# **2021 - 2022** ANNUAL REPORT **PREPARED BY BETH ALLUM - ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES** h e l l o @ d a n c e r e a d i n g . c o m @ d a n c e _ r e a d i n g w w w . d a n c e r e a d i n g . c o m ## INTRODUCTION FROM THE CHAIR This is our second Annual Report as a registered charity which covers the financial year January to December 2022. The organisation continues to grow steadily with increased revenue generated this year compared to last year and significant developments in our delivery of work for young people. Supported by the Board of Trustees, Producer Beth Allum manages grant funded projects recruiting freelance project assistants, artists and dance organisations to deliver the activities. Our unique role as the primary dance development organisation in Reading continues to provide an important function for the local cultural sector, nurturing the dance landscape in Reading by bringing high quality dance work to town, building new audiences for dance and developing knowledge and skills for local dancers, young people and participants. Alongside the festival programme and new work delivering high quality dance in schools we also continue to support emerging dance talent providing opportunities to make work with and for local communities as well as providing educational opportunities for young people to engage in innovative and explorative dance workshops. As an organisation we continue to demonstrate our passion for dance in all of it’s forms through our diverse and inclusive programming policy maintaining our belief in the ability for dance to transform lives, well being and health by bringing people together for uplifting shared cultural experiences centred around the body. As we move forward into 2023 and beyond we continue to strive for ways to build capacity within the leadership team and create sustainable models of funding. Danielle Corbishley, Founder and Chair of the Board of Trustees. **P A G E 1** ## A SUMMARY OF OUR WORK IN 2022 2022 was a fantastically busy year, with our biggest festival to date, a new delivery in schools in partnership with The Place, and a brand new youth project funded by Reading Borough Council. Our first AGM showcased the work of amazing young dancers, as well as our strategic partners, with a panel discussion looking at mental health and movement. We screened the film made and performed by the young people in the Turn it Up project, to an audience of 50 people. We worked with an incredible team of new volunteers this year, mostly from Reading’s refugee community, and were able to welcome their entire families to the events they were supporting. We also established a new relationship with Reading’s Social Worker network, providing free tickets to performances for families who would otherwise be unable to access them. This year also saw Dance Reading setting up a brand new, regular hiphop battle event, supporting the work of emerging producer Elle George, and bringing in over 70 dancers from across the country, to compete in 1vs1 battles. This event, and the festival, continue to further our aim to bring new and exciting dance experiences to audiences, to provide platforms for young and established dancers, and to celebrate the diversity and breadth of dance in our town. Beth Allum, Artistic Director **P A G E 2** ## THE HISTORY OF DANCE READING Dance Reading, previously known as Junction Dance, was founded in 2014, when a group of arts professionals, dancers, producers, writers and teachers got together to consider how to strengthen and raise the profile of the dance landscape in Reading. Whilst there were, and still are, hundreds of dance schools and clubs teaching thousands of young people and adults to dance, there were no venues programming dance, very few accessible and affordable performance spaces and no professional development for dancers locally. We consulted extensively with the dance sector in the area, finding out their needs, their skills, their interests and their hopes for the future. We started by addressing the need for professional development through a programme of skill sharing, and then we moved on to our first month long festival in November 2016. Since then, Dance Reading has grown and grown, and in 2020 we constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with objectives based on our firm belief that dance and movement are invaluable tools to improve the lives and wellbeing of our wider community. The community work we had been undertaking since 2014 has grown extensively, and the professional programme and festival continues to bring new and exciting dance to Reading, as well as providing a platform for, and showcasing, the dance talent that exists locally. **P A G E 3** ## THE TEAM 2022 We are very lucky to have a fantastic board of trustees who continue to support us and all our work since 2020. They bring a wide range of skills and expertise and we are actively recruiting at the moment for more to add to the team. We also have a dedicated team of regular freelancers that we work with each year, who bring amazing skills and connections. This year we worked with an additional 134 freelancers across our youth project, schools project and the festival. ## TRUSTEES ## STAFF Daniel Cameron Irene Cameron Anuradha Chaturvedi Danielle Corbishley Obiageli Onyekpe Grant Thornton Beth Allum Artistic Director Core Freelancers Tom Ryan Laura De Moxom Marley Seville Elle George Becky Blackburn Josie Norman Volunteers Sarah Ifidon Mary Arkinstall Prue Beckett Sara Coimbraa Layal Alhozimi Rich Moxom Raghad (Rayan) Dawn Simmonds Abdurahman Ismail Plus young people from our youth project **P A G E 4** ## DANCE READING FESTIVAL 2022 Dance Reading Festival 22 reached large audiences and focussed community groups with high quality dance performances, workshops and activities. Audiences of over 1400 attended over 23 events across the month of November. 700 pupils from schools in Whitley, an area of high socio-economic deprivation saw innovative contemporary dance and 75 actively participated in tailor-made workshops. Approximately 3000 people saw MCDC's performance in the town centre, with a focussed audience of about 800 staying to watch the whole show despite heavy rain. We worked with older people, young people at risk of becoming NEET, emerging artists, local dance schools, children and their families and dance professionals. Feedback told us that people loved the breadth of the programme, the diversity represented both in dance style, age range and type of events. They valued the opportunity to see dance that they would never normally see on a stage in Reading, and they learnt new skills and met new people. We recruited an amazing team of producers and volunteers to support the delivery of this festival, who were also drawn from communities who are typically underrepresented. Most of our volunteers were also refugees, and we were delighted to welcome their whole families to the shows they were working on and to continue to find opportunities for them to engage with the cultural sector in Reading by passing their details on to other arts organisations to find exciting events to be part of. As part of a youth and mental health programme we took young dance students to see their first ever show at Saddlers Wells, BLKDOG by Far From the Norm, and organised a tailor made workshop with one the core company members afterwards, who also grew up in Reading. These experiences will contribute to their achieving an Arts Award and raising their skills and confidence. **P A G E 5** IIAJY PAGE 6 PAGE 7 2FJ1TBatr¥ Boug￿0￿m￿￿5(O FIL>A ￿11 ￿e￿j￿1(*￿￿ki.Èv￿>anEe FILM N￿￿1 Illy Iij 2020 was, of course, a strange year with our plans for extensive community mental health work being drastically changed by the pandemic. Nevertheless, we established a strong partnership with ‘Sport in Mind’ and with ‘Becoming Mums’. We worked closely with these two organisations to deliver both a programme of dance for mental health for mums and babies, and one for children and young people in schools. Tying in closely with the Partnership Investment Fund project, managed by Reading’s Cultural Education Partnership, these two projects also enabled us to train a dance teacher in ‘Arts Award Gold’ delivery, enabling her to provide students with accreditation for their hard work in the school. Whilst delayed because of Covid this programme is now being delivered and, especially given the massive impact that the pandemic had on dance schools and young people, is greatly valued by participants. Despite the challenges, we delivered 18 weeks of dance and movement for over 45 women experiencing perinatal mental health conditions. **P A G E 9** ## WHY WE DO COMMUNITY WORK We believe everyone should have access to high quality creative and cultural experiences. Dance is a unique art form, it brings together creativity and selfexpression, with physical fitness and social connection and community unlike any other. We know that dance makes a difference, and we design our projects based on what our community and the dance sector tell us, and where the greatest need is. In Reading, we are rich in amazing dance schools, classes, social dance groups and dance teachers. We see our role as uniquely placed to support people who face extraordinary barriers to engaging with dance and the arts. We don’t run regular classes, but we look for where the community has greatest need and we provide support and infrastructure to enable those people to access the existing opportunities in the town. For example, we work with older people who struggle to have the confidence to get out to classes, providing support and confidence building projects to enable them to access the existing dance classes in the town. We provide professional development opportunities to the dance sector, led by their request and needs, to enable them to offer an even higher quality provision. We support collaborations, commission new work and mentor young producers and arts professionals. **P A G E 1 0** ## INSPIRING PLAYGROUNDS We worked with The Place for the first time this year, touring two newly created pieces of dance with a wraparound education package for 5 primary schools in Reading. This project brought two brand new commissioned pieces of Kathak and contemporary dance to over 3000 children and their families, for free. Every child in 5 primary schools took part in the project, with additional wrap around education work, whole school assemblies, workshops and family outreach work. Children had the opportunity to see their own traditional dance and culture reflected back to them in their school setting, that typically doesn't reflect their home cultural practices. The reaction from those children, who lit up, suddenly shouting out 'that's Kathak! I know that!" or "Do you really speak Hindi? I speak Hindi! wow!". **P A G E 1 1** PIRING PLAYGROUNDS J• PAGE 12 ## YOUTH AND MENTAL HEALTH PROJECT DANCE FOR MENTAL HEALTH Inspired by a young dancer who was struggling academically and with her mental health, we designed an innovative youth project, to mentor and support young people who were passionate about the arts, enabling them, through the Arts Award, to achieve qualifications, and even UCAS points that would support their futures. The project foccussed on tailor making a programme of creative workshops, work experience, confidence building, research, opportunities to meet and work with high level, inspiring, professional artists and to watch and take part in new artistic and creative experiences. Funding from Reading Borough Council, National Lottery Awards for All, and Berkshire Community Foundation continue to enable us to support and nurture these young people. We continue to work closely with John Madejski Academy and with Reading School of Dance to deliver this mentoring focussed project, and we are actively seeking funding to continue the work. **P A G E 1 3** •* pi'wii, 14, ifjop BSOD AGE 14 FINANCES DANCE READING CIO No.: 1192879 DANCE i Reading INCOMEAND EXPENDITUREACCOUNT 110112022-3111213J22 Y*r to 31-12-2022 Year to 31-12-2021 INCOME Arts Council Grants Other Arts Grants & donations Grant Income SS.8XJ 10.69) 13,885 4,54? 66.520 18,427 Earned Income Box Office and misc. ineomg Total Income ?45 66,765 18.427 EXPENDITURE Advertising and marketing Technical & Production costs Artistic Fees Iperforrnances & wyksh)ps) Travel H8111thwdtr8 hire Stationerylprinning Insurance Sundry Total costs 25,013 10,409 2.279 69.335 13,503 Excess of expendlture over Income 2,570 4,924 OpenirKJ cash trAlance 0110112(r22 16,240 11,316 Closing cash balance 13,669 16.240 PAGE 15 TNERS AND COLLABORATORS COMMUNITY FUND COMMUNITY FUND 4rA Reading co ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND Bcwough Council IPLACE FAR FROM THE NORM AGRAVDANCECOMPAN real o time DANCE CLUB JOHN MADEJSKI ACADEMY I'irp= È ENTS RSOII ve .co applause Cultlv8tlng creotfv Connocllng communlll•• ageuK artswork FRINGE ## **DANCE READING CIO No.: 1192879** |**Year to 31-12-2022**
**£**
**£**
**INCOME**
Arts Council Grants
55,830
Other Arts Grants & donations
10,690
**Grant Income**
**66,520**
**Earned Income**
Box Office and misc. income
245
**Total income**
**66,765**
**EXPENDITURE**
Advertising and marketing
3,593
Technical & Production costs
25,013
Artistic Fees (performances & workshops)
32,146
Travel
1,609
Hall/theatre hire
2,538
Stationery/prinning
2,279
Insurance
271
Sundry
1,886
**Total costs**
**69,335**
**Excess of expenditure over income**
**(2,570)**
Opening cash balance 01/01/2022
16,240
**Closing cash balance**
**13,669**
**INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT**
**1/01/2022-31/12/2022**||| |---|---|---| ||**Year to 31-12-2021**
**£**
**£**|| ||13,885
4,542|

**18,427**| |||| |||-| |||**18,427**| |||| ||695|| ||10,409
2,399
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**13,503**| |||| |||| |||**4,924**| |||11,316| |||**16,240**| private:streamDance Reading Accounts 2022 10/29/2023 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of bANGÉ Qc-Afy I On accounts for the year ended 21.11.2ouz Charity no (if any 119 2*t9 Set out on pages FIFTEEN I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (Ihe Trusf) for the year ended Responsibilities and As the charrty trustees of the Trust. you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance Nmth the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (Ihe Acr). I report in resped of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Ad and in ¢arying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Direth"ons given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5){b} of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confinn that no material matters have ome to my attention ( ") in connection with the examination which gNes me cause to believe that in, any material respect". accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Ad or the accourrts do not accord wrth the accounting records Independent examinefs ststement I have no con￿M5 and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. . Please d lete the words in the brackets rfthey do not apply. Signed: Name". SrtknL L LvfHE Relevant professional qualification{s) or body (if any): ACMA ACT Address: 22 Qkli I plcL INI TAO VAL Ox?Ni • SN7 ¥fL IER October 2018 Section B Disclosure Only complete rf the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of tharity accounts. directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief details of any items that the examinerwishes to disclose. 41 IER October 2018