IItr-(.'I%-I-fr-.JIF.I) C.'()Illl)ANI- Nl,'hlllfr.It= IYP)?971F* IF.iJkiljlll(l )iiiil l%'iilc51 Kilk)n ol-Ihe"I nisi¢e5 aml Uiiiti(lil￿l fiii¢lll¢k11 Siiilillli'llt% lor Ilk. I'LYr Fn(k.d 31 fxximik'r )l))3 iuii(I RIK)Is Ktix)1l o1.11￿"fr￿5r¢QS 9 10 10 li 10 18 The trustees who ale also directors ot the charity for the purposes of the Companies A(t 2￿6. presenr their report with the financial starements ol the chariiy lor ihe yeaf ended 31 Decembef 2023. The trustees have adoptpd the provisions of AccountinR and ReportifiR by Charities". Slalement ol Recommended PKaciice applicable ro chaiitics prtparing their accoiints in accordance with the Financi31 Repor￿￿8 Stèndard èpplicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland IFRS 1021 leffective l January 20191. Introduction by the Ch&ir 2023 was a year ol mojor change for our chaiity with the most prominoni change being to oui name 31 we moved from English Folk E¥po (the naffle ol one of our annually rÈcuriing eventsl to Sound Rouls. This riame chaftge enables to broaden our reach and appeal to specific siakeholders. It also pro¥Tde5 separation between the annu31 showca%9 for folk, roots Élnd acoustic music (English Folk Expo) and the othèr work proerammÈs we deliveT as a charity tnclydinE Manchoster Ftslk Festival. the 0fh.cial Folk Albums Chart and lalent development strands includin8 showcasing. Another tHèjor change f(Ir our charity was the relgcation of Manchester Folk Festival and English Folk Expo to Manchester's Northern Quarrer. Oelivering a bfoader festival offer across 10 vellues with rnore than 60 band5. We a15D sold out ol delegate pèsses lor the h"r5t knme in our history. in part supported by a partnership with the European Folk Network. A further parrneiship wirh Un.Convendon enabled us to Ivn a compiehensive talent development conference alongside the 5howcose which created new opportuniiies lor artists to engage with the event. In 2023 it was announced that Manchesier would host WOMEX 2024 and ihat we would play a leading role in delivering tho 5 day international 5howca5e and conference. An official launch took place in Octobew and w¢ began to recruit additional roles ro deliver this project. Worklng closety with Brighter Sound and Manchester Music City. we a150 decided ro hire offiie space in Manchester to support this delive.iy, basing ovr5elves in the same office a5 Brighter Sound. Ihe arti51 mentoring programme completed in October with anorher successful cohoFi ol arttsts who are on track io grow Ihpiw career5 5U5tainably. We will be takrng a break from this Pfogramme in 2024 wliilsi we locus on WOMEX doliverv. LinkL)d to Ihis developnient work. we reciuited two youth trustees to join our boaryj and en5vre that we have a strong youth voice th¥oughout oui organLsaLion. Finally, we received OCMS support to launch a new digital platform which will build on our work around Folk Talk Academy and EPLX Digiial. We expÈci ¢0 launch Sound Roots Connect In 2024 an¢J will use thi5 a5 a fflajor plarforni lor our future talent development programmes. I would like LO take this opportunity ro ihank my fellow Trustees. the Sound Root5 leam. our lanta5tiC lunders, èrtists and Iheir teams. ond the publii audiences who have continued to support our work. Kelli& While, Chair OBJECTIVES ANO AcfiviTIES PLiblic benolit Eiiglish Folk Expo provi(fes public beiielii by advancing Ihe public's aPpr￿latio11 ol the alt oi lolk music. We achieve thls by: al providiiix lolk n)usic acls viiih Ihe opporlunity to be able to pe¥lorni at concerts. festivals and oiher events.. and bl inireasin¥ public access and exposure 10 folk n)vsic through developing, ptoii?oting and encouraging its practice. The terni 'lolk niusic" includes both contemporary an￿ Ifaditional forms. STRATf GIC REPORT Achievonient and perlofmance Englisli Folk Expo Ilie niL)ve lo the Northeii) Quarler wa5 a suciess wirh very positivc fccdback lion) del¢%attrs ond public alike IV¢ )150 triallèd 3 npiiJ iiiay ol riinnin(t the inlernational paiinership iiiith 4 paiiners this yecir Ironi South Korea, Priilce E(li:'ard 1slai)d. Siijedf l) ano Flanders. ¥V2 501d oiit ol delegate passcs ar 216 Ivith tl)e econon)ic inipact report showing Oilf 5tiongest year yet in excess of £3ni .STRIlTF.I.'IC" 111.POIIT Mancliesler Folk Festival Moving to the Northern Quarter gave us an opporlunity to create more of a festival feel with a larger prioritv placed 011 selling festival passes. We triplp.d the nuvnber of these sold from 2022 and also had a range of free events including a free bar in Band on the Wall and muiris dantinu 011 Cultiiig RooiTI Square. With more than GO bands performing in a range of venues largely new to our team. the positive feedback we have received h35 been a great relief. European Folk Nelwoik We were delighted to host the annual European Folk Network Conference running èlongside Enelish Folk Expo. This enabled u5 to bring in 3 large number of new delegates to the event and were happy to support this valucd partner organisation. Un-convention Aiiother parti)ership in 2023 was Wtth Un-conventior). a talcnt development conference which move5 aroiind Cill"es but Is ultimately Manchester based. The 30 Un-convention ian alongside Manchester Folk Festival and gave us a comprehensive prooramme of panels and conference sessions For all festival artists. as well as more than 300 attending Un-convention delegates. PEI Artist Exchange Expandirig our internatsonal programme5. we parlneied wilh Music PEI IPiince Edwdiis Island, Caftadal to develop an arb51 exchange and songwriter proKramme. Liizy Hardingham was selected to Ivork wilh loco. Reyome as they spent time in C(Inada writing and attending Showcase PEI before travelling to Manchester for Manchester Folk Feslival. Coiicert Programme We independently proJTroied 11 conceris thioughout ihe year in addition to our festival programme acr055 Greater Ma(Ichester. As well as presei)ting live music in a range of central Manche5ler venues includiiiK Stolle¥ Hall, Halle St Peter5. Albert Hall and tlie Oeal Inshlule, we also promoled concerts across Greater Manchester including Rochdale and sale. Artist MentorinE Programme Our anniial programme was aiiother staiid out year for excellente with all particip3nts taking significant steps Forwarci in their career. Due to funding and timing rea50n5 we ale taking a break from this in 2024 Official Folk Album5 Chirl Tl)is coiiliriues to tS)rive and grow with more and more artists scheduling iheir releases around thi5 Llidrl aiid Using it to promote their new album5. WOMEX We were deliEhied to be announced as the event delivery partner lor WOMEX 2024 aiid began ivork on this during 2023. At WOMEX 2023 we took a large part of OLir delivery teani ivere also i)lease(I to be ablp lo see a stroi)g MdiicliestLif COilrii)gei)t including an OffWOMEX Manchester perlormance Iroiii Tlie Brealli. Soui)d Roots Connect Thank5 to UKRI lijiiding. we havo begun work on ihis ne¥v plattorpi %vliicli will be launched in 2024 I T i..IlLlid i I l)LXLriilk"r W?. Regional music development Work with Greater Manchester Music Commission. Manchestei Music Cily and Rochdale Borough Culture Network continues with music projects being developed and delivered working in partnership froili all threo bodies. We'io particulbrly excited about a jornt piece of work with Brighter Sound commissioned from the GMMC and MMC about the opportunities of regional music export. FINANCIAL REVIEW Financial p05ih'o In our forward bLssiness plan we had forecast 2023 to be a year where we produce a h'nancial deh"cit, 14owever as a result of strong fundraising and better than expected public ticket Sales. we will in lact just about break even. This is a 5ignilicarbt achievement and in no small part thanks to our hard woiking team. Reserves policv The purpose of the unrestricted fund is to provide funds for the day-lo-day running ol the charTrty. Should a delicii be achieved on a specifi.c projoct, a transfer of funds will be mède from the unrestricted funds to cove¥ the d¥ficit. The company undertakes to maintain ieseives to the value of three months, CO￿ expenditure against the costs of maintaining the staff team and company assets. .STRklTF.(.'If. IIFI)(TrIIT Pldins for. 2D•4 The primary pieces of work for 2024 will be deliverine WOMEX and launchine Sound Rools Connect. Regu13r actrvity will either be Postponed or moved to March 2025. WOMEX 2024 As the event delivery ptirtnvr for this event, we are working with Marichester Music City and Brighter Sound to ensure that the production ol WOMEX in Manchester is the best it can be. Ihis is a SIEnihcant piece of work lof our chorily, but one which will really establish our crcdentt.als as a major event producer. 5howca5o speci31ist and export partner on the international stage. Sound Roo15 Connect The platform which builds on our work through EFEX Digital and Folk Talk Academy will be launched iii 2024. We anticipate that the opportunity for thi5 platform will be signih"c3nt and look forward to working with a range of partners to provide 3 me3ninglul resource lo those building music industry career5. English Folk Expo Our annual showcase moves to March 2025 to accommodèle WOMEX Manchester Folk Festival Our annual festival moves to Marih 2025 to accommodate WOMEX Concert Prograniffle We will conknnue to promote folk concerls across Greater Manchester. Oflicial Folk Album5 Chart This will Cofttinijp lor afiother yeaf. Fundraising to un pause programmes Following the outcome of Arts Council Er)gland's National Portfolio Organisational settlement. we paused manv of our proEr3mmes in order lo review iheir viability in the curreni funding landscape. We hope to be able to lundraise in 2024 to begin once agair) lo deliver our Arlist Menlorirlg ProgramTne, intern3tionhl artist exch3ngos and even a future iteratr.on of Global Music Match. STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT Goverr)ir)g docun7eiit The charity is controlled by it5 governing document, a memorandum and articles of a5$0ciation, and corislitutes a liniited coiiipany, limited by guaiantee, as def?ned by Ehe Companies Act 2006. English Folk Expo registered as a charity wilh the Charity comiiii55ion for Englar)d and Wales and became a charitable company on 29 October 2020. STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT Rerriiitiiient aiiil apsiointment of new trtistpes The ch.Irity is governed by a board ol not less than five Trustee5. Truslees niay be any person aged 16 years or older who siipporls tl)e object5 of the charity. New trustees may apply to the board al any trme ancl can be appointcd by ordinary re501uh.oii Dt a meeting ol the trustees. All (iewly appoiiiled cliiectors are 3ppointe(I for 3 h.xed teri)) of three years. and Tiiay serve up to a niaximum of two consecutive terms, or a maximum of three consecub.ve ternis il the third terni 15 approveil by special resoliition. We Iiave two'YoL¥lh V¥u5Eees who ale appoiiiled lor oiie term. STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT Recruitment and appointment of new trustee5 The charity is governeil by a board of not less ihan fi.ve Trustee5. Trustees may be any person aged 16 years or older who supports the objects of the charity. New trustees may apply to tl)e board at any tiine and can be appointed by ordinary re501uh.on at a meeh.ng ol ihe trustees. All newly appointed directors a￿ appointed for a fi'xed term of ihree years. and may serve up lo a maximum of two consecutive terms. or a maximum ol three consecutive terms if the third terni is approved by special resoluknon. Ouring 2023 we will recruit new board membets with protected characterTr5tiCS and will also (￿ate two places for 'Vouth Voice'_ ie two younE people to join our board and support us in oui planning to Meet ihe needs and requirements of young people in our future programme development. These Youth Trustee5 will serve lor one torm or>ly. STRUC.TURF. (*()I'F.IIYANI CF. 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