**Registered number: 07799494 Charity number: 1185967**
## **Common Wealth Theatre**
**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **UNAUDITED**
**TRUSTEES' REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **CONTENTS**
||Page|
|---|---|
|**Reference and Administrative Details of the Charity, its Trustees and Advisers**|1|
|**Trustees' Report**|2 - 15|
|**Independent Examiner's Report**|16 - 17|
|**Statement of Financial Activities**|18|
|**Balance Sheet**|19 - 20|
|**Notes to the Financial Statements**|21 - 38|
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS OF THE CHARITY, ITS TRUSTEES AND ADVISERS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
|**Trustees**|J S Hughes (resigned 22 May 2023)|
|---|---|
||L R Maguire|
||L M Mallaghan (resigned 22 May 2023)|
||E Manning|
||R White|
||M H Z Ahmed (resigned 4 April 2023)|
||J O Morais (resigned 20 October 2022)|
||M S Khan (resigned 22 May 2023)|
||J Phillips (appointed 13 December 2022)|
||D Beadle (appointed 13 December 2022)|
||A Letman, Chair (appointed 21 February 2023)|
||E Robinson, Chair (appointed 13 December 2022)|
||J Moore (appointed 13 December 2022, resigned 28 March 2023)|
|**Company registered**
**number**
07799494
**Charity registered**
**number**
1185967
**Registered office**
20 North Parade
Bradford
West Yorkshire
BD1 3HT
**Accountants**
BHP LLP
New Chartford House
Centurion Way
Cleckheaton
Bradford
West Yorkshire
BD19 3QB||
Page 1
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
The Trustees present their Annual Report together with the financial statements of Common Wealth Theatre for the year 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023. The Annual Report serves the purposes of both a Trustees' Report and a Directors' Report under company law. The Trustees confirm that the Annual Report and financial statements of the charitable company comply with the current statutory requirements, the requirements of the charitable company's governing document and the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland (FRS102) (effective 1 January 2019).
Since the Charity qualifies as small under section 382 of the Companies Act 2006, the Strategic Report required of medium and large companies under the Companies Act 2006 (Strategic Report and Directors' Report) Regulations 2013 has been omitted.
## **Objectives and activities**
## **a. Policies and objectives**
Common Wealth's objects are:
- 1) The advancement of the arts for the public benefit, with particular but not exclusive reference to the performing arts and:
- 2) To promote social inclusion for the public benefit by preventing people from becoming socially excluded, relieving the needs of those people who are socially excluded and assisting them to integrate into society in particular but not exclusively by providing:
- a) Opportunities to understand their own lived experience and that of the community around them and:
- b) Public spaces to share those experiences either formally or informally to encourage society's better understanding and acceptance of those who are currently excluded. For the purpose of this clause means being excluded from society, or parts of society as a result of one or more of the following factors: unemployment, financial hardship, youth or old age, ill health (physical or mental), substance abuse or dependency including alcohol and drugs, discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, disability, ethnic origin, religion, belief, creed, sexual orientation or gender re-assignment, poor educational or skills attainment, relationship and family breakdown, poor housing (that is housing that does not meet basic habitable standards), crime (either as a victim of crime or as an offender rehabilitating into society).
In setting objectives and planning for activities, the Trustees have given due consideration to general guidance published by the Charity Commission relating to public benefit, including the guidance 'Public benefit: running a charity (PB2)'.
## **b. Strategies for achieving objectives**
In order to achieve our objectives we collaborate with people new to the arts and established artists to create high-quality and experimental theatre where personal experience is championed, respected and valued. Our vision is a society where people normally underrepresented are valued and championed in the arts and all walks of life.
Our values are expressed in our name Common Wealth which points to the wealth of experience, stories and imagination in places and communities often dismissed as poor or in need of cultural development. In being common and in common with our audiences we create riches to share.
Page 2
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **Objectives and activities (continued)**
## **c. Activities undertaken to achieve objectives**
Common Wealth undertakes four main activities in order to achieve its objectives:-
- 1) We create high quality, multi-disciplinary, experimental theatre where process is as important as form.
- 2) We facilitate meaningful, creative experiences for working class people as protagonists, audience, performers and participants.
- 3) We collaborate and share our practice with arts and non-arts partners nationally and internationally with the aim of being a leader in socially engaged practice.
- 4) We strengthen our organisation as a relevant, sustainable and equitable arts organisation operating in the UK.
## **d. Main activities undertaken to further the Charity's purposes for the public benefit**
Prioritising and reinventing access and engagement is at the heart of all of Common Wealth's activity and explains why our purposes are for public benefit.
We believe in art for everyone in the genuine sense and work to change the profile of who is engaged in decision-making, artistic production and performance in the arts. We recognise the importance of process and co-create theatre with our communities in order to drive positive social change.
The Warwick Report showed us that only 8% of the population access the arts, and these are generally people who are white, middle class and older. This means that usually the best educated and wealthiest in society are benefiting from the arts. We want to push for change in an industry that undervalues and distances itself from working class people, culturally, socially and economically.
We place huge value on long term partnerships with the voluntary and charity sector. We see theatre as a vital part of the public realm, and we start every new venture by engaging people who are the experts of the subjects we are exploring. This includes members of the public and staff in social services, health, police, unions and community centres.
While tickets are available to everyone, we work hard to ensure that people who face additional barriers to seeing theatre are able to see our work. We heavily discount tickets so that people on low incomes are able to purchase tickets at a fraction (10%) of the face value and we invite community groups who have charitable purposes which are linked to the subject of the performances, to attend for free.
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## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **Achievements and performance**
## **a. Main achievements of the Charity**
## **Key highlights includ** e
## **In Bradford** :
- Producing _You are here as a witness_ , performance exploring the impact of domestic abuse on Black and Asian women and children. Staged simultaneously in partnership with The Anah Project to a sold-out audience of 400, a mix of police, social, healthcare workers and general public
- Producing _Off the Curriculum_ , 17 immersive installations exploring subjects and artforms not taught at school designed by children and young people and built by professional set builders and artists, for an audience of over 700 across the opening weekend
- Delivering the _Off the Curriculum_ school programme, in partnership with Leeds 2023 delivering bespoke workshops across six primary schools based in Leeds bringing in artists and experts to work with children
- Engaging and facilitating bespoke workshops and building solid partnerships with Roma young people and deaf young people as part of _Off the Curriculum_
- Touring _Peaceophobia_ to Norwich and Norfolk International Festival, Brighton Festival, BD Festival, the Horizon Showcase at Edinburgh and Greenwich and Docklands International Festival in East London, attracting a live audience of 2338 across the tour
- Exhibiting large-scale photography exhibition _Sisterhood_ alongside the _Peaceophobia_ tour accompanied by Speakers TV digital talks programme
- Establishing our Youth Theatre Lab for 10-18 years olds which has 20 young people who attend weekly. The group is very diverse from across different areas of Bradford, some are in looked after care, others are neurodiverse. In 2022 they created two performances, _Days Like This_ at Leeds Playhouse and _One Way System_ as part of _Off the Curriculum_
- Facilitating Speakers Corner to meet weekly, plan campaigns, events and workshops. Speakers Corner is our social, political, creative collective of young women between 14-18 years old. Speakers Corner celebrated their sixth anniversary in December 2022 with a _Daytimer_ funded by Bradford Council
- Delivering _Swim with Speakers_ female only swimming sessions across 4 terms attended by 104 women, mainly from South Asian backgrounds who are new to swimming.
- Working in partnership with British Textile Biennial to research and develop _Fast Fast Slow_ in preparation for presentation in October 2023
- Working with partners SB-FM to develop early ideas for _Before You Arrive_ (working title) a show about the lived experience of cleaners.
- Working as dramaturgical mentor on _Scarborough Stories_ with Arcade and delivering workshops on cocreation with local artists in Scarborough
- Working with partners Good Chance Theatre to deliver _Change the Word_ , hosting a weekly writing group for people seeking asylum, refugees and locals. This led to the production of a published anthology and performance.
- Continuing to run and manage our Bradford building Common Space with events and workshops. Common Space has served approximately 1300 audience and participants, 80% of which are young people from Bradford.
- Continuing to host the Youth Music Studio facilitated by All Stars Entertainment, with weekly open access music sessions for young people, their NOVA programme for female and non-binary young people and to programme music events at Common Space.
Page 4
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
## **In Cardiff:**
- Touring _Payday Party_ (previously named _Rent Party_ ) to Chapter Arts Centre and Edinburgh Fringe as part of the Welsh Showcase in Edinburgh. Reaching an audience of over 284.
- The _Sea is Mine_ research and development project in collaboration with Fragments Theatre (Palestine) and Chapter Arts Centre. Bringing together two groups of women to connect digitally across the world. Exploring themes of matriarchy, crossing digital boundaries and what it means to travel beyond circumstance. For one week we connected six women from Wales with twelve women from the West Bank & Gaza.
- Moving Roots supported Community Producer Chantal Williams to collaborate with a group of artists at Chapter Arts Centre to explore themes of risk, collaboration, identity and multi-disciplinary forms.
- Co-creating _Epic Fail_ with Kid Carpet and Year 5 students from Glan Yr Afon Primary school. We transformed the Primary School into an arts centre for three weeks and performed a show in the hall, for parents and audiences to attend. In Collaboration with the Moving Roots Touring Network. We built on the project with legacy activity - _Llanrumneyisms_ which saw school children & artist Justin Cliffe create a longterm installation exploring local language and phrases which has been displayed long-term at Glan Yr Afon Primary School.
- _Us Here Now_ transferred from St Mellons estate to the Pierhead Building in Cardiff Bay with sponsorship from Vaughan Gethin AM. This reached a new audience of 13,280.
- A weekly Writers Lab attended by 10 new writers led by Patrick Jones and Taylor Edmund.
- _Posh Club_ saw us collaborate with queer arts collective Duckie as we transformed the St Mellons community centre into a beautiful cabaret style room with a massive stage & lighting for audiences over the age of 60. We had over 329 audience attend.
- Working closely with our East Cardiff Sounding Board to listen, develop and build on practices of cultural democracy and co-creation.
## **Company Wide:**
- Co-Artistic Directors Evie Manning and Rhiannon White named in The Stage Top 25 as theatre-makers of the future. “ _Common Wealth is becoming the go-to company with a growing international reputation. Its practice is seen as a model for grassroots community theatre. Funders, other artists and communities themselves recognise Manning and White as changemakers._ ” The Stage 25
- Recruitment of two Co-Chairs: Amy Letman & Emma Robinson and two new board members, Debbie Beadle and Jenny Phillips.
- Winning a series of awards; _Peaceophobia_ won the Best Stage Production at the Asian Media Awards, Mariyah Kayat won the Yorkshire Asian Young Achievers Award in the Creative Arts category and Common Wealth received the ‘Most Innovative Theatre Company’ Award at the Northern Enterprise Awards
- Hosting 72 workshops and talks sharing our methodology on co-creation and working deeply in communities for 887 participants from across the UK, in the cultural and third sector
- Working with Gob Squad performance company in Berlin for two weeks to share process
- Taking two shows to Edinburgh Festival as part of the Welsh Showcase and Horizon Showcase
- Being part of the Caravan Showcase at Brighton Festival and delivering a talk on sharing our practice on cocreation to 80 international delegates.
- Providing work for 10 employees and paid opportunities for 116 freelance creative professionals and people new to the arts
Page 5
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
- Creating employment opportunities for young people under-represented in the arts through Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries and supporting them to complete their fellowship and continue to work freelance in the arts.
- Building financial resilience and increasing both restricted and unrestricted reserves to levels appropriate for an organisation of our size and complexity
- Embracing and embedding Arts Council England new Investment Principles as core strands of company delivery
- Continuing to increase and diversify income streams – see fundraising section
- Being consortium members of key contributors to the wider cultural ecology in our cities and the UK notably Co-Creating Change Network and Moving Roots Touring Network in Cardiff
- Providing an estimated 70 voluntary hours of mentoring time to individuals and organisations such as Tranquil Productions, Papertrail, Kid Carpet, Fahadi Muluku.
## **More information on our key projects for 2022-23 follows: OFF THE CURRICULUM**
In March 2023 we produced Off the Curriculum, a giant immersive installation that explored subjects not taught in school through art forms not taught in school. Over the course of 2022 we worked with over 200 children and young people to design installations and sets, their design briefs were given to professional set designers who built their designs to a high professional standard. We transformed 17 rooms in our building Common Space, pairing subjects and art forms such as time travel & jewellery, capitalism & graffiti, self-care & pottery and much more. For our opening festival the building was animated with shadow puppetry, pottery smashing, commissioned DJ sets and young people leading debates.
## Off the Curriculum:
- Welcomed over 700 people as audience across the opening weekend
- Saw us work with over 200 young people as designers and facilitators and 11 professional set builders and artists.
- Saw us develop a close partnership with Connecting Roma to engage 58 Roma young people who took part in a large-scale music workshop across the whole building and were then given a budget of £500 to organise their own music night at Common Space which they had full autonomy to design, deliver and facilitate and was attended by 70 audience
- Built our relationship with young deaf men and interpreter Raqeeb Sultana to develop bespoke workshops including drama workshops and a lighting workshop with lighting designer Andy Purves. Young men from the deaf group also participated in the debates as part of the New Parliament at Off the Curriculum
- Was accompanied by _One Way System_ , a performance devised by our Youth Theatre Lab and performed on Saturday and Sunday nights of the opening weekend
- Enabled paid work to members of Speakers Corner and Youth Theatre Lab who facilitated workshops and interactivity throughout the opening weekend and led on the debates
Audience and participant feedback includes:
“ _Incredible experience… Young people given the power to curate, create & express how they see the world and its future. Fab exhibits on what slips out of/ is hidden from the curriculum. Powerful speakers. The future’s bright with these people in charge_ .” - Carlos Pons Guerra, De Nada, Audience Member
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## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
“ _Ending my working day here…the energy was palpable, I recall walking a catwalk, wearing a mask & ending my visit on a dance floor?! If this is the future for our curriculum our EET figures would sky rocket_ ” - Emily Rhodes, Participation Coordinator for Bradford Children in Care
_“It’s so brilliant to see these young people being creative outside of school in a space like this. The students that I teach have a lot of barriers to engagement at school and are often getting into trouble. It’s so good to see them being supported to make music beyond school._ ” - Secondary Music teacher working with Roma young people
_“Because I’m deaf I think there is a lot of education I’ve missed out on. So, building up my CV is really important to me so I can get work in the future. Learning about the job of a lighting technician is something I’ve never thought of, but it’s been so cool to have a go and it’s made me think about what I might want to do in the future._ ” - Young workshop participant
## **OFF THE CURRICULUM X LEEDS 2023 SCHOOL PROGRAMME**
In partnership with LEEDS 2023 Year of Culture we worked with six primary schools to deliver a bespoke version of Off the Curriculum. The children chose their own topics and worked with experts and artists of different disciplines to explore the subjects. The project explored the premise of child led learning at every stage. “How do the names of countries get decided? What if money didn’t exist? How do we improve mental health? Why did racism start?” The questions were profound, the children demonstrated a complex understanding of the world and how Leeds fits into the global landscape. The artists introduced rap, live animation, screen printing and projection to explore the chosen topics.
Through the Off the Curriculum schools programme we:
- Worked with 6 primary schools from across Leeds reaching 168 primary students from Years 3-5
- Employed 36 collaborators as artists and experts from a range of subject areas and artforms
- Received a full commission from Leeds 2023, City of Culture to develop the work and partnerships with primary schools
- Worked with freelance consultant Clare Francis-Sinclair to develop an educational resource outlining the project that is now open source and free for educators and teachers to access.
Feedback includes:
_“Thank you to you and your team again for the wonderful sessions and support in our school - it was truly magical!_ ” - Lauren Durn, Class teacher, Temple Learning Academy
" _It was an absolute pleasure to have the Common Wealth team working with our class. They were so lovely and brought great energy with them - the children had a wonderful time with the brilliant facilitators._ " - Danny Griffiths, Class teacher, Rosebank Primary
_“The reason why I was just so desperate to do it, was because it’s such an amazing opportunity to have that space where primary children aren’t being controlled in terms of what they’re studying and what they have to do and it’s been absolutely brilliant to see them breathe out_ ” - Nika Muthra-Shah, Rekindle Supplementary School facilitator
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## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
## **YOU ARE HERE AS A WITNESS**
In November 2022 we staged You are here as a witness at Theatre in the Mill. _“You Are Here as a Witness is visceral, vital, thought-provoking theatre – another production of which Common Wealth can be, rightly, very proud._ Yorkshire Post
You are here as a witness:
- Received a full commission from domestic abuse organisation Anah Project, a service for Black and Asian women who worked with us closely attending rehearsals as translators and script consultants and supported 12 survivors to come to a private showing
- Was attended by the full West Yorkshire Police senior leadership team
- Was an adaptation of Our Glass House, our award-winning production from 2012-2013. We worked with previous collaborators, Russ Henry, as set designer, Wojciech Rusin as sound designer, Andy Purves as lighting designer with the original text licensed from writer Aisha Zia
- Accompanied by a twenty-minute post-show reflection session after each show with audience members including police, social care, health workers and general public
- Supported by therapist Vic Gleeson who worked closely with the actors throughout the rehearsal process to support their personal experiences
We staged 5 shows - all sold out - with an audience of 80 per show and a total audience of 400. The audience comprised of police, social care, healthcare workers and general audience which ensured post-show discussions were robust and useful. A full-length filmed version of the show was produced for The Anah Project to use as a training resource for public and third sector workers.
Audience and partnership feedback includes:
_“Very immersive & emotional experience, I felt ‘held’ as an audience member by care & consideration of CW team. Safe space, sooth kits & trigger warnings v much appreciated, more of this please!”_
_“I’ve never seen a play on this topic because I was always so scared of it being done badly because I know how it feels. But this was done SO well. I feel heard, from my childhood self. Thank you ”_
_“Working in collaboration with Common Wealth was an amazing experience from start to finish and we thoroughly enjoyed the journey. An intrinsic part of our work is to raise awareness of domestic abuse, forced marriage and coercive-controlling behaviour. Working directly with Common Wealth Theatre helped us achieve this, their style of working and expertise is invaluable._ ” **Fareeda Khan, Anah Project**
## **PEACEOPHOBIA**
Throughout 2022 we toured our award-winning production Peaceophobia to 5 locations across the UK. _“A testament to vulnerable, collective storytelling … a powerhouse piece with beautiful vulnerability._ ” The Stage
Peaceophobia is an unapologetic response to rising Islamophobia around the world. Part car-show, part-theatre, the show asks how do you find peace in a world that tells you who you are? Growing up in the shadow of the Bradford Riots, 9/11 and police harassment, cars and faith are a sanctuary, an escape, an expression for three Muslim Pakistani men. Ali, Sohail and Casper are taking control of the narratives around their religion, their city, and their cars. Staged in a car-park with a Supra, a Golf and a classic Nova, Peaceophobia brings together cars and theatre with cinematic lighting and an electronic sound score.
Page 8
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
Peaceophobia:
- Received the Best Stage Production Award at the Asian Media Awards and a five-star review in The Stage Magazine and four-star reviews from an array of media outlets
- Toured to Norwich and Norfolk International Festival, Brighton Festival, BD Festival, Horizon Showcase in Edinburgh and Greenwich and Docklands International Festival in London
- Was accompanied by award winning exhibition Sisterhood, created by Speakers Corner which tours with the production and was featured in British Vogue, The Face and Middle Eastern Eye.
Peaceophobia attracted an audience of 2338 across the five locations and an online audience of over 4000 through our digital strand which included post-show talks, livestream and a digital programme.
The show was co-directed by Mariyah Kayat, Madeyah Khan, Iram Rehman, Maleehah Hussain, Rosema Nawaz, Sajidah Shabir and Evie Manning, written by Zia Ahmed and the actors and co-produced with Fuel. Peaceophobia is funded by Bradford 2025, Blueprint: Without Walls R&D Investment Fund, Co-Creating Change, Arts Council England, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Pears Foundation, and Fenton Arts Trust.
_"Working as a collaborator with Common Wealth on Peacephobia felt really safe. The team were so supportive, providing such a unique opportunity for us to come together and share these stories from all across different communities, in a unified space. The chance to speak about our positive and negative experiences, our world, and our perspectives was refreshing - we could be in control over our own narratives rather than the media or the police.”_ **Ali Yunis, Actor, Peaceophobia**
## **SPEAKERS CORNER**
Speakers Corner is a social and creative collective of teenage girls in Bradford who collaborate for social change. They run regular campaigns across a wide range of subjects which have mental health and international activism at their core. In February 2022 the collective celebrated its sixth-year anniversary with a Daytimer event on conjunction with South Asian History Month and female DJ’s.
In 2022-2023, the collective:
- Worked together to design and facilitate the I am Perfect As Me exhibition alongside a series of workshops exploring mental health and wellbeing.
- From August 2021 - August 2022 Speakers Corner delivered ‘Swim with Speakers’, a female only swimming programme at Keighley Swimming Pool with 4 terms attended by 104 women, mainly from South Asian backgrounds who are new to swimming.
- In addition to their campaign work, Speakers Corner spoke at a number of high-profile events which in 202223 included Leeds Women of the World festival and Bradford City Hall as part of their International Women’s Day programme.
- The collective were key facilitators on Off the Curriculum contributing to both the overall concept designs and as facilitators and leading debates at the opening weekend
- Formalised a partnership with Belle Vue Girls Academy where we delivered Speakers Corner in Schools which was attended by 30 young women across 8 weeks.
- Hosted 20 students from Year 10, Belle Vue Girls Academy on a work experience programme in June 2022 to design ideas for Off the Curriculum
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**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
_“Speakers started out as a safe space to be able to retreat to get away from the fast-moving environments of school and home. But it turned into a place that allowed me to use that rested energy for topics I was interested in and topics I actually cared about and would want implemented in the school systems to not make them so overbearing in the first place. It taught me that you should go out and there and find new people and places despite how nervous you may be at first. If one of my teachers hadn’t pushed me into attending all those months ago, I wouldn’t have progressed as a person or met some of the people who make up integral parts of my life today”_ - Speakers Corner Member, 16 years old
## **YOUTH THEATRE LAB**
In March 2022 we established the Youth Theatre Lab in Bradford, a free weekly drama and social space for young people between 10-18 years old to make, play and create theatre that has something to say about the world. The sessions consist of one hour of drama followed by thirty minutes of music and eating pizza together so that it becomes a social space for young people to further develop friendships.
## In 2022-2023 Youth Theatre Lab:
- Sessions attended regularly by twenty young people from diverse backgrounds including children in looked after care and neurodiverse young people
- Created performance ‘ _Days Like This_ ’ at Leeds Playhouse in July as part of the Young People’s Festival that explored street harassment and featured song, rap, poetry and drumming
- Created performance ‘ _One Way System_ ’ as part of _Off the Curriculum_ which explored their experience of the school system. One Way System was performed across both nights of the opening weekend and attended by 160 audience
- Is led by Youth Theatre Director Saoirse Teale and Mariyah Kayat who are both under twenty-five
_“I love Youth Theatre Lab because I get to see friends weekly and it keeps me active in my social life and able to express who I am and be myself. I have learnt how to build with others and work in groups rather than solo and I have learnt how to communicate with other people emotionally. It is important for young people to make political theatre as it opens us up to a world of fighting for what we believe is right and shape the future in a healthy way that benefits everyone”_ – Youth Theatre Lab member, 17 years old
## **COMMON SPACE**
Throughout 2022-2023 we continued to run and manage our Bradford building Common Space with events and workshops. Common Space has served approximately 1300 audience and participants, 80% of which are young people from Bradford.
In 2022-2023 some of the events and workshops included:
- Art installation _Loss and Found_ exploring the environment with Dissonant Futures
- _Out, Out,_ a Drag King event aimed at queer women and non-binary people
- _Teenagers Day_ for Intercultured Festival for refugee and asylum seekers
- Building Strategies against Islamophobia by Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan
- Healthy Minds Workshop led by young people with 80 NHS staff
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## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
At Common Space we continue to support Bradford based All Star Entertainment to deliver their Thursday open music sessions, run music events and from January – April 2023 deliver the NOVA programme for female and non-binary young people with visiting practitioners. Young people from across four music groups led by All Star also produced and created original soundscapes and DJ sets for Off the Curriculum.
## **PAYDAY PARTY**
_“The mood of the show is cheeky, sassy and defiant... the cast are unwilling to be held back...they make a show as breezily enjoyable as it is spiked with attitude.”_ The Guardian
In March 2022, Payday Party (previously known as Rent Party) was selected to go to Edinburgh Fringe as part of the Welsh Showcase. 2
Collaborating with acclaimed choreographer and director Darren Pritchard (House of Ghetto) we reimagined his five-star smash hit show Rent Party with local artists and our East Cardiff community to co-create a version of Rent Party which we called Payday Party which spoke of Wales and the cost-of-living crisis in 2022.
Payday Party invites the audience to pay the artists for their skills at a party, so that they can make this month’s rent. Dancers, singers, musicians, poets create a kaleidoscopic picture of what it means today to be gifted, Welsh and working class.
## Payday Party:
- Platformed the incredible talents of professional and often unheard artists from across South Wales
- Was developed with six working-class artists from across South Wales, two dancers, a poet, an opera singer, a rapper and a pianist.
- Formalised touring as a co-created process as a form of connecting more deeply with communities, offering sustainable touring practices and inspiring local communities to reimagine theatre & social change.
- Showcased Common Wealth on an international platform as part of the Welsh Showcase
- Payday Party attracted a total live audience of 284 people in Cardiff and Edinburgh.
Payday Party was originally commissioned by Common Wealth as part of the Moving Roots Touring Network a creative touring network led by Battersea Arts Centre with producing partners Lyrici Arts (Medway), Jumped Up Theatre (Peterborough), Common Wealth (Cardiff East) and The Old Courts (Wigan). For the Edinburgh showcase it was funded by Arts Council Wales, Paul Hamlyn Foundation and supported by Chapter Arts Centre.
## Feedback for Payday Party included;
_‘Seen so much great work in Edinburgh so far, but my highlight & the one that's moved me the most is Common Wealth’s Payday Party (part of Welsh national showcase) We have to take co-creation more seriously!’ Tarek Iskander, Artistic Director & CEO of Battersea Arts Centre_
_“Payday Party got me right in the heart. Talented Welsh & brave. Feeling emotional, proud & committed to live, dance, clap in theatres, cry from rooftop bars. Diolch @Common_WealthHQ challenge privilege & unleash talent” Tweet by @elunedh_
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## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
## **US HERE NOW AT THE PIERHEAD**
_“Optimistic portrayals of life”_ The Stage
Us Here Now originally an outdoor exhibition situated outside Tesco, St Mellons in the Civic Square transferred to the Pierhead Building in Cardiff Bay with sponsorship from MS Vaughan Gethin. Us Here Now is a celebration of people in East Cardiff; their stories and their power. It’s captures what it means to be seen and heard; a challenge to the negative narratives that often surround us and our Welsh community in East Cardiff.
At the end of Summer 2020 after the first lockdown, artist Jon Pountney and Common Wealth worked with people who live, work or are from St Mellons, Llanrumney and Trowbridge to capture a snapshot of life in the sunshine; us, here, now.
For 6 months, 12 larger than life sized photographs were exhibited in the civic space by Tesco St Mellons. The exhibition brought a smile to many people’s faces, brightening their days at a time when people were not allowed to gather due to lockdown restrictions. It reminded us that we are not alone.
## Us Here Now:
- Brought East Cardiff to the centre of the city and to the heart of power in Wales situating itself in direct conversation with Welsh Government.
- Celebrated the often demonised East Cardiff by showcasing power and light working with critically acclaimed photographer Jon Pountney.
- It brought together local East Cardiff residents with decision makers, cultural leaders and artists for conversations on class, representation and power.
- A 40 page fanzine has been created to capture the breadth of the photography project beyond the 12 portraits selected for temporary exhibition. It is a permanent record of the project and a gift to all those who took part.
Us Here Now at the Pierhead has been funded by Arts Council Wales, Paul Hamlyn Foundation and the Department of Dreams.
## Feedback from Us Here Now:
_‘St Mellons is situated on the furthest edge of Cardiff’s urban sprawl. It was heavily developed for council housing, awkwardly detached from the industry of the docks or city centre, with limited facilities. It’s a community that built itself with little help from outside, and Common Wealth aspires to reflect this spirit, perhaps prompted by our collective sense of detachment brought on by lockdown. It’s not theatre as we knew it pre-Covid, but it’s a confident response by a company that strives to make work for and with under-represented communities.’_ Nicholas Davies, The Stage
## **THE POSH CLUB**
The Posh Club was a glamorous, 1940s inspired performance with afternoon tea and cabaret. Common Wealth worked with queer arts collective Duckie to co-create the Posh Club with the community of East Cardiff. The Posh Club provided three days of performance and cabaret specifically aimed at socially & culturally isolated working-class older residents (predominantly 60 +) from communities across Cardiff. It offered high quality, challenging, exciting entertainment that was accessible and supported wellbeing & access to culture.
Page 12
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
The Posh Club:
- Brought Common Wealth and Duckie together to collaborate on the first Welsh Posh Club. This which has inspired Duckie to seek further funding to create a more regular offer.
- Employed 16 professional artists and 12 emerging artists to collaborate on a large scale, professional production.
- The Posh club reached in total 306 audience members aged 60+ for some it was their first time out since the pandemic.
- Through this project we brough significant funding to our work in East Cardiff through the Moving Roots Touring Network (funded by Esmee Fairburn, Garfield Weston), Arts Council Wales and St Mellons & Trowbridge Together Trust which allowed us to offer free tickets for local residents from St Mellons & Trowbridge.
- Through legacy activity we brought critically acclaimed artists to East Cardiff to collaborate with our community and support the building of a cultural ecology.
“Linda made a male friend when she came, he was sat on her table, she took him to the widows club with her to meet new people. He said in those two days he had more conversations with people than he had had in the last two years since his wife had died. You really don't know how much this means to people. “ _daughter in law of audience membe_ r
“And thank you to @ArtsWales for supporting this, this is exactly the kind of work for the PEOPLE of Wales embodied by your cultural contract. Common Wealth are WHERE IT'S AT. Top quality art and radical generosity go hand in hand here and I say this not for myself but for my but for my recently widowed 80 year old mother in law who has had the shittest two years and had not left the house for months. Who danced, sang, made new friends and laughed like a drain this afternoon. It made our family's Christmas.” Audience member
## **Financial review**
## **a. Going concern**
The accounts have been prepared on a going concern basis on the assumption that the charity is able to carry on operating as a going concern in the foreseeable future, which the trustees consider appropriate.
## **b. Reserves policy**
Common Wealth Theatre is committed to building an appropriate level of reserves for the organisation’s needs. We have calculated that £93,000 is sufficient to cover a combination of 3 months running costs and meeting all our liabilities should a wind-up need to occur. Our current free reserves figure is at £181,555, which exceeds our reserves targets. However, this includes funds that will be designated by the Trustees for specific strategic and development purposes, including the costs of our Performance Collective and key projects in 2024/25.
Page 13
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
**TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **Structure, governance and management**
## **a. Constitution**
Common Wealth Theatre was incorporated on 6 October 2011. It subsequently obtained charitable status and was registered with the Charity Commission on 24 October 2019. It is a charitable company limited by guarantee and was set up by a Memorandum of Association.
## **b. Methods of appointment or election of Trustees**
The management of the Charity is the responsibility of the Trustees who are elected and co-opted under the terms of the Memorandum of Association.
There must be a minimum of three trustees at all times and there is no specified maximum. The Charity Commission has granted approval for Co-Artistic Directors, Evie Manning and Rhiannon White to be both Trustees and remunerated employees and whilst this is the case there will always be a minimum of five trustees on the board in order that the number of other trustees exceeds that of paid employees at all times. Policies and procedures are in place to ensure that all conflicts of interest are properly managed.
A trustee holds office for three years from the date of appointment at the end of which they may be reappointed for a further term or terms up to a maximum of nine consecutive years. Board members are selected for their skills and experience but also with a view to having a board that is diverse, balanced and representative of the communities we work within.
## **Statement of Trustees' responsibilities**
The Trustees (who are also the directors of the Charity for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees' 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. Under company law, the Trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Charity and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles of the Charities SORP (FRS 102);
- make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards (FRS 102) 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 Charity will continue in business.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Charity's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Page 14
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
Approved by order of the members of the board of Trustees and signed on their behalf by:
## Emma Robinson
Emma Robinson (Dec 13, 2023 15:35 GMT)
**E Robinson** (Chair of Trustees) Date: Dec 13, 2023
Jenny Phillips Jenny Phillips (Dec 13, 2023 16:20 GMT) **J Phillips** (Trustee)
Page 15
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Common Wealth Theatre ('the Charity')**
I report to the charity Trustees on my examination of the accounts of the company for the year ended 31 March 2023.
## **Responsibilities and Basis of Report**
As the Trustees of the company (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 company'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 Institute of Chartered Accountants 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 Charity 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 and 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 (FRS 102)].
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.
This report is made solely to the Charity's Trustees, as a body, in accordance with Part 4 of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. My work has been undertaken so that I might state to the Charity's Trustees those matters I am required to state to them in an Independent Examiner's Report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company and the Charity's Trustees as a body, for my work or for this report.
Page 16
**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
Signed: Dated: Dec 13, 2023 FCA
Lesley Kendrew
BHP LLP New Chartford House Centurion Way Cleckheaton BD19 3QB
Page 17
**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCORPORATING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
|**Note**
**Income from:**
Donations and legacies
3
Charitable activities
4
**Total income**
**Expenditure on:**
Charitable activities
5
**Total expenditure**
**Net movement in funds**
**Reconciliation of funds:**
Total funds brought forward
Net movement in funds
**Total funds carried forward**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**40**
**211,742**
**211,782**
**105,823**
**105,823**
**105,959**
**75,268**
**105,959**
**181,227**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**196**
**214,122**
**214,318**
**327,491**
**327,491**
**(113,173)**
**212,509**
**(113,173)**
**99,336**|**Total**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**236**
**425,864**
**426,100**
**433,314**
**433,314**
**(7,214)**
**287,777**
**(7,214)**
**280,563**|_Total_
_funds_
_2022_
_£_
_-_
_560,189_|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||_560,189_|
|||||_470,178_|
|||||_470,178_|
|||||_90,011_|
|||||_197,766_
_90,011_|
|||||_287,777_|
The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
The notes on pages 21 to 38 form part of these financial statements.
Page 18
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **(A Company Limited by Guarantee) REGISTERED NUMBER: 07799494**
## **BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2023**
|**Note**
**Fixed assets**
Tangible assets
10
**Current assets**
Debtors
11
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors: amounts falling due within one
year
12
**Net current assets**
**Total net assets**
**Charity funds**
Restricted funds
13
Unrestricted funds
13
**Total funds**|**7,485**
**287,848**
**295,333**
**(23,984)**|**2023**
**£**
**9,214**
**9,214**
**271,349**
**280,563**
**99,336**
**181,227**
**280,563**|_2,081_
_284,806_
_286,887_
_(10,680)_|_2022_
_£_
_11,570_|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||_11,570_
_276,207_|
||||||
|||||_287,777_|
|||||_212,509_
_75,268_|
||||||
|||||_287,777_|
Page 19
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE (A Company Limited by Guarantee) REGISTERED NUMBER: 07799494**
## **BALANCE SHEET (CONTINUED) AS AT 31 MARCH 2023**
The Charity was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006.
The members have not required the company to obtain an audit for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of Companies Act 2006.
The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and preparation of financial statements.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to entities subject to the small companies regime.
The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by:
## Emma Robinson Emma Robinson (Dec 13, 2023 15:35 GMT) Jenny Phillips (Dec 13, 2023 16:20 GMT)Jenny Phillips
Emma Robinson (Dec 13, 2023 15:35 GMT)
**E Robinson** (Chair of Trustees)
**J Phillips** (Trustee)
> Date: Dec 13, 2023
The notes on pages 21 to 38 form part of these financial statements.
Page 20
**COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **1. General information**
Common Wealth Theatre is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 20 North Parade, Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, BD1 3HT.
## **2. Accounting policies**
## **2.1 Basis of preparation of financial statements**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: 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) (effective 1 January 2019), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.
Common Wealth Theatre meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy.
## **2.2 Going concern**
The accounts have been prepared on a going concern basis on the assumption that the charity is able to carry on operating as a going concern in the foreseeable future, which the trustees consider appropriate.
## **2.3 Income**
All income is recognised once the Charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably.
## **2.4 Expenditure**
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
Expenditure on charitable activities is incurred on directly undertaking the activities which further the Charity's objectives, as well as any associated support costs.
All expenditure is inclusive of irrecoverable VAT.
Page 21
**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **2. Accounting policies (continued)**
## **2.5 Government grants**
Government grants are recognised at the fair value of the asset received or receivable when there is reasonable assurance that the grant conditions will be met and the grant will be received.
A grant that specifies performance conditions is recognised in income when the performance conditions are met. Where a grant does not specify performance conditions it is recognised in income when the proceeds are received or receivable. A grant received before the recognition criteria are satisfied is recognised as a liability.
Grants received in relation to the government Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (Furlough) have been recognised within income from charitable activities. The grant is accounted for on the accruals basis once the related payroll return has been submitted.
## **2.6 Taxation**
The Charity is considered to pass the tests set out in Sch. 6, para. 1 of the _Finance Act_ 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the Charity is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Pt. 11, Ch. 3 of the _Corporation Tax_ Act 2010 or s. 256 of the _Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act_ 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.
## **2.7 Tangible fixed assets and depreciation**
Tangible fixed assets costing £250 or more are capitalised and recognised when future economic benefits are probable and the cost or value of the asset can be measured reliably.
Tangible fixed assets are initially recognised at cost. After recognition, under the cost model, tangible fixed assets are measured at cost less accumulated depreciation and any accumulated impairment losses. All costs incurred to bring a tangible fixed asset into its intended working condition should be included in the measurement of cost.
Depreciation is charged so as to allocate the cost of tangible fixed assets less their residual value over their estimated useful lives, using the straight-line method.
Depreciation is provided on the following basis:
Plant and machinery
-
33% straight line
Gains and losses on disposals are determined by comparing the proceeds with the carrying amount and are recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities.
## **2.8 Debtors**
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.
Page 22
**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **2. Accounting policies (continued)**
## **2.9 Cash at bank and in hand**
Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short-term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.
## **2.10 Liabilities and provisions**
Liabilities are recognised when there is an obligation at the Balance Sheet date as a result of a past event, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefit will be required in settlement, and the amount of the settlement can be estimated reliably.
Liabilities are recognised at the amount that the Charity anticipates it will pay to settle the debt or the amount it has received as advanced payments for the goods or services it must provide.
Provisions are measured at the best estimate of the amounts required to settle the obligation. Where the effect of the time value of money is material, the provision is based on the present value of those amounts, discounted at the pre-tax discount rate that reflects the risks specific to the liability. The unwinding of the discount is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities as a finance cost.
## **2.11 Financial instruments**
The Charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
## **2.12 Operating leases**
Rentals paid under operating leases are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities on a straight line basis over the lease term.
## **2.13 Fund accounting**
General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the Charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.
Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the Charity for particular purposes. The costs of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Page 23
**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **3. Income from donations and legacies**
||**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**Total**|_Total_|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||**funds**|**funds**|**funds**|_funds_|
||**2023**|**2023**|**2023**|_2022_|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|_£_|
|Donations|40|196|**236**|_-_|
## **4. Income from charitable activities**
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
Grants received
203,330
Commissions and performances
-
Box Office income
-
Workshops and Events Delivery
6,881
Other project income
-
Miscellaneous Income
1,531
211,742
_Unrestricted_
_funds_
_2022_
_£_
Grants received
_130,012_
Commissions and performances
_613_
Workshops and Events Delivery
_11,436_
Other project income
_-_
Miscellaneous Income
_1,394_
_143,455_|**Restricted**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
75,476
127,832
5,081
-
-
5,733
214,122
_Restricted_
_funds_
_2022_
_£_
_353,667_
_58,624_
_630_
_336_
_3,477_
_416,734_|**Total**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**278,806**
**127,832**
**5,081**
**6,881**
**-**
**7,264**|
|---|---|---|
|||**425,864**|
|||_Total_
_funds_
_2022_
_£_
_483,679_
_59,237_
_12,066_
_336_
_4,871_|
|||_560,189_|
Page 24
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **5. Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities**
## **Summary by fund type**
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
Theatre activities
105,823
_Unrestricted_
_funds_
_2022_
_£_
Theatre activities
_145,673_|**Restricted**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
327,491
_Restricted_
_funds_
_2022_
_£_
_324,505_|**Total**
**2023**
**£**
**433,314**|
|---|---|---|
|||_Total_
_2022_
_£_
_470,178_|
## **6. Analysis of expenditure by activities**
|Theatre activities
Theatre activities|**Activities**
**undertaken**
**directly**
**2023**
**£**
302,832
_Activities_
_undertaken_
_directly_
_2022_
_£_
_335,299_|**Support**
**costs**
**2023**
**£**
130,482
_Support_
_costs_
_2022_
_£_
_134,879_|**Total**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**433,314**|
|---|---|---|---|
||||_Total_
_funds_
_2022_
_£_
_470,178_|
Page 25
**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **6. Analysis of expenditure by activities (continued)**
## **Analysis of direct costs**
|Staff costs
Artist fees
Festival programmer
Design, build set and props
Sound and lighting design
Insurance
Per diem - expense allowances
Room hire
Workshop and training
Production team
Production travelling expenses|**Theatre**
**activities**
**2023**
**£**
167,423
54,338
-
10,564
10,111
1,643
5,639
3,207
1,129
38,748
10,030
302,832|**Total**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**167,423**
**54,338**
**-**
**10,564**
**10,111**
**1,643**
**5,639**
**3,207**
**1,129**
**38,748**
**10,030**
**302,832**|_Total_
_funds_
_2022_
_£_
_154,009_
_50,051_
_776_
_16,927_
_6,865_
_1,086_
_923_
_-_
_2,909_
_94,855_
_6,898_|
|---|---|---|---|
||||_335,299_|
Page 26
**COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **6. Analysis of expenditure by activities (continued)**
## **Analysis of support costs**
|Staff costs
Depreciation
Travelling expenses
Printing and reproductions
Filming and photography
Advertising
Promotions and exhibitions
Staff recruitment costs
Rent
Postage, courier and delivery charges
Legal and professional fees
Digital campaign consultancy fees
Bank charges
Stationery and computer expenses
Telephone
Premises expenses
Sundry expenses
Mileage claims
Governance costs|**Theatre**
**activities**
**2023**
**£**
47,606
7,210
26,471
-
2,457
84
7,169
2,266
4,592
361
6,560
5,700
(411)
3,434
1,559
1,226
10,328
-
3,870
130,482|**Total**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**47,606**
**7,210**
**26,471**
**-**
**2,457**
**84**
**7,169**
**2,266**
**4,592**
**361**
**6,560**
**5,700**
**(411)**
**3,434**
**1,559**
**1,226**
**10,328**
**-**
**3,870**
**130,482**|_Total_
_funds_
_2022_
_£_
_59,126_
_8,405_
_7,698_
_2,605_
_6,343_
_909_
_2,713_
_445_
_8,038_
_306_
_11,140_
_12,256_
_392_
_3,710_
_1,692_
_453_
_3,044_
_265_
_5,339_|
|---|---|---|---|
||||_134,879_|
## **7. Independent examiner's remuneration**
The independent examiner's remuneration amounts to an independent examiner fee of £3,000 ( _2022_ - _£2,750_ ).
Page 27
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **8. Staff costs**
|Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Contribution to defined contribution pension schemes|**2023**
**£**
**197,708**
**13,489**
**3,832**
**215,029**|_2022_
_£_
_195,762_
_14,318_
_3,055_|
|---|---|---|
||||
|||_213,135_|
The average number of persons employed by the Charity during the year was as follows:
||**2023**|_2022_|
|---|---|---|
||**No.**|_No._|
|Total (including directors)|**9**|_8_|
No employee received remuneration amounting to more than £60,000 in either year.
The key management personnel of the charitable company comprises of three members of the senior leadership team. The total amount of employee benefits (including employer pension contributions) received by key management personnel for their services to the charitable company was £106,998 (2022 - £120,539).
## **9. Trustees' remuneration and expenses**
During the year, one or more Trustees has been paid remuneration or has received other benefits from an employment with the Charity. The value of Trustees' remuneration and other benefits was as follows:
|||**2023**|_2022_|
|---|---|---|---|
|||**£**|_£_|
|E Manning|Remuneration|**39,000**|_35,871_|
|R White|Remuneration|**26,517**|_27,120_|
During the year ended 31 March 2023, expenses totalling _£_ 3,875 were reimbursed or paid directly to two Trustees _(2022 - £2,882_ - two trustees). The Charity Commission agreed that the founding Artistic Directors can remain as Trustees, and whilst this is the case there will always be a minimum of five Trustees on the board in order that the number of other Trustees exceeds that of paid employees at all times.
Page 28
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
|**10.**
**Tangible fixed assets**
**Cost or valuation**
At 1 April 2022
Additions
At 31 March 2023
**Depreciation**
At 1 April 2022
Charge for the year
At 31 March 2023
**Net book value**
At 31 March 2023
_At 31 March 2022_
**11.**
**Debtors**
**Due within one year**
Trade debtors
Other debtors|**2023**
**£**
**7,255**
**230**
**7,485**|**Plant and**
**machinery**
**£**
**28,054**
**4,854**|
|---|---|---|
|||**32,908**|
|||**16,484**
**7,210**|
|||**23,694**|
|||**9,214**|
|||_11,570_|
|||_2022_
_£_
_2,081_
_-_
_2,081_|
Page 29
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **12. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year**
|Trade creditors
Other taxation and social security
Other creditors
Accruals and deferred income|**2023**
**£**
**12,316**
**6,244**
**235**
**5,189**
**23,984**|_2022_
_£_
_1,652_
_5,968_
_-_
_3,060_|
|---|---|---|
||||
|||_10,680_|
Page 30
**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **13. Statement of funds Statement of funds - current year**
|**Unrestricted funds**
Bradford Core
Cardiff Core
Company Core
**Restricted funds**
Quad Bike/Off Road
Paul Hamlyn Foundation Breakthrough Fund
Battersea Arts Centre, Moving Roots
TouringNetwork
Northern Stage Commission of Production, I
Have Met The Enemy
Southbank Centre, Commission of
Production,I Have Met The Enemy
Chapter Arts, Cardiff, Commission of
Production, I Have Met The Enemy
Chapter Arts, Cardiff, Contribution towards
Production, The Sea is Mine
Off the Curriculum / The Leap
Demand The Impossible
Jerwood Fellowship - income from
WJCB,NTW, and MRTN
Bradford 2025 - Main Production -
Peaceophobia
Us Here Now
Awards for All, Radical Acts
Bradford Producing Hub Consortium Fee
Payday Party
Sport England Swim with Speakers
Leeds 2023
Manjit Wolstenholme
Speaker's Corner
Other|**Balance at 1**
**April 2022**
**£**
**-**
**-**
**75,268**
**75,268**
**-**
**130,752**
**5,478**
**14,091**
**2,000**
**4,000**
**2,182**
**23,471**
**-**
**5,692**
**-**
**-**
**2,127**
**10,000**
**(185)**
**5,165**
**-**
**-**
**4,700**
**3,036**|**Income**
**£**
**52,662**
**-**
**159,120**
**211,782**
**25,000**
**-**
**27,596**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**899**
**3,000**
**1,463**
**26,623**
**6,584**
**-**
**-**
**21,863**
**-**
**18,682**
**13,397**
**4,403**
**64,808**|**Expenditure**
**£**
**16,164**
**37,052**
**(159,039)**
**(105,823)**
**-**
**(96,524)**
**(33,074)**
**(14,091)**
**(2,000)**
**(4,000)**
**6,947**
**(18,553)**
**(43)**
**(7,155)**
**(20,648)**
**(1,824)**
**(2,127)**
**(10,000)**
**(21,678)**
**(5,165)**
**(18,682)**
**(11,030)**
**-**
**(67,844)**|**Balance at**
**31 March**
**2023**
**£**
**68,826**
**37,052**
**75,349**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||**181,227**|
|||||**25,000**
**34,228**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**9,129**
**5,817**
**2,957**
**-**
**5,975**
**4,760**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**2,367**
**9,103**
**-**|
Page 31
**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **13. Statement of funds (continued) Statement of funds - current year (continued)**
|**Total of funds**|**Balance at 1**
**April 2022**
**£**
**212,509**
**287,777**|**Income**
**£**
**214,318**
**426,100**|**Expenditure**
**£**
**(327,491)**
**(433,314)**|**Balance at**
**31 March**
**2023**
**£**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||**99,336**|
|||||**280,563**|
Where there are positive figures on expenditure lines (Bradford Core & Cardiff Core), this is where we have transferred funds between projects.
Page 32
**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **13. Statement of funds (continued)**
## **Statement of funds - prior year**
|**Unrestricted funds**
Balance brought forward
Bradford Core
Company Core
Theatre Tax Relief
Donations
Miscellaneous Earned income - workshop,
events and box office income
City of Bradford Discretionary Grant
**Restricted funds**
Arts Council England NPO (R&D element)
Paul Hamlyn Foundation Breakthrough Fund
Battersea Arts Centre, Moving Roots Touring
Network
Northern Stage Commission of Production, I
Have Met The Enemy
Southbank Centre, Commission of
Production,I Have Met The Enemy
Chapter Arts, Cardiff, Commission of
Production, I Have Met The Enemy
Chapter Arts, Cardiff, Contribution towards
Production, The Sea is Mine
Jerwood Fellowship - income from
WJCB,NTW, and MRTN
Bradford 2025 - Main Production -
Peaceophobia
Awards for All, Radical Acts
Bradford Producing Hub Consortium Fee
Sport England Swim with Speakers
Leeds 2023
Manjit Wolstenholme|_Balance at_
_1 April 2021_
_£_
_27,144_
_8,044_
_1,324_
_24,903_
_-_
_11,071_
_5,000_
_77,486_
_6,217_
_6,588_
_13,082_
_14,091_
_2,000_
_4,000_
_2,182_
_9,361_
_12,000_
_2,277_
_10,000_
_9,180_
_6,713_
_-_|_Income_
_£_
_-_
_122,512_
_7,500_
_-_
_1,394_
_12,049_
_-_
_143,455_
_7,000_
_158,603_
_14,663_
_-_
_-_
_-_
_-_
_6,581_
_12,423_
_-_
_-_
_204_
_7,713_
_73,930_|_Expenditure_
_£_
_8,028_
_(127,828)_
_(8,824)_
_-_
_-_
_(12,049)_
_(5,000)_
_(145,673)_
_(10,489)_
_(34,439)_
_(22,267)_
_-_
_-_
_-_
_-_
_(10,250)_
_(24,423)_
_(150)_
_-_
_(4,219)_
_(14,118)_
_(73,930)_|_Balance at_
_31 March_
_2022_
_£_
_35,172_
_2,728_
_-_
_24,903_
_1,394_
_11,071_
_-_|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||_75,268_|
|||||_2,728_
_130,752_
_5,478_
_14,091_
_2,000_
_4,000_
_2,182_
_5,692_
_-_
_2,127_
_10,000_
_5,165_
_308_
_-_|
Page 33
**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **13. Statement of funds (continued)**
**Statement of funds - prior year (continued)**
|Speaker's Corner
Other
**Total of funds**|_Balance at_
_1 April 2021_
_£_
_9,875_
_12,714_
_120,280_
_197,766_|_Income_
_£_
_4,700_
_130,917_
_416,734_
_560,189_|_Expenditure_
_£_
_(9,875)_
_(120,345)_
_(324,505)_
_(470,178)_|_Balance at_
_31 March_
_2022_
_£_
_4,700_
_23,286_|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||_212,509_|
|||||_287,777_|
Page 34
**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **14. Summary of funds**
## **Summary of funds - current year**
|General funds
Restricted funds
**Summary of funds - prior year**
General funds
Restricted funds|**Balance at 1**
**April 2022**
**£**
**75,268**
**212,509**
**287,777**
_Balance at_
_1 April 2021_
_£_
_77,486_
_120,280_
_197,766_|**Income**
**£**
**211,782**
**214,318**
**426,100**
_Income_
_£_
_143,455_
_416,734_
_560,189_|**Expenditure**
**£**
**(105,823)**
**(327,491)**
**(433,314)**
_Expenditure_
_£_
_(145,673)_
_(324,505)_
_(470,178)_|**Balance at**
**31 March**
**2023**
**£**
**181,227**
**99,336**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||**280,563**|
|||||_Balance at_
_31 March_
_2022_
_£_
_75,268_
_212,509_|
|||||_287,777_|
Page 35
**COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **15. Fund details**
Common Wealth Theatre receives income from a wide variety of sources. All items over £5,000 are explained in more detail below. We work with a wide range of partners and funders, enabling us to respond to relevant opportunities and build long-term relationships that strengthen our operational and financial resilience.
## **Arts Council England National Portfolio (NPO) funding**
Common Wealth Theatre entered the Arts Council England National Portfolio for the first time in 2018 and we will continue to be funded until at least Mach 2026. We receive £147,688 per year towards core costs and our programme of work in England. In general, we allocate this across our main production; some towards Speakers Corner; some for research and development of new work; and the remainder is for core costs and treated as unrestricted income.
## **Bradford Metropolitan Borough Council**
Common Wealth Theatre receives £15,000 per annum from Bradford Council for its contribution to arts and culture in the Bradford district, and this is treated as unrestricted income.
## **Quad Bike/Off Road**
A grant from Bradford Metropolitan District Council’s (BMDC) Youth Service and Anti-Social Behaviour Fund; to be spent on delivering Off Road at Windhill Community Centre.
## **Paul Hamlyn Foundation Breakthrough Fund**
The final year of this restricted grant spanning 2018-2023, recognising the Co-Artistic Directors contributions to innovative theatre, and supporting staffing and core costs. This includes an extension year to cover projects and core costs. The carried forward amount will be used to support the Performance Collective in Bradford.
## **Moving Roots Touring Network**
Common Wealth was one of four production partners working with Battersea Arts Centre as part of this network and project. This income covered the salary for our Community Producer in Cardiff and has now been closed. This included the Payday Party project.
## **I have Met the Enemy (And The Enemy Is Us)**
Residual fees from Northern Stage, The Southbank Centre and Chapter Arts Centre, to present this work, which was postponed (due to the pandemic) and reallocated to other projects, now all spent and the fund is closed.
## **Chapter Arts Centre**
Fee towards The Sea is Mine. There is still some resources left for this project which we hope to continue in 2023/24 or 2024/25.
## **Off the Curriculum**
Grant from The Leap to develop and present Off the Curriculum – performances and installation about subjects not taught at school using skills not learned at school. There is a small amount carried forward which will be spent in 2023/24.
## **Demand the Impossible**
Seed-funding from National Theatre Wales to develop the concept of this work around police infiltration.
## **Jerwood Foundation**
We received a fellowship grant from the Jerwood Foundation to cover the costs of an Associate Director in our Cardiff team. This fund has now been closed.
Page 36
**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **Bradford 2025**
We received fees from Bradford 2025 to stage Peaceophobia in Bradford. This fund also includes fees to present Peaceophobia from other partners. Any carried forward funds will be moved to unrestricted in 2023/24.
## **Us Here Now**
We received a grant from Arts Council Wales to develop and deliver this project. There is some remaining which we’ll spend in 2023/24.
## **Awards for All**
We received an Awards for All restricted grant for Radical Acts, which has now been delivered and fund has been closed out.
## **Sport England**
We received a Sport England small grant fund for the Speakers Corner project, Swim with Speakers and most of this was spent on 50 girls and women, predominantly of Muslim and/or South Asian heritage learning to
swim. There was a small amount carried forward and spent in 2022/23 for other Speakers Corner activities and the fund is now closed.
## **Bradford Producing Hub**
Common Wealth Theatre was one of six consortium members of Bradford Producing Hub working on a four-year project funded by Arts Council England to build producing capacity within the city. We received a total fee of £10,000 and this this was used in 2022/23 to further invest in projects which are specific to Bradford. This fund is now closed.
## **Leeds 2023**
We presented a series of school’s workshops around Off the Curriculum supported by a fee from Leeds 2023. This fund has now been closed.
## **Speakers Corner (including Manjit Wolstenholme Fund)**
We were awarded a grant of £10,000 through Leeds Community Foundation from the Manjit Wolstenholme Fund in 2022/23. This will fund the cost of employing our Speakers Corner Producer and programme costs. We also received a grant from The Pioneer Fund towards our Speakers Corner wellbeing fund.
## **16. Analysis of net assets between funds**
## **Analysis of net assets between funds - current year**
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
Tangible fixed assets
9,214
Current assets
195,997
Creditors due within one year
(23,984)
**Total**
181,227|**Restricted**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
-
99,336
-
99,336|**Total**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**9,214**
**295,333**
**(23,984)**
**280,563**|
|---|---|---|
Page 37
**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**
## **COMMON WEALTH THEATRE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **16. Analysis of net assets between funds (continued)**
## **Analysis of net assets between funds - prior year**
|Tangible fixed assets
Current assets
Creditors due within one year
**Total**|_Unrestricted_
_funds_
_2022_
_£_
_11,570_
_74,378_
_(10,680)_
_75,268_|_Restricted_
_funds_
_2022_
_£_
_-_
_212,509_
_-_
_212,509_|_Total_
_funds_
_2022_
_£_
_11,570_
_286,887_
_(10,680)_
_287,777_|
|---|---|---|---|
## **17. Members' liability**
Each member of the charitable company undertakes to contribute to the assets of the company in the event of it being wound up while he/she is a member, or within one year after he/she ceases to be a member, such amount as may be required, not exceeding £1 for the debts and liabilities contracted before he/she ceases to be a member.
## **18. Related party transactions**
During the current and prior periods there were no transactions with related parties.
Page 38