Assistant – Jesse Howarth (from September 2024) Communities Facilitators – Hana Azahed and Jackie Wood Bookkeeper – Niamh Cunningham

The Contribution of Volunteers

The charity makes use of volunteers to support its activities.

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The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

For the year ended 31 March 2025

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED)

Recruitment and Appointment of Board of Trustees

Any person who is willing to act as a Director and is permitted by law to do so, may be appointed to be a Director by a decision of the Directors. Any Director appointed by a resolution of the other Directors must retire at the next Annual General Meeting following his or her appointment and may offer themselves for re-election and if any Director is required to retire at an Annual General Meeting the retirement shall take effect from the conclusion of the meeting.

Trustees are recruited through an open call out process for Trustees, describing the skills required. This is advertised through a range of accessible channels and networks. Trustees are elected to the Board based on discussions and recommendations offered by Trustees, the Director and external advisors to the organisation.

Trustee Induction and Training

New Trustees are inducted by the Director and current Trustees and are provided with a range of resources to support their understanding of The NewBridge Project and its activities, including a document detailing the role of Trustees and staff within the company.

Artists and other creatives who pay to join are known as Studio or Associate Members of NewBridge. They become members of the community, but they are not members of the company or charity.

Reserves Policy

The Trustees reviewed the charity's needs for Reserves in line with the guidance issued by the Charity Commission in February 2025. Moving forward they will be reviewed annually in line with budget setting.

The NewBridge Project’s target reserves are set at £297,000 (excluding designated reserves). We believe that this would enable us to meet most of our financial liabilities, funding/partnership commitments, overheads and staff costs over a six-month period (based on average expenditure across recent years and planned future budgets).

The NewBridge Project holds an additional, designated reserve of £50,000 to support the charity to relocate at the end of our current lease if required.

This makes our total target reserves £347,000.

The charity’s total reserves at 31 March 2025, including Restricted Funds, were £375,542

The charity’s total Unrestricted Reserves at 31 March 2025 are £268,828 (2024: £251,661). Free reserves, defined as non-designated Unrestricted Reserves, minus the Net Book Value of Unrestricted Tangible Fixed Assets, at 31 March 2025 are £248,058 (2024: £231,783).

However, c£116k of these reserves has been committed to activity in 2025/26 and, consequently, available reserves were c£132,058.

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The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT

For the year ended 31 March 2025

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED)

Reserves Policy (Cont.)

The Board is happy that these reserves, while below the target set, are sufficient at this current time given the agreed lease extension to 2031 and therefore the potential future flexibility of designated funds held, the team’s continuous work on sourcing new funding, and income earned consistently through studio fees.

The Board of Trustees actively use and allocate reserves as needed, and at present this includes:

• Staff care: Reserves may be used to support staff costs/enhanced staff leave costs such as new parent leave, bereavement leave, sick leave.

• Running costs: In the 2025-26 year, we have identified a potential need to allocate £4,408 of reserves to bridge a small gap between funding to cover staff salaries. This allocation has been agreed in advance by the Board of Trustees.

• Building maintenance/Improvement: We will use approx. £5k of our reserves to install new signage to the building. The current signage is damaged, so refreshing this will create a more welcoming entrance to the building, increase footfall and bookshop revenue. It is deemed a good time to do this given our lease extension.

Included in the £116k committed to activity in 2025/26, is money already paid to us by NECA based on actual spend. However, because they pay us at an intervention rate, this has resulted in a timing difference in the final stage of the project between actual match and intervention rate.

Grant Making Policy

The charity does not currently engage in grant-making activity.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Overview

The NewBridge Project (NewBridge) is an artist-led community established in 2010 that has evolved significantly over the past 15 years, growing in scale and ambition in response to needs of artists and local communities. We aim to reflect the diversity of contemporary art practice, be responsive to our environment, build solidarity, and place community-centred, experimental, collaborative and socially conscious programming at the heart of all our work.

Our programme consists of:

• Commissions, exhibitions, and projects

• • Community hub & public space

• Artist Development

• Studios & Workspace

• Events and socials

• Shieldfield Youth Programme

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The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT

For the year ended 31 March 2025

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (CONTINUED)

Strategic Objectives and Public Benefit

The Trustees understand and have discussed the implications of the provisions of the Charities Act 2006, which state that all charities must demonstrate that they are established for public benefit and have had due regard to the public benefit guidance issued by the Charity Commission.

The Trustees believe that the charity meets both key principles:

Principle 1 — There must be an identifiable benefit, or benefits:

To work towards our Vision, Mission & Values, the following strategic objectives underpin everything we do, demonstrating clear, tangible benefits.

Strategic Objectives

1. Developing Artists Develop artistic talent and provide opportunities for career development through artist development programmes, networking, curatorial opportunities, training and shared learning within the visual arts sector in the north east of England.

2. Providing space Provide space, facilities and resources for artists in the north east of England.

3. Supporting and presenting new art work Support the production and presentation of ambitious and pioneering new artwork in the gallery and off-site

4. Creating a welcoming space Provide a welcoming environment and community hub, creating a resource and programme for artists and the local community alike.

5. Engaging audiences and communities Create positive, in depth and quality experiences for audiences, participants and collaborators, and increase the number of people who experience and engage with visual art.

6. Creating a good organisational and working culture Create a positive working and organisational culture across our organisation and for those that we work with through active listening and reflection so we can develop responsively, meaningfully and with integrity.

Principle 2 — Benefit must be to the public, or a section of the public:

Each element of our work provides benefit to one or more clearly identified sections of the public, whether the artistic or local community, or the general public, who can access and enjoy the work produced as a result. NewBridge’s beneficiaries are therefore entirely appropriate to its aims and the wider public benefit from its work.

All of these benefits are clear, evidenced and relate directly to NewBridge’s aims. In addition, the Trustees do not consider that any significant detriment or harm flows from NewBridge’s work.

Risk Management

The Board of Trustees steer the effective governance of NewBridge. They ensure the organisation is operating within its agreed aims, objectives, and values and that it is achieving its overall ambitions and vision, effectively, efficiently, safely, and legally. They review the organisational risk register quarterly at each trustee meeting to manage and mitigate risk and operate comprehensive regular self-evaluation.

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The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT

For the year ended 31 March 2025

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (CONTINUED)

Risk Management (Cont.)

The Director and staff team are fully engaged in risk management and take a direct role in managing risks through the following procedure: 1. identifying risks; 2. analysing risks; 3. evaluating/ranking risks; 4. mitigating risks; 5. monitoring/reviewing risks.

The Director works with staff and trustees to determine type of risk; strategic, compliance, financial, operational, or reputational. The risk register is kept updated and an appropriate risk response employed: avoidance, mitigation, acceptance, or transferal. A risk management plan or assessment is completed for larger projects with specific/numerous risks. Any risks rated as high/critical are immediately reported to the Board.

The Trustees are satisfied that appropriate financial systems and controls and employment policies and practices are in place.

Financial : High levels of current funding are due to reduce/end in the next 6-12 months, demonstrating a risk to the long-term sustainability of programme delivery and staff salaries. In particular, NECA funding ends in September 2025, and SHED funding is reducing 25% from April 2025 onward, and by a further 25% of the original grant from April 2026 (an overall reduction from £100k to £50k p.a.). The ways we will mitigate this:

• Continue positive conversations with North East Combined Authority about future Skills for Growth Funding

• Development & Reporting Manager has brought much needed capacity to application making and is actively implementing our ambitious fundraising strategy. Nat meets monthly with Director and Programme Director to review plans, shared actions and priorities

• We have been successful in receiving support from new funders including Garfield Weston, NE Roots, Barbour and Riddel Family, and reapplied successfully for funding from Ouseburn Ward funding and Community Foundation

• We have multiple applications pending and in progress to funders for core funding and project support across our programmes.

Whilst we have robust plans and strong track record in securing funding, we have maintained a highrisk level as the current fundraising landscape is exceptionally competitive, and if unreplaced the 3- year NECA high-level grant and SHED funding will leave a large gap.

Operational: Recent changes in staff team could result in lack of cohesion for staff team and impact on workload.

• We continue to work with Limelite HR to support the team and provide training for line managers

• 121s, PDRs, and regular team meetings support us to focus on individual needs and progress, and collective work

• Implementation of ‘Fallow month’ in January, and ‘Breathing Weeks’ across the year, in direct response to needs of team identified in Kitt’s Home Rearing residency. These give time to focus on R+D and admin that can fall through the cracks when busy

• In short term, For Solidarity Producer and one of our Communities Facilitator is covering elements of Communities Producer work. We will recruit for a 12-month role in September.

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The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT

For the year ended 31 March 2025

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (CONTINUED)

Risk Management (Cont.)

Operational : Large number of young people (100+) on the ‘books’ for Shieldfield Youth Programme could result in higher and different requirements for safeguarding that we cannot meet.

• We created a new youth team of 3 people in June 2024, including the new role of Youth Programme Producer. The new team oversees the management of the programme, ensures safeguarding is in place and demonstrates best practice

• The Youth Programme Producer has completed training as a DSO (designated safeguarding officer) alongside our Director. Our Youth Worker and the Programme Worker at Dwellbeing will complete DSO training in August/September – this means we will have 4 people with the training to better support capacity across safeguarding

• We have two trustees who are responsible for safeguarding (Eve McCracken and Ilana Mitchell), who work with the Director (DSO) and Youth Team to oversee safeguarding, reporting, record keeping and policy development

• DSOs are now supported through safeguarding supervision sessions with Elle Savell-Boss Ltd to provide support to discuss not only complex cases and case management, but also their own emotional well-being

• Funding secured (September 2025) to expand youth sessions to 3 age groups, enabling us to support more registered young people, and to better meet the requirements of these different ages.

Strategic/Financial: Our partnership with Newcastle University & TCS comes to an end in 2026.

• We have secured support for The Collective Studio for another year (25-26 cohort), through £30,000 funding from the University’s HEIF fund

• We are working with the Associate Dean of Engagement and Place, the Deputy Head of the School of Arts and Cultures and the Cultural Partnerships Manager to renew our Memorandum of Understanding for the partnership

• Steering Group of staff from University and NewBridge meet quarterly to discuss long-term partnership and strategic direction of collaborative programmes

• Operations Group of staff from University and NewBridge meet monthly to review ongoing progress of our Combined Authority Skills for Growth Project.

Strategic: Succession planning for Board of Trustees, with key roles (including Chair) coming to the end of their term in 2026. Steps to mitigate this risk that we will take throughout the year

• Call out for new Board Members launched May 2025, with August deadline, and meetings with potential Trustees to take place September, with new Trustees joining from November meeting. Strong response to call out means we are confident in recruiting new trustees.

• We have passed a resolution to extend term of 3 founding trustees by two years and we will stagger resignations within this time and onboarding of new trustees so there will not be too much change all at once.

The Trustees also manage the general financial risks arising by ensuring that:

• Prudent budgets have been set for the next financial year.

• Quarterly management accounts are provided, showing the performance against budget and any predicted deficit/surplus.

• Reserves policy allows for flexibility and sustainability should unexpected costs occur.

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The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT

For the year ended 31 March 2025

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year

Delivery of Strategic Objective 1: Developing Artists

NewBridge supports artists to develop their artistic practice and build sustainable careers. We have four artist development programmes, offering multiple entry points to maximise accessibility to people from all backgrounds and at all stages in their careers. Formal partnerships with national and regional organisations help create additional opportunities to broaden our reach. The four programmes are:

• Practice makes Practice (PMP)

• The Collective Studio (TCS)

• Create/Disrupt (C/D)

• Programme Committee (PC)

Practice Makes Practice (PMP)

PMP aims to equip artists with the necessary skills to manage their practice and develop their talent. It is shaped in response to the needs and interests of members and the local creative community. Tiered membership pricing enhances accessibility and 10 memberships per year are offered free to artists and makers from low-income households and other under-represented groups.

Between April 2024 – March 2025 we delivered 52 PMP events and one-to-ones, working with 126 artists. This engaged 418 active participants and 137 digital/online audience members.

Special events included a field trip to Middlesborough Art Week, and four events to tie in with the MOTHEROTHER exhibition at NewBridge. Two additional PMP strands addressed specific skills gaps, providing multiple free workshops:

• DIY Digital for artists and creative practitioners looking to develop their digital skills

• • UpSkill for people returning to a creative practice, or starting a practice later in life

Our continuing collaboration with Kaleidoscope Network - with Primary (Nottingham), Spike Island (Bristol), Eastside Projects (Birmingham) and Bloc Projects (Sheffield) - offered an additional 6 artist development events throughout the year.

We also gave 57 emerging arts workers hands-on work experience , working alongside NewBridge staff to deliver our coffee mornings, socials and community events, and supporting with installation of exhibitions. This supports early-career freelancers to gain practical work experience, build skills and networks, and acquire that vital first role on their CV.

The Collective Studio (TCS)

In partnership with Newcastle University, TCS supports early-career and recent graduate artists and creative practitioners. It aims to attract, develop and keep the brightest creative talent in the North East, supporting personal and creative development through subsidised studio space and tailored events and workshops to address knowledge and skills gaps. Advocating for learner-chosen activities, TCS supports the difficult transition from University/College to studio-based practice, gallery, and workplace.

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The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT

For the year ended 31 March 2025

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (CONTINUED)

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year (Cont.)

Between April 2024 – March 2025 we supported 2 cohorts of TCS with 73 members in total. In this time, we have produced 31 events, alongside 59 artists/facilitators.

Highlights included an exhibition with Create/Disrupt at the Embassy Gallery in Edinburgh at the invitation of past TCS member Lucas Priest, and collaborating with Newcastle University First Year Fine Art students for the Late Shows. Past and present members of TCS have gone on to do a wide range of exhibitions, commissions, paid work and further education.

Create/Disrupt (C/D)

Supported by North East Combined Authority, C/D is for aspiring artists and art workers who have not completed an undergraduate degree, aiming to break down socio-economic barriers to pursuing a creative career. It promotes diversity and inclusion, and provides access to training, opportunities and networks.

Between April 2024 – March 2025 we supported 2 cohorts with 28 members in total. We produced 55 events , working with 84 artists/facilitators .

Highlights for the 2024 cohort included a field trip to Glasgow to research and visit art spaces, and working together to plan, curate, install and promote their exhibition in Room 8 at NewBridge. The show ran for a week in February, and over 250 people visited. 8 artists from C/D 2024 took on a studio together and remain part of the NewBridge community, participating in events including PMP.

The 2024 cohort also worked alongside our team to develop and run BreakOut , a taster day for people aged 18-21 who are interested in a career in the arts. BreakOut consisted of a full day of workshops, artist talks and film screenings, including a photography walk around Shieldfield, a print workshop, a film screening and talk around accessibility in film industries, an informal discussion around diverse pathways into the arts and a workshop demystifying the music industry. Of the young people that attended the day, 3 have now applied to be part of Create/Disrupt in 2025. Another BreakOut event is planned for Autumn 2025.

The 2025 Create/Disrupt cohort are working towards an exhibition in December 2025, which for the first time will be in NewBridge’s main gallery space.

Programme Committee

NewBridge’s Programme Committee is crucial to an artist-led approach to programming, ensuring that many voices, interests, and practices are represented through NewBridge’s exhibitions, commissions, and events.

This year’s Programme Committee included artists, curators, writers, and organisers: Holly Argent, Ellie Armon Azoulay, Dan Goodman, Kaan K, Shelly Knotts, and Seymour Mace. Together they have been developing and producing a season of public programmes, including exhibitions, events and other activities including The ‘Open’ Open , Cuttings and Everyday Algorithms this year, and planning events beyond March 2025 include Resounding Diasporic Sonic Worlds , Uncanny Carnival and A Revolt in Bernicia’s Garden . (See Exhibitions section below).

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The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT

For the year ended 31 March 2025

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (CONTINUED)

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year (Cont.)

MFA bursary in partnership with Newcastle University

We launched two bursaries for students taking the 2024 – 2026 Master of Fine Arts course starting September 2024. The bursaries are supported by NECA Skills for Growth Funding, and cover full tuition fees for the two-year MA, as well as a stipend toward living costs of £8000 per year.

Delivery of Strategic Goal 2: Providing Space

We provide affordable workspace to artists at any career stage - working primarily within visual arts - with a desire to be part of a diverse and critically engaged community of creatives. Affordable, accessible work and exhibition space is of key importance for artists and creatives to start or continue their practice, develop their careers and realise new work.

Our tiered approach is designed to suit the varying needs of artists; we offer individual studios, shared workspace, co-workspace, workshop facilities and flexible project spaces for making and exhibiting. We are committed to embedding accessibility and diversity, both through ensuring physical accessibility, and through programmes that ensure individuals from protected characteristic groups are able to join and use our facilities, including offering some bursaries.

From April 2024 – March 2025, we have provided affordable studios and workspace for 102 Studio Members, 12 hot-desk members, 73 TCS members, 13 C/D members. All members benefit from full access to PMP , and discounted access to project and making spaces.

We host regular socials and events for our members, creating opportunities for community building.

Our flexible project, exhibition and workshop spaces offer opportunities to exhibit and make work in a supportive space. We also provide bookable meeting space for artists, creative professionals, charities and community groups who are not members. This year we have had 29 external hires, and 126 hires by studio members.

Our practice-specific workshops include a wood workshop, darkroom, print studio and ceramics studio. They are led independently by members who receive discounted space in exchange for opening their workshops to NewBridge members, creatives and local community.

In April 2024, Topo Architects and NewBridge were awarded the Sustainability Prize at the AJ Small Projects Awards, now in its 29[th] year. The judges championed the design of our spaces for setting a precedent for reuse, despite a scarcity of materials. Later in the year, we worked with Topo Architects again to redesign and refurbish our Youth Room.

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The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT

For the year ended 31 March 2025

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (CONTINUED)

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year (Cont.)

Lease Extension

We have signed a new lease for the Shieldfield Centre, extending our time here until June 2031. We have had positive conversations with Newcastle Council and will build on these to explore options for a longer-term future at the Shieldfield Centre. As we know from our recent social impact report, people are concerned and feel much will be lost if NewBridge were to leave:

“It would be a tragedy really. And for the kids as well [...] the whole community benefits regardless of what age. It’s really needed in this community. It has to stay. We’d be absolutely lost without it, we need it.” (Carol, resident)

“I think taking that away, it will leave a massive hole...I don’t think any good can come from taking away this building. No good can come from it.” (Kema, Musician and Shieldfield Youth Voice workshop leader)

In parallel to this, we want to ensure that we think sensitively about the legacy and sustainability of the work we are doing should we have to leave the Shieldfield Centre. We want to work with people locally to ensure they have a voice in what happens next, and how these programmes might be led in the future.

We will also continue to explore the feasibility of other business/financial models to ensure we can be responsive to different opportunities if needed.

Our Director continues to actively participate in regional and national research, development and advocacy around long-term, sustainable and affordable workspace provision for creatives, including in partnership with Newcastle University, and Contemporary Visual Arts Network. We were recently featured as a case study in Framing the Future: The Political Case for Strengthening the Visual Arts Ecosystem , to make the case for investment in a £5million grassroots visual art capital fund as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review that took place in June 2025.

Delivery of Objectives 3: Projects, Exhibitions and Events

We aim to deliver an artistic programme that is truly artist-led and experimental in its approach. The programme is based around collaboration; responsive to our social, political, civic and environmental context; reflective of the diversity of contemporary artistic practice.

We prioritise commissioning new work by innovative and ambitious emerging and early-career artists at key points in their development. Alongside this, we also work with regional, national and international mid-career artists to enhance our support for emerging practices or explore critical themes and organisational development.

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The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT

For the year ended 31 March 2025

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (CONTINUED)

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year (Cont.)

In 2024-25 we delivered 29 exhibitions, screenings and projects, alongside ongoing projects. Highlights include:

Exhibitions

Kandake: Sudanese Sisters (18-21 April) curated by local artist, chef and community leader Kaltouma Hassaballah as part of her chef residency with NewBridge. Celebrated community and friendship, particularly between women in the local Sudanese and wider Arabic Community. Kaltouma worked with her family and artist Michael James McCormak to design and build a Sudanese Smoke Bath in the yard in her home. The Smoke Bath now offers a social space for Sudanese Women in Newcastle to gather. Events included walking tours and a Lady Party. Attended by 263 people over three days, who travelled from across the UK to attend.

MOTHEROTHER (7 Jun – 9 August) curated by Sue Loughlin. Attended by 366 people, MOTHEROTHER explored the relationship that artist mothers have with themselves, their children, society, politics and the artworld, and brought together a variety of artists’ perspectives on parenting. Events included Community Socials, Artist Networking events, and talks included “How to open a conversation with children in schools about Palestine” with Sara Qaed.

The Open Open (21 Sept – 9 Nov) was produced by this year’s Programme Committee, led by Committee and Collective Studio member Dan Goodman. Co-curated by the individuals and communities who take part, the exhibition reflected the context of NewBridge and the many people involved from studio holders to chefs-in-residence to members of our Youth Programme. 96 members took part, and the exhibition had 571 visitors .

Cuttings (Nov) Led by Programme Committee member, poet and drag king Kaan K and facilitator and gardener Leo Hargreaves, who held workshops and created a living altar of trans remembrance in the gallery with poetry painted onto the walls by artist Zach McDade. There were 75 attendees.

Pedagogue Alongside Cuttings , in our Reading Room we screened the 1988 agit-prop film work Pedagogue , made by Stuart Marshall, Neil Barlett and Newcastle Polytechnic students, in response to Section 28. 15 participants then took part in a two-day workshop to remake Pedagogue in light of the parallels between Section 28 and the Gender Recognition Act. There were 56 attendees .

Everyday Algorithms (21 Feb – 17 April) produced by this year’s Programme Committee member Shelly Knotts. Attended by 871 visitors , the exhibition explored how we interact with algorithms in our daily lives, highlighting the active role humans play in creating code, designing algorithms and data structures. Focussing on under-recognised narratives within this field, the artworks show how algorithms can be used to support human needs, for care, community, and autonomy.

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The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT

For the year ended 31 March 2025

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (CONTINUED)

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year (Cont.)

Projects

TopSoil (2013-) is a queer gardening collective, for whom gardening is a radical act of resistance. The group meets weekly at a nearby allotment to grow and harvest food, as well as deepening knowledge around sustainability, queer ecology, natural dyes and more. This year’s highlights:

• Meeting a National Trust gardener to learn about decolonised green spaces

• Working with Northumberland Wildlife Trust to create a pond in the allotment

• A workshop exploring Palestinian Botany

• Collaborating with Programme Committee on the Trans Day of Remembrance

• A publication available for purchase at NewBridge Books

For Solidarity (2019-) is a project that nurtures a growing peer support network of grassroots initiatives helping people to meet their material and social needs in ways that don’t harm people or the planet. Key projects in 2024-25 year:

• Community garden visits : trips to community gardens across the North East, in collaboration with Shieldfield Art Works and Dwellbeing Shieldfield.

• “How can we be free together?” : a workshop exploring solidarity economies from personal and local perspectives to global

• Arika : a live screening of film, music and discussion exploring alternative ways of existing and conceiving of existence

NewBridge Books and The Reading Room

NewBridge Books welcomes people to the building, and offers a selection of diverse, original and hard-to-find art publications, magazines and zines. It provides a platform for independent publishers and artists who self-publish, and hosts regular events including Binder , a monthly gathering for makers and readers of artist’s books.

Based beside our gallery, the Reading Room offers a library of thought-provoking books. Linking up with similar spaces across the country, we’ve created opportunities for reading groups, authors events, resources and activities that hope to catalyse creativity, collaboration, and conversation.

This year the Bookshop and Reading Room became more integrated with our public programme. Our exhibitions informed our stock, reading lists and additional events. Highlights included:

• Nat Raha x Transgender Marxism: Queer and Trans Care and Collectives : a ‘kitchen table’ discussion on solidarity, mutual aid, ‘affective economies’ and collective organising

• Talking Signs for Making : a performance evening and book launch with artist Giles Bailey from Talker zine

• Solidarity Economy Association : book launch of an illustrated guide to alternative economies, people power and cooperative models, with For Solidarity and Dwellbeing

• Conway and Young : live screened performance of Milk Report by Conway and Young, followed by a Q&A session, complementing the MotherOther exhibition

• Pedagogue : film screening in the Reading Room to complement the Cuttings exhibition

• Delicate Liminalities : film screening in the Bookshop to complement Everyday Algorithms

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The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT

For the year ended 31 March 2025

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (CONTINUED)

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year (Cont.)

Delivery of Strategic Goal 4: Community Space and Programme

NewBridge seeks to be a welcoming space where artists, residents and local communities can come together to work, learn, socialise and support each other. Since we moved to the Shieldfield Centre in 2021, we have built a responsive programme from the ground up, working collaboratively with Shieldfield residents and empowering them to make & experience art.

In October 2024 we launched Listening & Learning: a social impact report , evaluating our hyperlocal work in our neighbourhood to date. Working with researchers at Newcastle University, the project was informed by a wide range of voices and articulates the role NewBridge plays in addressing challenges in the area, including the lack of youth provision and of social isolation, as well as connecting local people with creative activities and developing their skills and confidence.

The report finds that NewBridge delivers value across a range of dimensions – social, economic and cultural – and that it has become a space of care and inclusion. It shows NewBridge to be a key part of the Shieldfield ecology, an active collaborator among a strong network of local organisations and spaces. It also sets out NewBridge’s hopes for the future, and the potential for further and deeper impacts in the long term. It demonstrates how artist development is embedded across all our work, with key pathways from our neighbourhood work through to our artist development programmes.

In 2024-25 we delivered 146 community events and regular sessions , for 2,315 participants , working with 52 artists and regular facilitators to deliver the programme. Two new Communities Facilitators have joined our staff team to lead our Saturday Socials and weekly Coffee Morning.

Community Projects this year included:

Shieldfield Youth Programme (SYP) : our ongoing youth programme delivered in partnership with Dwellbeing and in collaboration with young people living in Shieldfield. It currently has over 100 registered members, and a waiting list. SYP is youth-led, our weekly activity is responsive to young people’s ideas, with their vision at its centre. This year saw the refurbishment of our youth room, and a range of activities across multiple art forms, exploring performance, music, sound art, and increasing young people’s environmental awareness.

Memory Café: An ongoing project in collaboration with The Forum Café, Shieldfield, benefitting Shieldfield residents who live with dementia and the people who support them. Through providing an activity with an artist, it encourages engagement, creativity and self-expression, helping to build confidence. There are 15+ regular participants.

Community Chefs Residencies: Building on our regular community meals, these residencies invite a different local chef to work with us over a year. During the residency they receive professional and creative development and co-produce a project or event, alongside a series of community meals and workshops. This year we worked with Kaltouma Hassaballah, and Tigist Tegegne.

Socials: regular opportunities for community building, hosting spaces and activities which invite people to come together in our space and socialize. In 2024-25 we hosted 48 weekly Monday coffee mornings, and 12 monthly Saturday Socials, with each session attended by 8-25 people.

15

The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT

For the year ended 31 March 2025

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (CONTINUED)

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year (Cont.)

Delivery of Strategic Goal 5: Audience Engagement

Audiences and participants have always been at the forefront of our work, and we continue to deliver a responsive, diverse, and varied programme that aims to attract people to our activities. In the last few years our audiences, participants and collaborators have diversified and grown, and our programmes have adapted and changed responsively. In particular, our move to the Shieldfield Centre has seen a significant shift in our priorities and who we engage with our work.

As highlighted, all our above programmes engage a wide variety of audiences in different ways. Our key priorities in 24-25 were:

Increase the depth and quality of people's experience of contemporary art: We have delivered talks, events and workshops and offered different ways to engage with our work. We have built upon existing partnerships to diversify and increase audiences including the Kaleidoscope Network, MotherOther and For Solidarity Network.

Increase the number of people who experience and engage with contemporary art: We have increased the number of people who engage with our work, in particular exceeding our own ambitions with local residents in Shieldfield, and have built a strong audience of local people, through events, targeted marketing, and responsive programming based on their interests.

Ensure that our space and programme is as accessible as possible: We regularly reflect on who takes part and embed accessibility in our planning approach, ensuring opportunities are suitable for people with varied experiences, backgrounds and needs. We continue to offer bursary places and free memberships, creating space for people to try new things, and for many voices to shape our programmes.

We have also significantly developed our hybrid offer, delivering much of our artist development programme in person and online, enhancing accessibility for those unable to attend in person. At recent PMP x DIY Digital programme of events, of attendees surveyed 80% thought the hybrid event delivery was good, with one participant saying “Excellent. Best hybrid event I have been a part of – brilliant video and sound as well as feeling of being included and part of the session. Not an add-on.”

Delivery of Strategic Goal 6: Working/organisational culture

We seek to create a positive working and organisational culture across our organisation and for those that we work with. We strive to be a learning organisation that regularly reflects upon the way we work, and how we can develop responsively, meaningfully and with integrity, and make urgent and considered change when required.

We want NewBridge to be a good place to work for our staff and volunteers, and for that positivity to be reflected in our building and all our work. We have a strong team who each bring their own skills, creativity, experiences and perspectives to the organisation. We create space for open and honest conversation, so that the whole team can support each other’s work and think critically and collectively about our organisation, programme and what we want to do better in the future.

16

The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT

For the year ended 31 March 2025

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (CONTINUED)

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year (Cont.)

Key work that supported this in 2024-25 year:

• Embedding learning from previous projects: Our artist-led Home-Rearing residency invited staff, trustees, artists, and local people to collaboratively design policies that reflect our values alongside artist Lady Kitt. We followed their recommendations to trial a Fallow Month, Breathing weeks, and refresh our Environmental Policy. MOTHEROTHER was pivotal in advancing our understanding of how best to support artist-caregivers, leading to new practices that centre accessibility and care.

• Groundwork : long-term co-learning project with Arts Catalyst (Sheffield), Primary (Nottingham), The Showroom (London), Deptford X (London) and Deveron Projects (Huntly) which aims to explore how arts organisations can better resource and strengthen the communities and places that they work within.

• Solidarity and Green Handbook: Quarterly team meetings explore environmental responsibility and sustainability. We created a new Environmental Policy and Action Plan and are actively working towards creating a green handbook as a best practice guide, with tips, goals and learning to support our work. It will be shared with studio members and commissioned artists.

Work with staff, freelancers and artists:

• Fair Pay : NewBridge is committed to paying people in line with best practice. We became a Real Living Wage employer in 2024, provided a 4% pay rise in April 2025, and are fundraising to grow salaries in the longterm. We pay artists and freelancers based on guidance from Artist Union England, and currently pay the highest hourly rate advised in April 2024 for artists with 5+ yrs experience.

• Wellbeing: Most of our staff have completed a Wellness Action Plan, refreshed annually or as needed. These help line managers and colleagues understand mental health and wellbeing needs of our staff, identify what keeps people well at work, and the support people might need at difficult times.

• Time to connect and collaborate: Weekly team meetings provide space for the whole team to check in, connect, update each other on their work, collaborate and support each other. 121s with line managers are an opportunity for conversations about work and personal circumstances, and see where support or development can be offered, as well as a more formal annual PDR

• HR support for the team: Limelite HR company supports our team to embed best practice across our work, reviews and supports policy development, and provides advice and training to our team and line managers.

17

The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT For the year ended 31 March 2025

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (CONTINUED)

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year (Cont.)

Funding and Partnerships

The Board and staff of NewBridge would like to record their thanks to the funders and partners who made our work possible in 2024-25. We received support from Arts Council England through National Portfolio, Newcastle University, Newcastle Culture Investment Fund, Garfield Weston Foundation, SHED, Jerwood Arts, Ouseburn Ward Funding, North of Tyne Combined Authority (NTCA) Skills for Growth Fund (now North East Combined Authority), Community Foundation North East, Hadrian Trust, and Northern Power.

We worked closely with a number of regional partners to deliver projects and joint initiatives, including; Newcastle University, Artist Network North East, BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Big River Bakery, Caring Hands, Dwellbeing Shieldfield, Forum Café Shieldfield, Learning Exchange Residency, Newcastle City Council, Newcastle University, Shieldfield Art Works, Forum Café, Slugtown, Star & Shadow Cinema.

We also worked closely with a number of national and international partners to deliver projects and joint initiatives, including: Embassy (Glasgow), Videocity (Japan), Eastside Projects (Birmingham), Pluto Press (London), Primary (Nottingham), Solidarity Economy Association (Bristol), Spike Island (Bristol), Arts Catalyst (Sheffield), Primary (Nottingham), Deptford X (London), Deveron Projects (Huntly), Rule of Threes (Sefton, Merseyside), Pluto Press (London), Contemporary Visual Art Network (national) and Paradise Gallery (Nantes, France).

Financial Review

The out-turn for the year is an unrestricted surplus of £17,167 (2024: surplus £74,925).

The charity’s total reserves at 31 March 2025 are £375,542, of which £106,174 are restricted reserves and £268,828 are unrestricted funds.

The charity’s total Unrestricted Reserves at 31 March 2025 are £268,828. Free reserves, defined as non-designated Unrestricted Reserves, minus the Net Book Value of Unrestricted Tangible Fixed Assets, are £248,058 at 31 March 2025.

18

The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT

For the year ended 31 March 2025

PLANS FOR FUTURE YEARS

Funding and Partnerships

We have been working to become more sustainable and resilient, including securing long-term funding to support our staff team and programme.

We have secured Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation funding for April 2023 - March 2027. We have secured core funding until March 2028 from Newcastle Culture Investment Fund through the Community Foundation and Newcastle City Council.

In December 2025 our funding from North East Combined Authority (NECA) Skills for Growth Fund will come to an end. This has been a significant investment into our artist development programmes, and the teams who deliver and support this work. We are having active conversations with the Skills team at NECA about the future of the fund, and can make a robust case for support for the value and impact of our work, based on our ongoing evaluation with Ortus Economic Research. We know that there will be a gap between funding rounds, and the Board have agreed to bridge staff salaries currently supported by NECA from other core funding and reserves.

We have signed a new collaboration agreement with Newcastle University, to continue delivering our vital work together, including The Collective Studio, our wider partnership work as part of the NECA skills project, and support for students through projects like The Late Shows . We will also continue to explore shared research opportunities, building on the More than Meanwhile Spaces series of publications and workshops, and the Listening & Learning Social Impact Report published in October 2024 .

We have secured 2 years of funding from SHED, at £75,000 in 2025-26 year, and £50,000 in 202627 year.

We have secured core funding from Garfield Weston Foundation for 2025-26, and project funding from Youth Music, Riddell Family Community and Faulkner Dixon (through Community Foundation).

We will make applications to Esmee Fairbairn, Newcastle Fund, Newcastle Youth Fund, Swire Charitable Trust, National Lottery Awards for All, Paul Hamlyn, and other small funds that emerge throughout 2025-26. This is outlined as part of our fundraising strategy.

Building

We have signed a new 5-year lease for the Shieldfield Centre, extending our time in this building until 2031.

Given this longer lease period, over the next year we will make some small investments into the appearance of the building, including applying for planning permission to change the front signage to improve visibility. We will also improve signage and signposting within the building and public spaces.

We continue to pursue our ambition to secure a permanent or long-term base, as well as exploring the feasibility of other business/financial models to ensure we can be responsive to different opportunities. We will continue our wide-ranging conversations with different stakeholders to explore future building options beyond this 5-year period, specifically prioritising conversations to explore options for making Shieldfield our long-term home.

19

The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT

For the year ended 31 March 2025

PLANS FOR FUTURE YEARS (CONTINUED)

We know from our recent social impact report that people are concerned and feel a lot will be lost if NewBridge were to leave:

“It would be a tragedy really. And for the kids as well [...] the whole community benefits regardless of what age. It’s really needed in this community. It has to stay. We’d be absolutely lost without it, we need it.” (Carol, resident)

“I think taking that away, it will leave a massive hole...I don’t think any good can come from taking away this building. No good can come from it.” (Kema, Musician and Shieldfield Youth Voice workshop leader)

In parallel to this, we want to ensure that if we do have to leave the Shieldfield Centre, that we think sensitively about the legacy and sustainability of the work we are doing, and work with people locally to ensure they have a voice in what happens next, and how these programmes might be led in the future.

Our Director will continue to participate in regional and national research, development and advocacy around long-term, sustainable and affordable workspace provision for creatives.

Trustees

We will launch a Trustee recruitment in Summer 2025, with a look to onboarding up to 5 new Trustees in the 2025-26 year. We will also pass a resolution to extend the tenure of three founding Trustees still on the board, so that we can bring in new Trustees onboard alongside them, to best manage the onboarding, and so we can share knowledge and learn from each other.

We are looking for expertise or experience in some specific areas, including: living in Shieldfield, working in a place-based organisation or place-based approaches, alternative routes into employment and education, barriers to access within the cultural/visual art sector, social justice, climate justice and environmental sustainability, youth work, strategic communications and PR, strategic fundraising and financial expertise.

Through this process we are committed to developing more diverse representation and for our Trustees to better reflect the communities we engage with through our work.

Strategic plan and programme vision

Over the next year, we will develop a new 5-year strategic plan (2026-2031) for the organisation, outlining the vision for our programme and work over this period.

20

The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT

For the year ended 31 March 2025

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TRUSTEES

The Trustees (who are also the Directors of The NewBridge Project for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.

In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

• observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;

• make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

• state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in operation.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Signed on behalf of the Trustees

Ilana Mitchell Trustee Company Registration Number 10582100

17 November 2025

21

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Members on the Unaudited Accounts of The NewBridge Project Limited for the year ended 31 March 2025

I hereby report to the Trustees/Members of The NewBridge Project (Charity Registration Number 1165182) on the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 set out on pages 23 to 34.

Responsibilities and Basis of Report

As the charity’s Trustees (and also its directors for the purposes of company law), you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent Examiner’s Statement

Since the Company’s gross income exceeded £250,000, your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountant in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods or principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102)).

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Pete O’Hara, FCA, Chartered Accountant

Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales

26 La Sagesse, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 3AF

17 November 2025

22

The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Note Income Income from Investments 2 Income from Grants, Donations & Legacies 3 Income from Charitable Activities 4 Total Income Expenditure Cost of Raising Funds 5 Expenditure on Charitable Activities 6 Total Expenditure Net Income/(Expenditure) Balance brought forward Balance carried forward at 31 March 12	Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total 2025 Total 2024 £ £ £ £ 1,574 - 1,574 508 71,447 335,911 407,358 417,629 184,901 - 184,901 206,861
	257,922 335,911 593,833 624,998 2,580 - 2,580 1,341 238,175 348,973 587,148 536,428
	240,755 348,973 589,728 537,769
	17,167 (13,062) 4,105 87,229 251,661 119,776 371,437 284,208
	£268,828 £106,714 £375,542 £371,437

The notes on pages 25 to 34 form part of the financial statements.

All the activities of the company are classed as continuing.

The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses in the year and therefore a statement of total recognised gains and losses has not been prepared.

23

The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION/BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2025

		2025	2024
	Notes	£	£
Fixed Assets
Tangible Fixed Assets	8	22,264	22,173
Current Assets
Debtors	9	146,607	118,644
Cash at Bank & In Hand		303,875	336,579
		450,482	455,223
Creditors – Amounts Falling Due Within 1 Year	10	(97,204)	(105,959)
Net Current Assets/(Liabilities)		353,278	349,264
Total Net Assets	11	£375,542	£371,437
Represented by:
Unrestricted Reserves	12	268,828	251,661
Restricted Reserves	12	106,174	119,776
		£375,542	£371,437

The notes on pages 25 to 34 form part of the financial statements.

The Trustees are satisfied that for the year ended 31 March 2025 the charity was entitled to exemption under section 477(2) of the Companies Act 2006.

The Trustees also confirm that the Members have not required the charity to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006

The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for:

(i) ensuring that the charity keeps adequate accounting records which comply with section 386 of the Act, and

(ii) preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity as at the end of the financial year and of its profit or loss for the financial year in accordance with the requirements of section 393, and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Act relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charity.

These financial statements were approved and signed by a Member of the Board of Trustees on 17 November 2025

Ilana Mitchell Trustee Company Registration Number 10582100

24

The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

1. Accounting Policies

Basis of Preparation

These financial statements have been prepared in compliance with the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102, The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland', the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), and the Charities Act 2011.

The financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis, as modified by the revaluation of certain financial assets and liabilities and investment properties measured at fair value through income or expenditure.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the entity.

Cash Flow Statement

The Directors have taken advantage of the provisions of the Financial Reporting Standard Number 1, which exempts small companies from the need to prepare a cash flow statement.

Income

All income is included in the statement of financial activities when the charity is entitled to the income, any performance related conditions attached have been met or are fully within the control of the charity, the income is considered probable and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.

The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income:

• Donations and legacy income is received by way of donations, legacies, grants and gifts and is included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities when receivable. Where legacies have been notified to the charity but the criteria for income recognition have not been met, the legacy is treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material.

• Grants, where entitlement is not conditional on the delivery of a specific performance by the charity, are recognised when the charity becomes unconditionally entitled to the grant.

• Investment income is included when receivable.

• Income from charitable trading activity is accounted for when earned.

• Other income is accounted for when receivable.

25

The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

1. Accounting Policies (Continued)

Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered, and is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates:

• Costs of raising funds comprise the costs associated with attracting donations, grants and legacies and the costs of trading for fundraising purposes.

• Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.

• Other expenditure includes all expenditure that is neither related to raising funds for the charity nor part of its expenditure on charitable activities.

Irrecoverable VAT

All resources expended are classified under activity headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Irrecoverable VAT is charged against the category of resources expended for which it was incurred.

Operating Leases

The charity classifies the lease of certain types of equipment as operating leases as the title to the equipment remains with the lessor. Rental charges are charged against income on a straight-line basis over the year of the lease.

Tangible Fixed Assets and Depreciation

Depreciation is provided on any fixed assets at rates calculated to write off the assets over their remaining useful lives as follows:

Leasehold Property Improvements - over the period of the lease IT & Office Equipment - 33% per annum straight line

A full year’s depreciation charge is applied in the year of acquisition and no charge is made in the year of disposal.

Impairment of Fixed Assets

A review for indicators of impairment is carried out at each reporting date, with the recoverable amount being estimated where such indicators exist. Where the carrying value exceeds the recoverable amount, the asset is impaired accordingly. Prior impairments are also reviewed for possible reversal at each reporting date.

26

The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

1. Accounting Policies (Continued)

Financial Instruments

A financial asset or a financial liability is recognised only when the charity becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at the amount receivable or payable including any related transaction costs.

Current assets and current liabilities are subsequently measured at the cash or other consideration expected to be paid or received and not discounted.

Debt instruments are subsequently measured at amortised cost.

Fund Accounting

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the purposes of the charity.

Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for specific purposes.

Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor.

Taxation Status

The NewBridge Project Limited is a Charity registered under the 1960 Charities Act and is accorded exemption from liability to taxation on its income under S505 Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988.

Going Concern

There are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue.

Judgements and Key Sources of Estimation Uncertainty

The preparation of the financial statements requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported. These estimates and judgements are continually reviewed and are based on experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.

27

The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

2. Income from Investments

Bank Interest Receivable	Unrestricted Funds £ Restricted Funds £ 2025 £ 2024 £ 1,574 - 1,574 508
	£1,574 £- £1,574 £508

The 2024 total of £508 relates wholly to Unrestricted Funds.

3. Income from Grants, Donations & Legacies

Grant Income Arts Council England – NPO #I Wlll Fund via the Community Foundation 100 People Dwellbeing Shieldfield Jerwood Arts Developing Artists Fund – Creative Bursary Hadrian Trust – Memory Cafe Newcastle CC – Coffee Morning Newcastle Cultural Investment Fund – Core Programme Newcastle University – Collective Studio North of Tyne Combined Authority Sustainability. Health. Environment. Development. Donations	Unrestricted Funds £ Restricted Funds £ 2025 £ 2024 £ 71,288 - 71,288 71,288 - - - 300 - 17,687 17,687 7,500 - (20,655) (20,655) 40,655 - 500 500 - - 1,250 1,250 1,250 - 20,000 20,000 20,000 - 23,716 23,716 - - 183,413 183,413 145,029 - 110,000 110,000 130,000
	71,288 335,911 407,199 416,022 159 - 159 1,607
	£71,447 £335,911 £407,358 £417,629

Of the 2024 total of £417,629, £72,895 related to Unrestricted Funds and £344,734 to Restricted Funds.

28

The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

4. Income from Charitable Activities

ncome from Charitable Activities
Associate Membership Bookshop Sales Collective Studio Membership Museums & Galleries Exhibition Tax Relief Newcastle University Studio Membership Fees - Gateshead Studio Membership Fees – Shieldfield, Newcastle Other Income	Unrestricted Funds £ Restricted Funds £ 2025 £ 2024 £ 3,325 - 3,325 3,773 4,744 - 4,744 2,681 6,310 - 6,310 6,851 25,316 - 25,316 20,443 - - - 30,000 - - - 68 121,279 - 121,279 116,527 23,927 - 23,927 26,518
	£184,901 £- £184,901 £206,861

Of the 2024 total of £206,861, £176,861 related to Unrestricted Funds and £30,000 to Restricted Funds.

5. Expenditure on Raising Funds

Bookshop Costs	Unrestricted Funds £ Restricted Funds £ 2025 £ 2024 £ 2,580 - 2,580 1,341
	£2,580 £- £2,580 £1,341

The 2024 total of £1,341 relates wholly to Unrestricted Funds.

29

The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

6. Expenditure on Charitable Activities

Programme/Project Costs Programme Expenditure Programme Committee Stipend Salaries & On Costs Travel & Research Support Costs Rent, Rates & Water Heat & Light Cleaning & Waste Repairs & Maintenance Depreciation Other Administration & Running Costs Governance Costs Independent Examiner’s Fees Other Accountancy & Book-keeping Costs Legal & Professional Fees Trustee Meeting Costs	Unrestricted Funds £ Restricted Funds £ Total 2025 £ Total 2024 £ - 188,659 188,659 109,559 29,188 - 29,188 9,830 95,452 158,993 254,445 256,671 5,290 - 5,290 5,044
	129,930 347,652 477,582 381,104 46,818 - 46,818 41,663 (6,207) - (6,207) 49,931 14,687 - 14,687 15,634 3,550 - 3,550 2,756 13,294 1,321 14,615 12,003 30,361 - 30,361 27,927
	102,503 1,321 103,824 149,914 1,080 - 1,080 1,080 4,373 - 4,373 4,175 69 - 69 48 220 - 220 107
	5,742 - 5,742 5,410
	£238,175 £348,973 £587,148 £536,428

Of the 2024 total of £536,428, £173,998 related to Unrestricted Funds and £362,430 to Restricted Funds.

7. Net Income/(Expenditure)

Net income/(expenditure) is stated after charging/(crediting): Independent Examiner’s Fees – current year Independent Examiner – other services Depreciation of owned Tangible Fixed Assets	2025 £ 2024 £ 1,080 1,080 360 360 14,615 12,003

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The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

8. Staff Costs & Trustees’ Remuneration

Gross Salary Costs Employer’s National Insurance Employer’s Pension Contributions	2025 £ 2024 £ 237,281 239,721 12,361 12,322 4,803 4,628
	£254,445 £256,671

No employee received remuneration of more than £60,000 during the year (2024: Nil).

The average number of staff employed during the year, calculated as full-time equivalents, was as follows:

The average number of staff employed during the year, equivalents, was as follows:	calculated as full-time
	2025	2024
	No.	No.
Artistic Production and Support	9	9

No remuneration has been paid to any Trustees/Directors in the year (2024: Nil).

No expenses were reimbursed to Trustees in respect of their attendance at meetings of the charity (2024: £37 to 1 Trustee).

9. Tangible Fixed Assets

Cost At 1 April 2024 Additions in year Disposals At 31 March 2025 Accumulated Depreciation At 1 April 2024 Charge for year Disposals At 31 March 2025 Net Book Value At 31 March 2025 At 1 April 2024	Workshop, Office & ICT Equipment £ Leasehold Property Improvements £ Total Fixed Assets £ 19,600 44,543 64,143 2,654 12,052 14,706 - - -
	22,254 56,595 78,849 15,244 26,726 41,970 3,296 11,319 14,615 - - -
	18,540 38,045 56,585 £3,714 £18,550 £22,264
	£4,356 £17,817 £22,173

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The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

10. Debtors

Trade Debtors Prepayments Accrued Income	2025 £ 2024 £ 5,339 3,185 18,290 16,779 122,978 98,680
	£146,607 £118,644

11. Creditors – Amounts Falling Due Within 1 Year

Trade Creditors Other Creditors Other Creditors – Studio & Key Deposits Held Other Taxes & Social Security Costs Income Received In Advance Accruals	2025 £ 2024 £ 15,688 15,611 1,245 834 10,328 10,015 4,032 7,633 - 750 65,911 71,116
	£97,204 £105,959

12. Analysis of Net Assets between Funds

Fixed Assets Debtors Cash at Bank and In Hand Creditors – Amounts Due Within 1 Year	Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total 2025 Total 2024 £ £ £ £ 20,770 1,494 22,264 22,173 24,389 122,218 146,607 118,644 320,873 (16,998) 303,875 336,579 (97,204) - (97,204) (105,959)
	£268,828 £106,714 £375,542 £371,437

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The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

13. Analysis of Charitable Funds

Unrestricted Funds Charity General Fund Restricted Funds Dwellbeing Shieldfield – Shieldfield Youth Programme Hadrian Trust – Memory Cafe Jerwood Foundation - Creative Bursary Newcastle CC – Coffee Morning Newcastle Cultural Investment Fund – Core Programme Newcastle University – Collective Studio North of Tyne Combined Authority Sustainability. Health. Environment. Development. Total Restricted Funds Total Funds Name of Restricted Fund Dwellbeing Shieldfield – Shieldfield Youth Programme Hadrian Trust Jerwood Foundation - Creative Bursary Newcastle City Council – Coffee Morning	Fund at 1 April 2024 £ Incoming Resources in Year £ Resources Expended in Year £ Fund at 31 March 2025 £ 251,661 257,922 (240,755) 268,828 - 17,687 (12,225) 5,462 - 500 - 500 40,655 (20,655) - 20,000 - 1,250 - 1,250 5,961 20,000 (16,075) 9,886 24,639 23,716 (29,225) 19,130 2,295 183,413 (184,214) 1,494 46,226 110,000 (107,234) 48,992
	119,776 335,911 (348,973) 106,714
	£371,437 £593,833 £(589,728) £375,542 Description, Nature & Purpose of the Restricted Fund Towards the cost of a programme for young people in Shieldfield Towards the creation of a Memory Café Towards the cost of participation in the Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries programme Towards the cost of offering coffee mornings

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The NewBridge Project (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

13. Analysis of Charitable Funds (Cont.)

Name of Restricted Fund Description, Nature & Purpose of the Restricted Fund

Newcastle Cultural Investment Fund – Towards the Practice Makes Practice programme, Core Programme and related staff costs

Newcastle University – Collective Towards The Collective Studio inc. staff costs Studio

North of Tyne Combined Authority

Sustainability. Health. Environment. Development.

Towards the cost of Collaborate: Skills and talent development pathways for creative practitioners Towards the cost of For Solidarity project, Youth Programme, project work and events in Shieldfield, and associated staff costs

14. Taxation

The company is a registered charity and no provision is considered necessary for taxation.

15. Financial Commitments

No material financial commitments have been made in respect of future financial years.

16. Company Limited by Guarantee

The charity is incorporated under the Companies Act 1985 and is limited by guarantee, each member having undertaken to contribute such amounts not exceeding £1 as may be required in the event of the company being wound up whilst he or she is still a member or within one year thereafter.

The company law members of the charity are the members of its Board of Trustees.

There are currently 5 (2024: 5) members of the company.

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