OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2025-03-31-accounts

Charity number: 1196665

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO

ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED

31 MARCH 2025

HPH Chartered Accountants

54 Bootham YORK YO30 7XZ

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO CONTENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Page
Foreword from theCo-Chairs 1 - 2
Trustees' Annual Report 3 - 30
Independent Auditor's Report 31 - 34
Statement of Financial Activity 35
Balance Sheet 36
Statement of Cash Flows 37
Notes to the Financial Statements 38 - 54
Detailed Statement of Financial Activities 55 - 57

Co-Chair’s foreword

It’s with great pride that we present this year’s annual report for Unlimited. Reflecting another year of extraordinary work, meaningful connection, and continued advocacy for disabled artists both in the UK and internationally.

Since our inception, we have awarded over £7.1 million to support 538 artists, reaching audiences of over nine million people.

In 2024/25, our second year as an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation, we continued to deliver on our mission with a strong programme of commissioning, collaboration, and cultural influence.

Commissioning artists remains our core function, and this year we made 26 awards to 39 disabled artists . These awards spanned the following

These awards are more than numbers. They represent sustained investment in disabled-led creativity across artforms, geographies, and stages of artistic practice.

We also made notable progress across our wider programme. This year we:

1

These achievements feel more meaningful given the persistent changes and challenges facing the cultural sector. Reduced public funding, economic pressures, and an undervaluing of access and inclusion work continue to threaten the sustainability of many creative practices - with disabled artists often disproportionately affected. We remain committed to challenging these systemic barriers through both direct support and structural advocacy.

This report offers a detailed account of how we’ve continued to centre disabled artists, expand our partnerships, and deepen our impact both at home and abroad. It also reflects our efforts to build strong financial and strategic organisational foundations to ensure our work can continue in the years ahead. In response to ongoing economic challenges and changes to National Insurance, alongside cuts and delays in Access to Work, we have managed our resources carefully, maintaining financial resilience that supports our mission and future ambitions.

We would like to thank the Unlimited team, board of trustees, partners, artists, funders, and wider community. Your commitment is what enables us all to lead the transformation the cultural sector urgently requires.

Looking ahead, we remain confident that together we will continue to drive meaningful change for disabled artists everywhere.

Anna Starkey (they/them) and Adel AlSalloum (she/her) Co-Chairs of the board

Unlimited

2

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Objectives and activities

Unlimited is an arts commissioning body that supports, funds, and promotes new work by disabled artists for UK and international audiences. Our main activities and goals are:

Charitable objectives

All our activities focus on public benefit:

Vision

Unlimited commissions extraordinary work from disabled artists until the entire cultural sector does. This work will change and challenge the world.

Aims

To be the leading independent commissioning organisation for disabled artists, driving significant sector development in inclusive practices.

We will achieve this through the five key strands of activity:

We commission work from disabled artists to change the sector. We develop, support and connect disabled artists to the sector. We develop and connect the sector to disabled artists to remove barriers and ensure that any change is embedded and sustainable.

3

Our values

Our values guide our work:

Context

We operate within the UK arts sector, supported by funding from Arts Council England, Arts Council of Wales, and Creative Scotland. In our third year as an independent organisation, we have continued our strong partnership with the British Council, focusing on arts projects that connect UK disabled artists with those in official development assistance (ODA) countries. Additionally, the Paul Hamlyn Foundation continues to aid our SUPPORT strand of activities.

Our base in the north of England is expanding thanks to funding from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority for a new pilot Accessibility programme, which ran through 2024/5 and continues into 2025/6 with an extension of activities.

Each of our funders has its own strategic direction. We particularly align with Arts Council England’s 10-year strategy, Let’s Create, which aims to provide everyone in England with access to high-quality cultural experiences. Let’s Create outlines three outcomes and four investment principles that we adhere to:

Outcomes:

Investment Principles:

4

As with last year, our objectives and activities for the year focused on delivering our committed programme to meet the needs of disabled artists and the broader arts, creative, and cultural industries. This review highlights our achievements and outcomes over the reporting period.

The trustees have reviewed the success of each key activity and assessed the benefits we provide to our beneficiaries. This review helps ensure that our aims, objectives, and activities remain aligned with our stated purposes.

The trustees have followed the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit when reviewing our aims and planning future activities. They carefully consider how planned activities will contribute to our set objectives.

While our financial statements do not reflect the invaluable time our trustees dedicate to governance and management, we express our sincere appreciation for their contributions.

Achievements and performance for the year ended 31 March 2025

Our main activities, achievements, and outcomes for the year are detailed below. All our charitable activities are aligned with our strategic mission and aims, carried out to further our charitable purposes for public benefit. This report outlines key achievements delivered through our primary activities.

COMMISSION

Commissioning artists is our core function. This year, we made 26 commission awards to 39 disabled artists.

These commissions were awarded as follows:

UK Partner Awards

5

International Awards

British Council Micro Awards (round six)

Strategic awards

Each commissioning award, except for the strategic awards, was openly publicised for eligible applicants, with selections made by disabled-led panels. Details of award decisions were published on our website and amplified via social media, including equalities data where possible within GDPR best practice.

Our strategic awards address gaps in our award-making. Due to a 15% reduction in activity required by our Arts Council England funding agreement, this year we chose not to offer UK-based strategic micro awards, which place a significant demand on team capacity.

6

Instead, we focused on supporting high-profile commissions with the potential to reach larger audiences. This strategic shift also responded to a pattern we observed in our open call process, where many commissions were becoming stalled in research and development phases without progressing to full production.

Our commission with Claire Cunningham for Songs of the Wayfarer extended the reach of disabled-led work into international music and dance contexts, with performances in Hong Kong, Oslo, Scotland, and Germany. Building on Claire’s established platform and international reputation, this work draws diverse audiences and strengthens the presence of UK disabled artists on global stages.

Our award to Ramesh Meyyappan for LEAR supports a visually driven, non-verbal production that engages international audiences across language barriers. Touring across 2025/26, the work responds to a gap in classical theatre led by disabled artists and builds sustainable touring connections in Europe and Asia.

Bullyache’s A Good Man is Hard to Find brings disabled-led performance into a major international visual arts platform at this year’s Venice Biennale. The work bridges music, performance, and installation, responding to a gap in cross-artform representation and expanding the visibility of disabled creatives within contemporary visual culture.

All three commissions bring major partners and large-scale venues to the table, ensuring ambitious, disabled-led work is presented at scale and reaches broad, international audiences across diverse artforms.

We have continued to support our 2023/2024 commissioned artists through their commissioning journeys alongside previous commissioned artists.

The 2024 recipients of the UK Open Awards

7

The 2024 recipients of the International Awards

Delayed or paused work

Night Bloom by Cathy Mager, Spectroscope, and Alice Hu

An ambitious large-scale visual performance celebrating Deaf culture through dance and sign language. Created in collaboration with performers Alice Hu, An Di and Wang Xianhe.

This commission faced major delays after the original venue partner in Shanghai withdrew. The creative team navigated complex regulatory and logistical hurdles to relocate the project to a new location for the Shanghai premiere at SuHe Haus where it premiered successfully on 29 March 2025.

The event attracted thousands of spectators and transformed an iconic art deco site into a platform for international artistic exchange. The project required an extended delivery period from 18 to 25 months and a contingency release of £19,932 to accommodate new costs and staffing needs.

Despite the challenges, the commission has delivered significant cultural impact. It’s currently featured in the Vital Signs exhibition at London’s Science Gallery, a 360-degree version will be presented at Real Ideas’ Immersive Dome in Plymouth, May–June 2025 (the only venue in Europe with a 15-metre 360° dome). A short-form documentary is also forthcoming.

This artwork has raised the visibility of Deaf artists in China and the UK and stands as a powerful example of inclusive, cross-cultural collaboration. We’re confident it will continue to generate recognition and value - a clear reflection of what award funding enables.

Previous commissioned artist impact and achievements:

8

DEVELOP

Our strand to improve routes of direct support and engagement for disabled artists, both awarded and shortlisted. This strand also works to support Partner Awards organisations.

What we achieved:

9

develop new connections, meet with curators and arts professionals, to build new networks.

  1. With Wakefield Council and local businesses, we created three residencies for three alumni artists to work with three local artists to produce six new commissions. These were:

  2. NHS Pinderfields Residency: Mo Barrangi and Suzie Cross

  3. OE Electrics Residency: Sam Metz and Michelle Duxbury

  4. WX Residency: Hayley Williams Hindel and Maddie Morris

Results and impacts included:

CONNECT

The CONNECT strand of our work aims to create meaningful connections between artists and industry. Connecting programmers, producers, and CEOs directly with disabled artists, while advocating for more disabled-led work to be programmed and platformed across the world. This strand involves both Allies and CONNECTs work.

Our current allies are:

Level one (organisations we have worked with for the last 12 months):

10

Level two (organisations we’re working with for two years):

Level three (organisations we’re working with on long term strategic partnerships):

Plus, 236 across our allies’ network who have signed up to receive our monthly newsletter.

What we achieved:

11

  1. CONNECTs France as part of our ‘Spotlight on France’ work with the British Council Arts Team in France and Théâtre National de Bretagne. The event attendance included a UK delegation of 10 disabled artists, support workers and arts workers plus 25 French programmers and producers.

Strategic achievements

French Cultural Olympiad

As part of the 2024 French Cultural Olympiad, Unlimited secured a commission for Building Bridges, a strategic international project developed in collaboration with Théâtre National de Bretagne (TNB) and the British Council France. This initiative aimed to foster stronger connections between UK-based disabled artists and the French cultural sector.

The partnership culminated at TNB’s international festival in Rennes, where Unlimited presented Jonny Cotsen’s Louder Is Not Always Clearer and led a curated delegation of alumni artists: Dr Aby Watson, EM Williams, and Nye Russell-Thompson. The artists participated in CONNECTs France, a day-long exchange involving screenings, artist roundtables, and deep dialogue with French artists and students.

“It was a great opportunity to discuss my practice as StammerMouth. The curiosity and openness from French artists made me hopeful about future collaborations. I’d love to bring CHOO CHOO! to Rennes, with captions en Français.” Nye Russell-Thompson, artist delegate

This moment was the result of over two years of relationship-building with TNB, British Council France, and others. While the delivery involved logistical compromises, it successfully opened new pathways, including programming conversations with Centre national de Création Adaptée (CNCA) and a renewed dialogue with the Avignon Festival about presenting disabled-led work in 2025 and beyond.

Unlimited Festival 2024: LONDON CONNECTs

We continued our partnership with Southbank Centre to deliver a its biennial Unlimited Festival. Alongside the festival, Unlimited launched a new three-day CONNECTs London programme created with the British Council for 80 international delegates. The initiative sought to deepen Unlimited’s international strategy and place disabled artists centre stage in global cultural dialogue.

Hosted at Unicorn Theatre, Southbank Centre, and Battersea Arts Centre, the programme included performances, artist pitches, and discussions focused on allyship, access, and sustainable collaboration. Key artists presented included Tink and Abra, EM Williams, Farrell Cox, Lloyd Coleman, Tom Marshman, and misery.

12

Partners represented included:

“LONDON CONNECTs broadened my horizons and deepened my understanding of what is possible in disability arts today.” International delegate, at Pitch & Mix

“The impact is empowerment. We just need to try and fail. Inclusion on all levels.” Delegate, at Allies and Artists session

Feedback highlighted new connections, practical inspiration, and strong intentions to collaborate, programme, and invest in disabled artists internationally.

Summary of impact

Together, Building Bridges and CONNECTs London advanced Unlimited’s mission to connect, listen, and lead within the international disability arts movement. These strategic programmes built lasting relationships with artists and institutions across Europe, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas, strengthened cultural diplomacy, and showcased UK disabled artists as global leaders in innovative, inclusive practice.

CHANGE

This strand is focused on shifting the wider cultural sector towards greater accessibility, inclusion, and equity. We do this by creating campaigns, publishing practical resources, advocating publicly, and working with partners across the UK and internationally.

Campaigns: Nothing for Nothing

Our flagship campaign, Nothing for Nothing , continued to gain traction in 2024/25. We piloted an Anti-Exploitation Academy through two online events, reaching 90 participants. A freely accessible online training course is now being developed to launch in 2025/26.

Digital engagement remained strong, with over 237,000 interactions from 166,400 people across social media. The campaign hub received 5,994 views from 4,422 users , and our artist and freelancer toolkit was downloaded 421 times . Our companion guide for organisations had 220 views .

13

Artist, Hana Pascal Keegan’s blog post reflecting on year one of the campaign reached 11,441 people on Instagram, with an impressive 5.9% engagement rate . As a result, 46 organisations have now pledged to review their practices around unpaid labour, marking a step change in sector accountability.

Resources

We published four new resources this year, which quickly gained uptake accounting for 28% of our total resource traffic . Across all toolkits and guidance materials, we recorded 38,400 views (a 17% increase from last year) and a download conversion rate of 30.2% .

New resources included:

  1. Accessible Marketing Guide (3,142 views, 920 downloads)

  2. How to Get Started with Working Internationally (449 views)

  3. The Big Picture: Behind the Social Model (1,025 views, 439 downloads and featured at Ink and Imagination Festival in Bolton)

  4. Supporting People with Autoimmune Conditions (1,054 views)

These practical tools are helping individuals and organisations to embed more accessible and inclusive practices.

Cards for Inclusion

Our card game expanded globally this year with a Portuguese language development of Cards for inclusion launched in partnership with Acesso Cultura in Portugal with designs by disabled artist Daniel Moraes who is both Portuguese and Brazilian.

150 physical packs were made and distributed, with a further 100 printed after these ran out within 3 months. Online downloads were - - - enabled from their website: https://accessculture portugal.org/cards for inclusion/

In Latin America, the Spanish edition continued to thrive:

“Cards for Inclusion, Latin America edition has been a big success in Mexico! TV networks are using them in staff training, and one of our top universities has adopted them as part of student learning. As an artist, it affirmed the value of my work.” Latin American illustrator

The V&A in London selected Cards for Inclusion to feature in its 2025–26 Design and Disability exhibition, as part of the Ways of Being/Ways of Building section.

“The advisory group was particularly keen on its inclusion. As a disabled curator myself, I’ve benefitted from it and believe it showcases the power of accessible design.”

Exhibition Curator, V&A

14

West Yorkshire Combined Authority Accessibility programme

This new pilot programme aimed to embed inclusion across creative infrastructure in the region.

Across the three-strand programme, we directly supported 478 individuals through the following:

“What Unlimited is doing is transformative - building community and activating equalising opportunities. Their sessions are a beacon of best practice.”

Arts Fundraiser, training attendee

“I now feel brave enough to disclose my access needs and to work in a way that avoids burnout.” Company Director and case study contributor

Immersive Arts

As part of the consortium working with University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), Pervasive Media Studio, Watershed, University of Bristol, Innovate UK Immersive Tech Network, Nerve Centre, Cryptic, Wales Millennium Centre, Crossover Labs and the XR Diversity Initiative (XRDI).

Unlimited led on embedding access from the outset. We advocated for a minimum 23% of supported artists to be disabled aligned with national workforce data and exceeded this.

Outcomes from the first funding round included:

The application process, modelled and designed with Unlimited’s track record and values, was praised for its clarity and inclusivity:

15

“This was the best grant form I’ve ever filled in - accessible, flexible, and a joy.” Applicant

“[The application form] sets a new gold standard. I was grinning filling it in, which is an absurd thing to say about a grant form.“ Applicant

This is proof that inclusive design benefits everyone not just disabled applicants and strengthens the overall innovation ecosystem.

Research: Thriving, not just surviving

We conducted an Arts Council England-funded research project to understand what disabled-led organisations in the North of England need to thrive.

This report set out key recommendations responding to the findings, both as direct suggestions to Arts Council England, and as broader suggestions for a more equitable and inclusive sector.

Pop up Rest space

Thanks to support from Arts Council England’s Capital Fund, we developed a portable rest kit designed to improve accessibility at events.

It’s been piloted in Wakefield, London, Glasgow, Bristol, and Sheffield at various events including an Immersive Arts showcases and Wakefield Council activities.

“There are beanbags, fidgets, fairy lights - I’m on a break in a quiet space and it’s just great. Unlimited, you’ve floored me once again. 10/10 babes!”

16

Public speaking and writing

Team members spoke and wrote at various events and publications, including:

Communications team presented Breaking Barriers, A Guide to Embedding Accessible Marketing Number in session: 100 – 150

Communications team presented Breaking Barriers, A Guide to Embedding Accessible Marketing Number in session: 20

Jo Verrent on a panel at Production Park

Number in session: 60

Jo Verrent was a guest for a live record for the Norwegian non-profit working with the culture sector on how to take action on the climate, nature and justice crisis.

Number in session: 30

Jo Verrent spoke at a Bradford 2025 and Spirit of 2012 roundtable event alongside ParalympicsGB, Centre for Disability Sport and Arts Council England chaired by Andrew Miller as part of Bradford 2025 Number in session: 120

Unlimited authored one of a series of resources commissioned by DAO and ACE on the investment principles: https://beta.disabilityarts.online/resources/research-and-learning/learning-topics/understanding-the-investmentprinciples/what-ambition-and-quality-means-to-unlimited/

Jo Verrent featured in Korean Magazine Gaekeuk in a piece focusing on a range of CEO's from arts orgs around the world

17

SUPPORT

Funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, this strand focused on nurturing and sustaining disabled artists throughout the year.

One artist reflected: “As ever, Unlimited continue to offer exemplar understanding and support of what artists need.”

OUR AUDIENCES

We have three main primary audiences we work with:

  1. Disabled artists

  2. Culture sector organisations and the people working in/with them

  3. Wider society for our commissions, campaigns and work

What we know about each audience segment varies dependent on the nature of being an artist commissioner and funder.

18

1. DISABLED ARTISTS

Our main commission round this year was the UK and International Partner awards that received 288 artist applications (a 20% increase on our last round 23/24).

Artist applications broke down by artform as follows with 2023/24 round comparison. Combined arts 33% (+1%), theatre 19% and visual arts 19% (-3%), dance 10% (+4%), ‘other’ 8%, music 6% (+1%), film 2% (+1%) and literature 2% (-4%).

Demographics of applicants for awards

Geographic spread

Age

Disability

We changed to expand some of the options for this question compared to last year.

19

Ethnicity

Compared with 2023, we’ve noticed an increase in applicants defining as having a mixed background (+40%) and a Black/African/Caribbean background (+100%). There has been a decrease in applicants defining as having an Asian background (-14%).

Gender

Sexuality

We changed many of our options for this year’s sexuality data but we can still make a few comparators with our 2023/24 round.

20

Intersectional barriers

We asked some additional questions to look at other intersectional factors not covered in traditional equality of opportunity surveys.

2. CULTURE SECTOR

We define the cultural sector as being made of organisations and professionals across the UK. This includes arts councils, arts funders, arts organisations, arts festivals, arts venues, local authorities, museums, galleries and libraries, outdoor arts agencies, universities with an arts and cultural focus.

We held two stakeholder meetings bringing together representatives from our key funders, disability-led arts organisations across the UK, our tier three allies, and the chairs of our independent selection panels. These sessions provide valuable external perspectives on important questions and help us build strong relationships.

21

3.WIDER SOCIETY

Our communications channels continue to reflect the increasing reach and impact of our work. As a disabled-led organisation engaging artists, cultural sector professionals, and the wider public, the growth across our public engagements and digital platforms highlights the expanding interest in and support for our mission.

What we’ve achieved:

22

Future Plans

We aim to continue our mission, enhancing support for disabled artists and fostering inclusivity in the arts. This includes expanding our resources, strategic partnerships, and commissioning opportunities to ensure sustained impact and growth in the sector.

Unlimited aims to eventually become unnecessary by making significant changes in the cultural sector and society, so disabled people face no barriers or discrimination.

We acknowledge that achieving this goal will take time, likely a minimum of 10 years, influenced by external factors like austerity measures, the global Covid pandemic and current changes to the UK benefits and support systems. Our approach involves a threestage cycle, timescale is subject to change dependant on the global and national context:

1. Stabilise and Solidify (2023-2028):

2. Assess, Prioritise, and Adapt (2028-2032):

3. Contract and Close (2032-2035):

We are currently in the Stabilise and Solidify stage. Having transitioned to independence, we are still refining our systems to make them flexible, adaptable, accessible, inclusive, and intersectional. This is essential in the rapidly changing context of global events like the pandemic, Brexit, austerity, global wars and other crises.

Goals for the next two years

By doing the above, we aim to solidify our operations and ensure we can effectively support and lead within the cultural sector.

23

Volunteers

We don’t use volunteers. We believe that, where possible, work should be paid or, as a minimum, some benefit should be exchanged. This is at the heart of our Nothing For Nothing campaign to challenge the exploitation rife within the cultural sector and which particularly manifests with disabled people. However, as required by the Charity Commission, our Board are volunteers and only claim expenses for board-related activity.

Principle risks and uncertainties

We have an active risk register, which is monitored across nine areas and details risks and mitigations. The Board sees the register quarterly and the top risks and mitigations are discussed. In the latest iteration (May 2025), we have eight low risks, 19 medium risks, three high risk and zero extreme risks post mitigation. The high risks are strategic (in relation to Impact monitoring), operational (in relation to team care and capacity), and reputational (in relation to artists and partners associations). These are scoring as high whilst we increase mitigations (as discussed in a board meeting in June 2025).

The trustees take an anticipatory approach to risk management, especially in relation to finance, scanning ahead for factors likely to impact on the financial position and performance of the organisation going forward; for example, aiming for multi-year funding agreements from funders where possible. Steps have been taken to limit financial vulnerability where possible.

In addition, our core funder, Arts Council England, awards each NPO a risk rating quarterly. This is a numerical score between two (lowest) and 11 (highest). Our rating through the year has remained at three, rising in the last quarter of 2024/5 to four. It returned to three in the first quarter of 2025/6.

24

Financial review

In the year ended 31 March 2025, we had incoming resources of £2,390,928 (2024: £1,989,388), of which £1,196,090 (2024: £918,500) were restricted funds, and expenditure of £2,295,365 (2024: £1,914,116), of which £1,260,120 (2024: £907,329) related to restricted funds. The total reserves at the period end were £840,709 (2024: £745,146), of which £536,622 (2024: £646,634) were restricted funds. As such, free reserves, after allowing for restricted funds and fixed assets, are £260,714 (2024: £90,523).

Our principal funding for the year ending 31 March 2025 was a £1,000,000 grant from Arts Council England for one year of NPO funding (2024: £1,000,000 NPO funding).

In 2025, we gained significant funding of £473,000 from British Council (2024: £550,000) which meant we were able to thread international work through all our strands. Our Support strand continued to be possible thanks to funding from Paul Hamlyn Foundation over four years (2025: £77,000, 2024: £77,000, 2023: £70,000).

Looking ahead to 2025/26, we’ve consolidated our position within the sector. This is recognised by the Arts Council England National Portfolio support, confirmed for four years, at £1 million per annum, rising by 1.6% in years three and four.

Reserves policy

The trustees acknowledge that free reserves are essential to bridge timing gaps between income and expenditure and to provide a financial buffer for unplanned or emergency costs — both for the organisation and its commissioned activity. The trustees consider that an ideal level of free reserves is equivalent to a minimum of three months’ running costs. Initially estimated at £50,000, this minimum threshold was revised in July 2024 to a range of £100,000–£120,000 to reflect Unlimited’s increased scale and operational activity. The charity’s reserves policy will be reviewed annually to ensure it remains appropriate and proportionate to the scale and scope of the charity’s work.

As a three-year-old organisation, starting from a zero-reserve position, building reserves has been a key financial priority. At the end of the reporting period, Unlimited held free reserves of £260,714 (2024: £90,523). This increase exceeds the minimum target; however, £126,000 of this figure relates to unrestricted income received in the year that will be spent on charitable activities deferred into the new financial year. While forming part of our free reserves, these funds are not intended to contribute to long-term reserve building, nor have they been formally designated by the trustees for specific future use. Financial details on these funds, including specifics of what is held where, what is restricted, and what is held for what purpose, can be found in the financial information in this report.

25

The balance sheet remains strong due to the number of funders investing in our activities, with a high proportion of these providing funds early. Given our detailed budgeting and regular forecasting processes, the trustees consider Unlimited to be a sound going concern.

The trustees are fully aware that maintaining a sufficient level of free reserves within the current economic and political climate may prove challenging in the years to come. The trustees have plans in hand to address this situation, continuing to support low-risk investment of funds received in advance and using earned income to slowly accumulate further reserves.

Structure, governance and management

Governing Document

We are a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, registered as a charity on 19 November 2021. We were established as a CIO under a constitution which set our objects and powers as a charity. Our registered name is We Are Unlimited Arts. The constitution has not been reviewed during the period as it’s less than three years old. The trustees were appointed after the Charity Governance Code was updated in December 2020, hence, we have been set up to be compliant with the code from becoming a charity.

All trustees give their time voluntarily. Where any receive benefit from us, this is duly and correctly recorded (several of our trustees are disabled artists). We have a detailed Conflict of Interest policy outlining our procedures in this regard. Any expenses reclaimed from us are set out in the accounts.

Appointment of trustees

Members are trustees for the purpose of charity law. Under the requirements of the constitution, apart from the first charity trustees, every trustee must be appointed for a term of three years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of our trustees. The first trustees have a range of terms from one year to three years to avoid all becoming due for consideration at the same time. Any person retiring as a charity trustee is eligible for reappointment and may serve for three consecutive terms. Due to the nature of our vision, we aim to ensure that the Board of Trustees is as diverse as possible in terms of disability, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity and more.

Following a recruitment process in autumn 2023 to add new skills and fresh blood to the board, five new board members were appointed including our first learning-disabled trustee. The new members include people based in Scotland, Wales, people who are older than most of our board members and one who is younger. The new group include individuals who define as being from the Global Majority and within the LGBTQIA+ community. They fill all the gaps we were recruiting for with the exception of connections to highnet-worth individuals.

26

Board meetings and devolved authority

In this period, the Board met quarterly, alternating a formal meeting with a series of mini meetings (one of which is a reporting meeting) which supports access and allows for deeper conversation in smaller groups.

The Finance subcommittee continued to meet quarterly through this period. The People and Culture subcommittee and the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion subcommittee aim to meet at least twice every financial year. All have appropriate delegated authorities and minutes of their meetings are provided to the Board. A written report is also made to the Board on any specific delegated tasks or work undertaken. Terms of reference are available and reviewed at regular intervals.

Day to day management of operations is delegated to the Senior Management Team (SMT). In 2024/25 this comprised: Director Jo Verrent, Senior Producer Cat Sheridan, Finance Manager Melody Daniels, and Communications Manager Ranjit Kaur Atwal.

Trustee induction and training

All new trustees are given an induction which includes background information about Unlimited, access to the Board Sharepoint site, a trustees' handbook, the Constitution, information regarding the role of being a charity Trustee, and all relevant meeting materials. Their access needs are noted. All Board members are asked to complete an access rider, and their access needs are noted. New trustees will attend briefing sessions with at least one of the Co-Chairs and the Director and be offered other induction support.

Board members are kept up to date with key business and compliance issues, the operating environment and any relevant key changes in charity regulations. They are also offered training opportunities as they arise.

Remuneration policy for key management personnel

Remuneration for key management personnel is based on attracting suitably qualified people for the roles whilst taking account of available funding. A full salary review was undertaken in 2022/23 with all roles benchmarked against the sector and options provided for lag, match or lead. The Board opted to take a position between match and lead. A detailed Pay and Reward scheme was developed in partnership with Narrow Quay HR and adopted. This scheme was reviewed in 2023/24 and 2024/25, on both occasions showing broad agreement and understanding amongst the staff. Small uplifts to base salaries in our Officer and Administrator bands were implemented in April 2025 to more clearly distinguish responsibilities in these roles. Following two subsequent years of awarding a cost-of-living increase across the board at the start of the financial year (April 2023-24: 3%, April 2024-25: 7%), no award was made in April 2025, though the trustees are keen to facilitate a mid-year award, if possible. All staff are automatically enrolled into a pension scheme, unless they choose to opt out or remain under the previous scheme. We don’t operate a bonus scheme.

27

Statement of responsibilities of the trustees

The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees’ annual report including the strategic report and the financial statements. These must be in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). The laws applicable to Charities in England and Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. These must give a true and fair view of the state of our affairs and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including our income and expenditure for that period.

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

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose, with reasonable accuracy at any time, our financial position. These should also enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the applicable laws and regulations. They’re also responsible for safeguarding our assets and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

In so far as the trustees are aware:

The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on our website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

28

The trustees are members of Unlimited but this entitles them only to voting rights. The trustees have no beneficial interest in us. Members of the Board of Trustees who served during the year and up to the date of this report are set out on the Reference and Administrative page.

For the year ended 31 March 2025, Auditors HPH were recruited as our auditor during the year.

The trustees’ annual report has been approved by the Trustees on 30 July 2025 and signed on their behalf by Co-Chairs, Anna Starkey and Adel Al-Salloum.

If you would like this information in an alternative format, please contact us.

29

Reference and administrative details

Registered name of the Charity

We Are Unlimited Arts

Trustees

Other working names the Charity uses

Unlimited

The Charity’s registration number

1196665

Company number

CE027249

Principle office

WX Wakefield Exchange Union Street WAKEFIELD WF1 3AE

Bankers

The Co-operative Bank PO Box 250 SKELMERSDALE WN5 6WT

Senior management

Auditors

Sarah Wearing, FCA, DChA HPH, Chartered Accountants 54 Bootham YORK YO30 7XZ

30

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEE’S OF WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of We Are Unlimited Arts for the period ended 31 March 2025 which comprise Statement of Financial Activities, Balance Sheet, Statement of Cash Flows, and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

31

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 require us to report to you if, in our opinion: the information given in the financial statements is inconsistent in any material respect with the trustees’ report; or

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement set out on page 21, the trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

32

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

We have been appointed as auditor under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and report in accordance with the Act and relevant regulations made or having effect thereunder.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:

33

In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations and risk of fraud, we designed procedures which included but were not limited to: sample testing on the posting of journals, detailed substantive testing on the completeness of income, and review of trustee’s minutes.

Owing to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is an unavoidable risk that we may not have detected some material misstatements in the financial statements, even though we have properly planned and performed our audit in accordance with auditing standards. We are not responsible for preventing non-compliance and cannot be expected to detect non-compliance with all laws and regulations. These inherent limitations are particularly significant in the case of misstatement resulting from fraud as this may involve sophisticated schemes designed to avoid detection, including deliberate failure to record transactions, collusion, or the provision of intentional misrepresentations. We are not responsible for preventing fraud and cannot be expected to detect all fraud.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

Use of our report

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. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity’s trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity’s trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

HPH, Chartered Accountants

Statutory Auditor 54 Bootham

YORK YO30 7XZ

30 July 2025

34

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Note
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM:
Donations, legacies and grants
3
Charitable activities
4
Investment income
TOTAL INCOME
EXPENDITURE ON:
Charitable activities
5
TOTAL EXPENDITURE
NET INCOME
Transfer between funds
NET MOVEMENT BETWEEN FUNDS
Total funds brought forward
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
1,078,594
81,465
34,779
1,194,838
1,035,245
1,035,245
159,593
58,536
218,129
98,512
£ 316,641		 Restricted
Funds
£
1,196,090
-
-
1,196,090
1,260,120
1,260,120
(64,030)
(58,536)
(122,566)
646,634
£ 524,068		 Total Funds
Year ended
31 March 2025
£
2,274,684
81,465
34,779
2,390,928
2,295,365
2,295,365
95,563
-
95,563
745,146
£ 840,709		 Total Funds
Year ended
31 March 2024
£
1,940,860
23,299
25,229
1,989,388
1,914,116
1,914,116
75,272
-
75,272
669,874
£ 745,146

CONTINUING OPERATIONS

Income and net movement in funds derive wholly from continuing operations.

The notes on pages 38 to 54 form part of these financial statements.

35

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2025

Note
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible fixed assets
12
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors
10
Cash at bank and in hand
CREDITORS
Amounts falling due within one year
11
NET CURRENT ASSETS
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT
LIABILITIES
NET ASSETS
REPRESENTED BY
Unrestricted undesignated funds
14
Unrestricted designated funds
14
Restricted funds
15		 Unrestricted
Fund
£
55,927
55,927
21,660
449,428
471,088
210,374
260,714
316,641
£ 316,641
260,714
55,927
-
£ 316,641		 Restricted
Fund
£
-
-
240,289
1,053,272
1,293,561
769,493
524,068
524,068
£ 524,068
-
-
524,068
£ 524,068		 Total
2025
£
55,927
55,927
261,949
1,502,700
1,764,649
979,867
784,782
840,709
£ 840,709
260,714
55,927
524,068
£ 840,709		 Total
2024
£
7,989
7,989
51,558
1,670,782
1,722,340
985,183
737,157
745,146
£ 745,146
90,523
7,989
646,634
£ 745,146

The notes on pages 38 to 54 form part of these financial statements.

Approved by the Board of Trustees on 30 July 2025 and signed on their behalf …................................. Anna Starkey (Chair)

36

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Note
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Cash generated from operations
18
Net cash provided by operating activities
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITES
Purchase of tangible fixed assts
Interest received
Net cash provided by/(used) in investing activities
CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
IN THE REPORTING PERIOD
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of
the reporting period
OF THE REPORTING PERIOD
19
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT THE END		 2025
£
(144,106)
(144,106)
(58,755)
34,779
(23,976)
(168,082)
1,670,782
£ 1,502,700		 2024
£
460,216
460,216
(3,917)
25,229
21,312
481,528
1,189,254
£ 1,670,782

The notes on pages 38 to 54 form part of these financial statements.

37

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

1 General information

The Charity is a CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation) and consequently has no share capital. In the event of the Charity being wound up, the members of the CIO have no liability to contribute to its assets and no personal responsibility for settling its debts and liabilities. The Charity is registered in England and Wales (charity no. 1196665).

The address of the registered office is:

WX Wakefield Exchange, Union Street, Wakefield, WF1 3AE

2 Accounting policies

a) Basis of Accounting

The Accounts have been prepared in accordance with 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 or Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019) - (Charites SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102).

We Are Unlimited Arts CIO 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 note(s). The accounts are prepared in UK Sterling and rounded to the nearest £.

b) Going Concern

The Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the Charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for 12 months from signing the accounts. Therefore they believe that the going concern basis of accounting is appropriate in preparing the annual financial statements.

c) Income

Donations and legacies are accounted for when they are receivable by the Charity. Other income is accounted for on an accruals basis as far as is prudent to do so.

Donations in kind are included at their market value.

d) Grant income

Revenue grants are credited to the income and expenditure account at the time when they are entitled to the receipt. Any unspent restricted grants at the period end are carried forward as restricted funds in the balance sheet.

e) Expenditure

Grants payable are accounted for in the year in which the grant was committed to. All other expenses are accounted for on an accruals basis. Direct costs are allocated to the key strategic areas of activity, based on the 5 programme workstreams, COMMISSION, CONNECT, DEVELOP, SUPPORT and CHANGE.

38

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

2 Accounting policies (continued)

f) Taxation

As a registered charity it benefits from rate relief and is generally exempt from Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax, but not from VAT. The Charity is not registered for VAT and therefore the irrecoverable VAT is included in the cost of those items to which it relates.

g) Pension costs and other post-retirement benefits

The Charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the Charity's pension scheme are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate.

h) Tangible fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets are included in the financial statements at their historical cost.

Depreciation is calculated to write off the cost of fixed assets over their expected useful lives on a straight line basis. The rates used are as follows:

Computer equipment - 33.33% straight line Furniture & fittings - 25% straight line

i) Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid after taking account of any trade discounts due.

j) Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and any short term deposit accounts with a maturity of three months or less from the date of opening.

k) Creditors and provisions

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the Charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

l) Funds

The Unrestricted Funds are funds which the Trustees are free to use in accordance with the charitable objects.

Designated Funds are funds set aside by the Trustees for specific purposes.

Restricted Funds are funds which have been received by the Charity for a specific purposes other than the general objectives of the Charity. The restricted funds are analysed in note 15.

39

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

3
**4 **		 Income from donations, legacies and grants
Unrestricted
Restricted
Total Funds year
Funds
Funds
to 31 March 2025
£
£
£
Government grants
1,020,248
851,915
1,872,163
Other grants
-
344,175
344,175
Donations
-
-
-
Donations in kind
58,346
-
58,346
£ 1,078,594
£ 1,196,090
£ 2,274,684
Nature and amount of Government Grants
Arts Council England - NPO
Support the Charity in delivering its fundamental operations
1,000,000
Arts Council England - Capital
Capital project; new hub office, touring kits, accessible
49,515
remote/hybrid working and action learning trial for Signify (AI BSL)
Arts Council England - North
Seek to understand the key obstacles, realities and needs
8,100
faced by DND-led (Disability, Neurodivergence and Deaf)
organisations in the North of England
Arts Council England - Sport
Research and support for Arts Council England into the
6,300
viability of a parasport and disability arts innovation event
Arts Council Wales
Enable partner award commission activity in Wales.
70,000
British Council
Enable international work across all Workstreams.
473,000
Creative Scotland
Enable partner award commission activity in Scotland.
105,000
Wakefield Council
Provide residencies in the Wakefield District for disabled artists
140,000
West Yorkshire Combined Authority
Micro capital grants to increase accessibility in arts venues
-
around West Yorkshire
Other
Other Government Grants
20,248
1,872,163
Income from charitable activities
Unrestricted
Restricted
Total Funds year
Funds
Funds
to 31 March 2025
£
£
£
Income from contracts
81,465
-
81,465
Income from events
-
-
-
£ 81,465
£ -
£ 81,465		 Total Funds year
to 31 March 2024
£
1,767,476
161,000
300
12,084
£ 1,940,860
1,000,000
-
-
-
80,000
550,000
67,500
-
60,000
9,976
1,767,476
Total Funds year
to 31 March 2024
£
18,941
4,358
£ 23,299

40

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

**5 ** Expenditure on charitable activities
Grants to individuals
Grants to institutions (note 6)
Accessibility
Artist costs and fees
Commissions
Project development and management
Promotion and events
Other delivery costs
Support costs (note 7)		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
69,765
21,657
22,498
17,235
189,999
7,366
-
364,716
342,009
£ 1,035,245		 Restricted
Funds
£
102,212
71,612
28,296
34,468
560,188
9,840
-
256,822
196,682
£ 1,260,120		 Total Funds year
to 31 March 2025
£
171,977
93,269
50,794
51,703
750,187
17,206
-
621,538
538,691
£ 2,295,365		 Total Funds year
to 31 March 2024
£
57,318
48,400
43,319
33,605
957,033
4,116
4,265
317,338
448,722
£ 1,914,116

Analysis by activity is included in note 9

41

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

**6 ** Grants to institutions
17 Consultoria
Acesso Cultura
Arvon Foundation
Atelier Nwando Limited
Babeworld
Battersea Art Centre
BlocProjects
Brighton Digital Festival
Buddug y Byd
Castle in the Sky
China Plate Theatre Ltd
Community Murals
Flamingo CIC
Forma Arts and Media
James Leadbitter as The Vacuum Cleaner
Marsden Community Centre
Music & Arts Production
Panel Gallery
Pavillion
SICK! Festival
The Clay Mill
The Creative Art House
The English Theatre
Theatre National de Bretagne
Transform Festival
Videoclub
Zecora Ura Theatre		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
-
-
-
1,000
-
10,000
2,000
-
-
-
-
-
1,000
-
1,000
-
-
-
57
-
-
-
-
-
-
6,600
-
£ 21,657		 Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
7,700
-
612
-
-
-
-
7,560
-
-
-
-
-
2,516
10,000
-
2,018
-
11,300
8,906
1,000
10,000
10,000
-
-
£ 71,612		 Total Funds year
to 31 March 2025
£
-
-
7,700
1,000
612
10,000
2,000
-
-
7,560
-
-
1,000
-
1,000
2,516
10,000
-
2,075
-
11,300
8,906
1,000
10,000
10,000
6,600
-
£ 93,269		 Total Funds year
to 31 March 2024
£
2,370
7,500
-
5,700
-
4,000
2,000
1,000
230
-
1,500
330
-
1,000
-
-
-
2,000
-
3,500
-
12,270
-
-
-
-
5,000
£ 48,400

42

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

**7 ** Support costs
Staff costs
Training and development
Travel and subsistance
Freelancer fees
Human resources costs
Marketing and research
Rent and rates
Telephone and internet
Insurance
Computer costs
Printing, postage and stationery
Subscriptions
Bank charges
Independent auditors fee - audit fee
Independent auditors fee - other fees
Legal fees
Fundraising costs
Sundry costs
Depreciation
(Profit)/loss on disposal of fixed asset
Governance costs		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
184,422
20,170
5,148
24,141
24,237
31,940
11,330
84
4,218
9,850
654
536
665
240
-
-
1,125
1,264
10,588
229
11,168
£ 342,009		 Restricted
Funds
£
174,774
12,117
-
-
-
(396)
7,037
3,150
-
-
-
-
£ 196,682		 Total Funds year
to 31 March 2025
£
359,196
32,287
5,148
24,141
24,237
31,940
11,330
84
4,218
9,454
654
536
665
7,277
3,150
-
1,125
1,264
10,588
229
11,168
£ 538,691		 Total Funds year
to 31 March 2024
£
300,353
23,359
3,768
25,221
5,469
35,141
7,318
84
4,218
13,017
769
191
1,341
7,177
2,525
4,862
-
1,489
4,014
-
8,406
£ 448,722

43

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

8 Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities by workstream

Expenditure on charitable activities
Grants to individuals
Grants to institutions (note 6)
Accessibility
Artist costs and fees
Commissions
Project development and management
Other delivery costs
Support costs
Expenditure on charitable activities
Grants to individuals
Grants to institutions (note 6)
Accessibility
Artist costs and fees
Commissions
Project development and management
Promotion and events
Other delivery costs
Support costs		 CHANGE
COMMISSION
CONNECT
DEVELOP
SUPPORT
£
£
£
£
£
-
8,680
18,735
103,954
40,608
60,057
3,000
23,000
6,600
612
4,359
16,435
14,360
9,373
6,267
15,029
7
20,247
5,370
11,050
-
664,000
65,415
21,000
(228)
14,191
-
15
-
3,000
184,157
184,232
137,211
57,570
58,368
150,834
113,125
113,125
96,964
64,643
£ 428,627
£ 989,479
£ 392,108
£ 300,831
£ 184,320
CHANGE
COMMISSION
CONNECT
DEVELOP
SUPPORT
£
£
£
£
£**
2,000
3,257
9,220
27,160
8,431
19,770
5,000
8,930
21,200
750
4,554
15,727
10,078
8,996
3,964
6,075
3,992
5,848
9,815
7,875
27,290
772,398
157,345
-
-
43
-
73
-
4,000
3,464
781
20
-
-
67,358
69,731
79,225
53,228
47,796
26,922
116,668
71,796
116,668
116,668
£ 157,476
£ 987,554
£ 342,535
£ 237,067
£ 189,484		 Total Funds year
to 31 March 2025
£
171,977
93,269
50,794
51,703
750,187
17,206
621,538
538,691
£ 2,295,365
Total Funds year
to 31 March 2024
£
50,068
55,650
43,319
33,605
957,033
4,116
4,265
317,338
448,722
£ 1,914,116

*SUPPORT - This income and expenditure relates to the direct support of artists and not overhead costs (support costs) as detailed in note 8.

44

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Staff costs
Gross salaries
Social security costs
Employers pension contributions
The average head count of staff employed during the year was 19 (2024: 16).
Staff bandings:
2025
2024
£60k - £70k
-
-
£70k - £80k
1
-
£80k - £90k
-
1
Over £90k
-
-		 Total Funds year
to 31 March 2025
£
577,486
50,068
12,414
£ 639,968		 Total Funds year
to 31 March 2024
£
471,571
40,304
10,506
£ 522,381

9 Staff costs

The key management personnel of the Charitable Company comprise the Trustees and the Senior Leadership Team. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel (including employer NIC and pension costs), with only senior leadership team members being paid, were £250,492 (2024: £229,882).

10
**11 **		 Debtors
Trade debtors
Prepayments
Accrued income
Other debtors
Creditors
Trade creditors
Accruals and deferred income
Grants payable
Other creditors		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
-
13,016
-
8,644
£ 21,660
Unrestricted
Funds
£
18,822
1,958
187,362
2,232
£ 210,374		 Restricted
Funds
£
137,240
39,786
63,263
-
£ 240,289
Restricted
Funds
£
6,130
15,682
747,681
-
£ 769,493		 Total
2025
£
137,240
52,802
63,263
8,644
£ 261,949
Total
2025
£
24,952
17,640
935,043
2,232
£ 979,867		 Total
2024
£
2,983
36,729
6,021
5,825
£ 51,558
Total
2024
£
18,776
47,310
916,873
2,224
£ 985,183

45

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

**12 ** Tangible fixed assets
Cost:
At 1 April 2024
Additions
Disposals
At 31 March 2025
Depreciation:
At 1 April 2024
Charge for the year
Eliminated on disposals
At 31 March 2025
Net book values:
At 31 March 2025
At 31 March 2024		 Computer
equipment
£
13,617
25,197
(1,989)
36,825
7,120
7,854
(1,760)
13,214
£ 23,611
£ 6,497		 Furniture &
fittings
£
1,492
33,558
-
35,050
-
2,734
-
2,734
£ 32,316
£ 1,492		 Total
£
15,109
58,755
(1,989)
71,875
7,120
10,588
(1,760)
15,948
£ 55,927
£ 7,989

46

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

**13 ** Analysis of funds
Unrestricted funds
General funds
Designated funds
Restricted funds
Total funds as at 31 March 2025
Unrestricted funds
General funds
Designated funds
Restricted funds
Total funds as at 31 March 2024		 Tangible fixed
assets
£
-
55,927
55,927
-
£ 55,927
Tangible fixed
assets
£
-
7,989
7,989
-
£ 7,989		 Current
assets
£
471,088
-
471,088
1,293,561
£ 1,764,649
Current
assets
£
510,803
-
510,803
1,211,537
£ 1,722,340		 Current
liabilities
£
(210,374)
-
(210,374)
(769,493)
£ (979,867)
Current
liabilities
£
(420,280)
-
(420,280)
(564,903)
£ (985,183)		 Total
£
260,714
55,927
316,641
524,068
£ 840,709
Total
£
90,523
7,989
98,512
646,634
£ 745,146

47

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

**14 ** Unrestricted funds
Unrestricted funds
General funds
Designated funds
As at 31 March 2025
Unrestricted funds
General funds
Designated funds
As at 31 March 2024		 Balance as at
01/04/2024
£
90,523
7,989
£98,512
Balance as at
01/04/2023
£
26,325
8,086
£34,411		 Incoming
Resources
£
1,194,838
-
£ 1,194,838
Incoming
Resources
£
1,070,888
-
£ 1,070,888		 Resourced
Expenditure
£
(1,026,417)
(8,828)
£ (1,035,245)
Resourced
Expenditure
£
(1,002,773)
(4,014)
£ (1,006,787)		 Transfers
Between
Funds
£
1,770
56,766
£ 58,536
Transfers
Between
Funds
£
(3,917)
3,917
7
£ -		 Balance as at
31/03/2025
£
260,714
55,927
£ 316,641
Balance as at
31/03/2024
£
90,523
7,989
£ 98,512

Funds have been designated for assets held for the use in the Charity. Transfers into designated funds relate to monies spent on fixed assets in the year from restricted and unrestricted monies.

48

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

**15 ** Restricted funds
Arts Council England - Capital
Arts Council England - North
Arts Council England - Sport
Arts Council Wales
British Council - International
British Council - Main Grant
British Council - Operational Alliance
Creative Scotland
Fidelity Foundation
Paul Hamlyn Foundation
UWE Bristol
Wakefield Council
West Yorkshire Combined Authority
Partner Awards:
Bradford UK City of Culture 2025
Imaginate
Liverpool Biennial
Norfold and Norwich Festival
Oxford University Cultural Programme
Sadler's Wells
Southbank Centre
SPAN Arts
Summerhall Arts
Ty Pawb
Wellcome Collection
Total funds as at 31 March 2025		 Balance as at
01/04/2024
£
-
-
-
-
300,000
116,368
50,000
7,500
67,446
33,551
-
-
60,000
-
-
9,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2,769
£ 646,634		 Incoming
Resources
£
49,515
8,100
6,300
70,000
473,000
-
-
105,000
75,000
77,000
24,675
140,000
-
25,000
-
10,000
7,500
20,000
37,500
25,000
7,500
7,500
7,500
20,000
£ 1,196,090		 Resourced
Expenditure
£
(9,000)
-
(60,000)
(421,516)
(116,368)
(50,000)
(111,633)
(55,628)
(79,178)
(15,455)
(102,073)
(60,000)
(25,000)
(9,000)
(10,000)
(7,500)
(20,000)
(37,500)
(25,000)
(7,500)
(7,500)
(7,500)
(22,769)
£ (1,260,120)		 Transfers
£
(58,536)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
£ (58,536)		 Balance as at
31/03/2025
£
(9,021)
(900)
6,300
10,000
351,484
-
-
867
86,818
31,373
9,220
37,927
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
£ 524,068

49

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

**15 ** Restricted funds
Arts Council Wales 2023
Arts Council Wales 2024
British Council - International
British Council - Main Grant
British Council - Operational Alliance
Creative Scotland 2023
Creative Scotland 2024
Fidelity Foundation
Paul Hamlyn Foundation
Shape - British Council - Micros
Shape - Setup and Strategic
West Yorkshire Combined Authority
Partner Awards:
Imaginate
Wellcome Collection
Total funds as at 31 March 2024		 Balance as at
01/04/2023
£
7,500
-
-
532,675
-
29,294
-
-
27,047
27,653
8,525
-
-
2,769
£ 635,463		 Incoming
Resources
£
-
80,000
300,000
-
250,000
-
67,500
75,000
77,000
-
-
60,000
9,000
-
£ 918,500		 Resourced
Expenditure
£
(7,500)
(80,000)
-
(416,307)
(200,000)
(44,294)
(45,000)
(7,554)
(70,496)
(27,653)
(8,525)
-
-
-
£ (907,329)		 Transfers
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
£ -		 Balance as at
31/03/2024
£
-
-
300,000
116,368
50,000
(15,000)
22,500
67,446
33,551
-
-
60,000
9,000
2,769
£ 646,634

50

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

15 Restricted funds cont…

Purpose of restricted fund

Purpose of restricted fund
Arts Council England - Capital An award for a capital project, including: Bespoke fit out of the new hub office, Equipment for UK wide touring,
Equipment for remote/hybrid working, Action learning trial for Signify.
Arts Council England - North An award to undertake a consultation seeking to understand the key obstacles, realities and needs faced by
DND-led (Disability, Neurodivergence and Deaf) organisations in the North of England.
Arts Council England - Sport An award to research and support Arts Council England into the viability of a parasport and disability arts
innovation event.
Arts Council Wales A single year award to enable open award commissioning activity in Wales to support Wales based artists plus
work on related strands DEVELOP, CONNECT and CHANGE.
British Council - International An award designed to be spent over a two-year period to enable international work across all workstreams.
British Council - Main Grant An award designed to be spent over a two-year period, to enable international work across all workstreams.
British Council - An award designed to be spent over a two-year period to support four international awards, linked to a
Operational Alliance partnership commitment based on shared values.
Creative Scotland A single year award to enable open award commission activity in Scotland to support Scotland based artists
plus work on related strands DEVELOP, CONNECT and CHANGE.
Fidelity Foundation A two-year capacity-building award centred around our CRM system, including the development of a new
commissions portal.
Paul Hamlyn Foundation A four year award to develop our SUPPORT strand of activity, refine and deliver our evaluation methodology, and
support our campaign element.
UWE Bristol An award for a collaborative Immersive Arts project that offers an inclusive and accessible programme of
research, training, funding opportunities and events across the UK.
Wakefield Council An award for providing residencies in the Wakefield District for disabled artists.
West Yorkshire Combined Authority Funding for a micro capital grants scheme to increase accessibility in arts venues around West Yorkshire.
Partner Awards Awards from partner organisations to fund specific, named commissions.

51

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

16
**17 **		 Trustee transactions
Owed to/(By)
Owed to/(By)
Amount
Balance
Amount
Balance
£
£
£
£
The following trustees were paid for services delivered to the charity:-
Sonny Nwachukwu - Panellist and participation fees and related travel
-
-
385
-
Hannah Aria - Fees relating to feedback and evaluation sessions
150
-
-
-
Chris Tally Evans - Fees for participation in Environmental Artists peer to peer sesssion
200
-
-
-
The following trustees were provided with access support:-
Hannah Aria - Access Support for UK Open Awards and Hardship Grant
420
Hannah Aria - Access Support for board meeting preparations
75
-
-
Hannah Sampsom - Access Support for board meeting and Pitch and Mix event
228
-
-
Chris Tally Evans - Access Support for board away day
72
-
-
Lauren Craig - Childcare support received for board meeting
135
-
-
No Trustee received any remuneration or benefits by virtue of being a Trustee.
20 (2024: 10) trustees were reimbursed for expenses costs relating to travel and subsistance for Trustees' meetings totalling £2,903 (2024: £2,349).
3 (2024: 0) trustees received compassionate gifts totalling £145 (2024: £NIL).
Related party transactions
The following related parties were paid for services delivered to the charity:-
Birds of Paradise Theatre Company
5,028
-
-
-
Anna Richardson - Trustee in common
31 March 2025
Year ended
31 March 2024
Year ended

There were no related party transactions in 2024.

52

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO NOTES TO THE STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

18
**19 **		 Reconciliation of net income to net cashflows from operating activities
Net income for the reporting period (as per the
Statement of Financials Activities)
Adjustments for:
Depreciation charges
(Profit)/loss on disposal of fixed asset
Interest received
Decrease/(Increase) in debtors
Increase in creditors
Net cash flow provided by operations
Analysis of cash and cash equivalents
Cash at bank and in hand
Cash and cash equivalents amounting to £1,174,159 related to restricted funds.
Analysis of changes in net funds and analysis of net debt
Cash at bank
Total		 At 01/04/2024
£
1,670,782
£ 1,670,782		 2025
2024
£
£
95,563
75,272
10,588
4,014
229
-
(34,779)
(25,229)
(210,391)
184,911
(5,316)
221,248
£ (144,106)
£ 460,216
1,502,700
1,670,782
£ 1,502,700
£ 1,670,782
Cash Flow
At 31/03/25
£
£
(168,082)
1,502,700
(£ 168,082)
£ 1,502,700

53

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO NOTES TO THE STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

20 Comparative Statement of Financial Activities

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM:
Donations, legacies and grants
Charitable activities
Investment income
TOTAL INCOME
EXPENDITURE ON:
Charitable activities
TOTAL EXPENDITURE
NET INCOME
Transfer between funds
NET MOVEMENT BETWEEN FUNDS
Total funds brought forward
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
1,022,360
23,299
25,229
1,070,888
1,006,787
1,006,787
64,101
-
64,101
34,411
£ 98,512		 Restricted
Funds
£
918,500
-
-
918,500
907,329
907,329
11,171
-
11,171
635,463
£ 646,634		 Total Funds
Year Ended
31 March 2024
£
1,940,860
23,299
25,229
1,989,388
1,914,116
1,914,116
75,272
-
75,272
669,874
£ 745,146

CONTINUING OPERATIONS

Income and net movement in funds derived wholly from continuing operations.

54

The following pages do not form part of the statutory accounts.

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO DETAILED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

INCOME:
Donations, legacies and grants
Government grants
Other grants
Donations
Donations in kind
Charitable activities
Income from contracts
Income from events
Investment income
Bank interest
TOTAL INCOME		 £
£
1,872,163
344,175
-
58,346
2,274,684
81,465
-
81,465
34,779
34,779
2,390,928
Year ended
31 March 2025		 £
£
1,767,476
161,000
300
12,084
1,940,860
18,941
4,358
23,299
25,229
25,229
1,989,388
31 March 2024
Year ended

55

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO DETAILED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

EXPENDITURE ON:
Charitable activities
Grants to individuals
Grants to institutions
Accessibility
Artist costs and fees
Commissions
Project development and management
Promotion and events
Other delivery costs
Support costs
TOTAL EXPENDITURE
NET INCOME		 £
£
171,977
93,269
50,794
51,703
750,187
17,206
-
621,538
538,691
2,295,365
£ 95,563
Year ended
31 March 2025		 £
£
57,318
48,400
43,319
33,605
957,033
4,116
4,265
317,338
448,722
1,914,116
£ 75,272
31 March 2024
Year ended

56

WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS CIO DETAILED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Support costs
Staff costs
Training and development
Travel and subsistence
Freelancer fees
Human resources costs
Marketing and research
Rent and rates
Telephone and internet
Insurance
Computer costs
Printing, postage and stationery
Subscriptions
Bank charges
Independent auditors fee - audit fee
Independent auditors fee - other fees
Legal fees
Fundraising costs
Sundry costs
Depreciation
(Profit)/loss on disposal of fixed asset
Governance costs		 Year ended
31 March 2025
£
359,196
32,287
5,148
24,141
24,237
31,940
11,330
84
4,218
9,454
654
536
665
7,277
3,150
-
1,125
1,264
10,588
229
11,168
£ 538,691		 Year ended
31 March 2024
£
300,353
23,359
3,768
25,221
5,469
35,141
7,318
84
4,218
13,017
769
191
1,341
7,177
2,525
4,862
-
1,489
4,014
-
8,406
£ 448,722

57