## **Curious Arts**
**Charity No. 1198708**
**Company No. 10709247**
**Trustees' Report and Unaudited Accounts**
**30 April 2025**
**Curious Arts Contents**
||Pages|
|---|---|
|Trustees' Annual Report|2 to 13|
|Independent Examiner's Report|14|
|Statement of Financial Activities|15|
|Summary Income and Expenditure Account|16|
|Balance Sheet|17|
|Statement of Cash flows|18|
|Notes to the Accounts|19 to 27|
|Detailed Statement of Financial Activities|28 to 29|
Page 1
Trustee Report _For the year_ ended 30 _April_ **2025**
## **1. Objectives and activities**
Curious Arts' charitable objects are the promotion of equality and diversity for the public benefit through the staging of an annual LGBTQIA arts and culture festival and the provision of a programme of year round local and national arts activities designed to: a) eliminate discrimination and inequality on the grounds of gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation; b) advance education and raise awareness of issues relating to sexual orientation or gender identity and discrimination and the needs of LGBTQIA people and the issues affecting their communities; and c) cultivate a sentiment in favour of equality and diversity in relation to persons who identify as LGBTQIA. For the purposes of this clause 'LGBTQIA' is defined as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual.
The company's principal activity is the exploration and celebration of LGBTQIA+ culture through the arts, increasing visibility, dialogue and understanding of the LGBTQIA+ community of the North East.
The organisation strives to improve the quality of life of LGBTQIA+ communities and their friends and families by promoting visibility and opportunities for audiences and artists.
Curious Arts is proud to be championing activity with and for children, young people and families, queer artists of colour and female-led activity.
## **2. Achievements and Performance**
The past year has seen the continued growth of Curious Arts through the hard work and dedication of our team and trustees.
We have significantly increased our impact and reach in Hartlepool and Tees Valley from our new Hartlepool Borough Hall base. Taking an active role in local strategic, cultural and community partnerships in Hartlepool, Redcar and Middlesbrough.
2024 saw the launch of two-year Tees Valley Combined Authority supported project Pride in Tees Valley. Bringing together community planning groups and cultural and community partners to curate Pride events in Hartlepool, Saltburn, Stockton-on-Tees and Middlesbrough. Alongside supporting Darlington Pride Weekender produced by Darlington Borough Council. Creating numerous volunteering opportunities and producing joyful, inclusive celebrations representative of the communities they empowered. As part of this programme we took volunteers to York Pride for a ‘Go See’ to widen and inform their contributions to planning meetings. Alongside our Pride in Tees Valley work we supported and co-delivered Newcastle
Page 2
Pride's shift to its new city centre model.
We continued to develop our family programme, scaling up Mini Pride with repeated partners to Curious Takeovers at Kirkleatham Museum, Seaton Delaval Hall and Darlington Hippodrome. Mini Pride continued to provide families across the country with creative crafts with highlights including a return to Canary Wharf and new venue partners Ormesby Hall and Hopetown Darlington.
Following the success of Wildflower we developed one final national tour including Bradford, RHS Bridgewater Manchester and closing at International Children’s Arts Festival Boing! in Winchester. Further building on our touring family work we developed glow in the dark touring work, Groove and Glow. An illuminated street theatre performance, the pilot tour included Hexham Lantern Parade, Sunderland Light Festival and Hartepool Fireworks Display. We will continue to develop new work and tour activity widely.
We have continued to position ourselves as a key provider of LGBTQIA+ youth arts services in the region, sustaining delivery of regular youth groups in Middlesbrough, Newcastle and Sunderland.
We have invested in piloting new activity including digital content and reaching online audiences through a new podcast - Chatti Patti, spotlighting LGBTQIA+ creatives. Heritage project Curious Histories saw the beginnings of the creation of an LGBTQIA+ archive capturing lived experiences of community members in Newcastle, Barnard Castle and Sunderland. Live Theatre also hosted artist platform Live Theatre is Curious, amplifying Northern LGBTQIA+ artists.
We continue to contribute to arts and culture sector development with national impact through our LGBTQIA+ Awareness training. We have delivered training sessions to varied sectors including arts and care charity Blue Cabin, Further Education establishment New College Durham, Construction Company Morgan Sindell, Finance company Sage, and scientific engineering firm Leica Bio systems.
We continue to coordinate and deliver Queer Arts North, supporting peer organisations and offering Artist support and commissions. This year we piloted a new online Artist Development programme ‘Connect & Develop’.
We continue to raise awareness of our work, develop and encourage best practice understanding through University lectures, workshops and guest speaking at conferences on the areas of LGBTQIA+ Culture and inclusion. This year our Chief Executive undertook a Clore Fellowship and research trips internationally, team members also undertook a varied and high quality programme of training. Organisational development achievements and growth included expanding the team with additional administration and producer roles.
Page 3
We acknowledge a further an increase in negativity towards our family and youth work. This is being seen across the country as anti LGBTQIA+ sentiment and views towards LGBTQIA+ communities continues to polarise with rising hate crimes. We are managing this by supporting team members and developing our own internal practice.
We are looking forward to our future developments with confidence that Curious Arts will continue to adapt and evolve, but will not defer from our charitable purpose. Promoting equality and diversity and working to eliminate discrimination of LGBTQIA+ communities, through creative programmes that champion, increase visibility and understanding of LGBTQIA+ people.
We are grateful to all of our partners and funders, who have helped us to deliver during the year, in particular we would like to thank the Joicey Trust, UK Youth, Children in Need and PFC Trust for their support.
We also thank
Youth Music for funding our Trailblazers Dec 2024 - 2025 ( _restricted funds)_
Woodsmith Foundation for their funding to support community activity in Redcar and Cleveland contributing to pride activity.
Shears (restricted income) for supporting our youth and community activity.
## 3. **Public benefit**
**The Board of Trustees has referred to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity's objectives and planning its future activities. This annual report will aim to demonstrate the link between our charitable activity and how this benefits our service users. The Trustees understand and have discussed the implications of the provisions of the Charities Act 2006, which state that all charities must meet two key principles and i) demonstrate that they are established for public benefit, and ii) have had due regard to the public benefit guidance issued by the Charity Commission. Curious Arts' beneficiaries are appropriate to its aims, and the public benefits from its work. Benefits are evidenced and relate directly to its aims. The Trustees do not consider that any detriment or harm flows from its work and therefore believe that the charity meets both key principles.**
Page 4
## **4. Plans for future periods**
Recognising Curious Arts continued ambition, scale and growth trajectory and its impact on team capacity and wellbeing; We plan to sustain and develop our activity by:
- Establishing a trading company to increase and diversify charitable income to be less reliant on trusts and foundations. Profits from income donated annually will be generated from from commercial activity including -
- _Commercial event delivery_
- _Skills development programme including volunteering and Creative sector workforce development._
- _Creative and Cultural accommodation_
- Increased sales of our training, acquiring certified accreditation and focus on
- Corporate markets and e.g. leisure and hospitality and corporate sectors.
- Continue to develop tourable works to reach a broad range of public audiences. Eg. The Turkey and The Caterpillar, Groove and Glow.
- Begin to develop Curious Arts as a thought leader in the LGBTQIA+ heritage sector, through a multi-year project. Leading the creation of a community focused digital archive capturing local LGBTQIA+ culture and heritage.
- Delivering community co-produced local pride events across Tees Valley promoting acceptance and community cohesion and upskilling and empowering local volunteer committees.
- Scaling up team structure to meet scale and ambition of programmes. Ensuring open recruitment to meet the skills needed for identified roles.
- Stabilising income generation by investing in regular fundraising capacity and continuing to diversify our sources of income. Developing longer term partnership projects to ensure longer and deeper impact of our work. Regularly appraise our fundraising plan to ensure it aligns with our values and ethics alongside striving for larger longer term funding to ensure more robust programmes of activity and reduce fundraising admin.
- Building balance and depth into our work with focus on priority areas including, Hartlepool, wider Tees Valley and Tyneside.
- Continue to champion diversification of decision making and curating artistic programmes that are informed by the communities they exist to serve and represent.
Page 5
- Continue to develop our regular youth, community and heritage activity with partners.
- The continued development of online platforms and presence developing digital and online audiences and participation. Explore CRM system to ensure the organisation has modern and effective marketing and communication tools which are visible and authentic to the charities work.
- The development of new intellectual property and capital based strategic projects, ensuring robust research and planning.
- Diversifying and refreshing our Board of Trustees through open recruitment processes to ensure representation of our intersectional society and a range of relevant skill sets aligned with our work
Our approach to future plans is underpinned by building resilience, efficient ways of working, partnerships and the development of new products and services to ensure the charity is at the forefront of its field in terms of effective activity programmes to make the impact needed to further its charitable aims.
## **Reserves Policy**
The Trustees have reviewed the charity's needs for reserves in line with the guidance issued by the Charity Commission.
The Trustees aim to firstly hold a level of unrestricted Reserves which enables the charity to have sufficient financial resources to meet various liabilities which would crystallise if Curious Arts's funding were to be withdrawn and/or it were unable to continue operating.
At present, the Trustees estimate that the Unrestricted Reserves required for such purposes amount to approximately £85,000.
If possible, the Trustees then aspire to retain an additional allowance of £25,000 to enable the charity to respond flexibly to issues or appropriate initiatives which might be identified outside of its annual budgeting process.
The required level of Reserves is therefore £110,000. Curious Arts currently holds total Unrestricted Reserves of £113,000 at 30 April 2025. The Trustees will monitor turnover and costs and set objectives to ensure reserves are appropriate.
This policy will be regularly appraised by the Trustee finance sub group and reviewed by all Trustees on an annual basis as part of the charity's budgeting processes.
The Trustees regularly review specific liabilities at each Board meeting. The Reserves Policy is re-visited by the Board annually in the light of progress against budget and is updated at the time of drafting the annual accounts.
Page 6
The Trustees have acknowledged the growth of the organisation, the challenging fundraising climate and the increasingly complex political and legal operating context of our work with this in mind they have identified the need to invest funds strategically through designating funds. £65,000 will be designated for three specific organisational development activities including;
- Increased legal expertise and increased insurance to navigate the complex and shifting legal context we are operating in. £10,000
- Development of new products and services to ensure the charity and trading company are at the forefront of its field in terms of effective activity programmes to make the impact needed to further its charitable aims. £20,000
- Research and planning time for capital based strategic projects and partnership development £7000
- Increased staffing costs including recruitment, wellbeing, salary costs, additional fundraising and increased office costs. £20,000
- Finalise development of website and CRM systems. £8,000
## **5. Structure, governance and management**
## Appointment of Trustees
The charity currently has a board of 9 non-executive Trustees.
The Board meets a minimum of four times per year and has taken advantage of the provisions of the Companies Act enabling the waiver of the need to conduct an Annual General Meeting.
Detailed written Board reports and an agenda are prepared by the Chief Executive Officer and circulated in advance of meetings.
Potential Trustees are identified through discussions and recommendations offered by existing Trustees and outside advisors to the organisation, as well as through the formal advertisement of vacancies through arts and charitable networks.
Trustee applicants complete an application process and undergo an interview with a trustee recruitment panel, including the Chair and the Chief Executive, before being recommended to the full Board. Trustees are appointed once the Board has authorised the selection, and on completion of the necessary registration paperwork. New Trustees are offered induction, guidance and required to attend Trustee and Staff away day activities to ensure familiarisation with the charity, its work, finances and their legal duties as a Trustee. New Trustees are inducted by the Chair of the Board, other Trustees and the staff team. They are provided with a range of resources to support their understanding of Curious Arts’ activities.
From time to time, the Trustees elect a Chair and determine for what period the Chair is to hold office.
## Organisation
The trustees administer the charity and the Chief Executive is responsible for managing the work of the charity on a day-to-day basis. The Chief Executive is supported by the Creative Producer as part of the leadership team function. The Chief Executive also is supported by an administration
Page 7
and access worker.
The trustees are aware that the major risk to the organisation is lack of funding. Each quarter the risk is assessed when budgets are compared to actual spend and reserves are reviewed on a yearly basis to ensure that there are sufficient funds available to cover five months running costs and any possible redundancy costs.
## Risk management
The finance sub-committee has conducted its own review of the major risks to which the charity is exposed and systems have been established to mitigate those risks. Internal risks are minimised by the implementation of procedures for authorisation of all transactions and projects and for ensuring the consistent quality of the delivery of all operational aspects of the charitable company. These procedures are periodically reviewed to ensure that they still meet the needs of the charity.
As part of its annual business planning process, the Trustees of the charity regularly review the major governance, operational and financial risks the charity faces and confirm that systems have been established to mitigate these risks.
Curious Arts has a risk management strategy in place which comprises:
- an annual review of the strategic risks the charity may face via the business plan,
- the establishment of systems and procedures to mitigate those risks identified,
- the implementation of procedures designed to minimise any potential impact on the
- charity should those risks materialise.
The Trustees have managed the potential impact of these risks by:
- Introducing contingency planning to cater for ongoing social distancing measures.
- Setting prudent budgets with contingencies for the next financial year.
- Maintaining a low-cost base
- Reviewing its mechanisms for attracting charitable funding from trusts and
- foundations.
- Providing regular management accounts, showing performance against budget.
- Contingency planning for the actions to take if income appears unlikely to reach its
- target.
- Adopting a Reserves policy which provides an appropriate amount of uncommitted
- Reserves, at a level that will always enable the charity to meet all its liabilities, even if income targets are not achieved.
- Creating work plans that specify how work can be re-scheduled or allocated to
- freelance staff.
- Continuing the development of the company’s safeguarding policy and procedures
- through consultations with other youth providers, drawing on expertise within the board and the continued training of staff.
- Monitoring Trustees’ commitment to the organisation and scheduling Trustee
- recruitment as appropriate.
Page 8
## **6. Reference and administrative details**
Organisation Name Curious Arts Company No. 10709247 Registered Charity No. 1198708 Directors & Trustees V.J. Bartesch H Imtiaz G.E. Longstaff C Taylor D Tuffnell P.C.L Wong S Broadhurst Chair J.D Smith P Holliday Appointed 10th January 2025 D J Fahey Appointed 10th January 2025
Registered Office C/O Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre Raby Road Hartlepool TS24 8AH
Page 9
Accountants Accounting for Good CIC 2 Geordie Ridley Place Upper Precinct Wesley Court Blaydon NE21 5BT
Page 10
**Curious Arts Trustees Annual Report**
The trustees, who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the unaudited financial statements of the charity for the year ended 30 April 2025.
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS**
## **Company No. 10709247**
## **Charity No. 1198708**
## **Registered Office**
Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre Raby Road Hartlepool TS24 8AH
## **Directors and Trustees**
The Directors of the charitable company are its Trustees for the purposes of charity law. The following Directors and Trustees served during the year:
V.J. Bartesch S. Broadhurst D.J. Fahey P. Holliday H. Imtiaz G.E. Longstaff J. McAndrew (Resigned 6 June 2024) J.D.E. Smith C. Taylor D. Tuffnell P.C.L. Wong
## **Accountants**
Accounting for Good CIC 2 Geordie Ridley Place Upper Precinct Wesley Court Blaydon on Tyne Tyne and Wear NE21 5BT
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Page 12
**Curious Arts Trustees Annual Report**
The above report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime as set out in Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 and in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102).
Signed on behalf of the board
## V. Bartesch
V. Bartesch (Jan 23, 2026 09:03:35 GMT)
## Sian Broadhurst
V.J. Bartesch
Trustee
28 December 2025
Page 13
**Curious Arts Independent Examiners Report**
## **Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of Curious Arts**
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Curious Arts for the year ended 30 April 2025.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity's trustees of the company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act.
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the Charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity's financial statements as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
As the charity's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of FFA FTA, which is one of the listed bodies.
I have completed my examination. I can confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:
- accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 386 of the 2006 Act ; or
- the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
- the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements under section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the financial statements give a 'true and fair' view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
- the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.
Kay Wightman FFA FTA Accounting for Good CIC 2 Geordie Ridley Place Upper Precinct Wesley Court Blaydon on Tyne Tyne and Wear NE21 5BT 28 December 2025
Page 14
**Curious Arts Statement of Financial Activities**
## **for the year ended 30 April 2025**
|**Notes**
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
**Income and endowments**
**from:**
Donations and legacies
Charitable activities
Other trading activities
**Total**
**Expenditure on:**
Raising funds
Charitable activities
Other
**Total**
Net gains on investments
**Net income**
Transfers between funds
**Net income before other**
**gains/(losses)**
**Other gains and losses**
**Net movement in funds**
**Reconciliation of funds:**
Total funds brought forward
**Total funds carried forward**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
4,293
241,704
1,507|**Restricted**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
-
281,554
-|**Total funds**
**2025**
**£**
4,293
523,258
1,507|**Total funds**
**2024**
**£**
5,784
369,915
261|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||247,504
1,309
61,631
109,629|281,554
-
264,436
-|529,058
1,309
326,067
109,629|375,960
564
304,149
37,669|
||172,569
-|264,436
-|437,005
-|342,382
-|
||74,935
-|17,118
-|92,053
-|33,578
-|
||74,935|17,118|92,053|33,578|
||74,935
103,357|17,118
16,882|92,053
120,239|33,578
86,661|
||178,292|34,000|212,292|120,239|
Page 15
**Curious Arts Summary Income and Expenditure Account for the year ended 30 April 2025**
|Income
**Gross income for the year**
Expenditure
Depreciation and charges for
impairment of fixed assets
**Total expenditure for the year**
Net income before tax for the year
**Net income for the year**|**2025**
**£**
529,058
529,058
435,967
1,038
437,005
92,053
92,053|**2024**
**£**
375,960|
|---|---|---|
|||375,960|
|||341,582
800|
|||342,382|
|||33,578|
|||33,578|
Page 16
**Curious Arts Balance Sheet**
## **at 30 April 2025**
|**Company No.**
**10709247**
**Notes**
**2025**
**£**
**Fixed assets**
Tangible assets
12
3,834
3,834
**Current assets**
Debtors
13
18,143
Cash at bank and in hand
217,505
235,648
**Creditors:**Amount falling due within one year
14
(27,190)
**Net current assets**
208,458
**Total assets less current liabilities**
212,292
**Net assets excluding pension asset or liability**
212,292
**Total net assets**
212,292
**The funds of the charity**
**Restricted funds**
15
Restricted income funds
34,000
34,000
**Unrestricted funds**
15
General funds
113,292
Designated funds
65,000
178,292
**Reserves**
15
**Total funds**
212,292|**2024**
**£**
2,933|
|---|---|
||2,933
23,393
123,108|
||146,501
(29,195)|
||117,306
120,239|
||120,239|
||120,239|
||16,882|
||16,882
73,357
30,000|
||103,357|
||120,239|
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
For the year ended 30 April 2025 the company was entitled to exemption under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
The members have not required the company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.
The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.
Approved by the board on 28 December 2025
And signed on its behalf by:
## V. Bartesch
V. Bartesch (Jan 23, 2026 09:03:35 GMT)
Sian Broadhurst
V.J. Bartesch
Trustee
28 December 2025
Page 17
**Curious Arts Statement of Cash flows for the year ended 30 April 2025**
|**Cash flows from operating activities**
**Net income per Statement of Financial Activities**
**Adjustments for:**
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment
Decrease in trade and other receivables
(Decrease)/Increase in trade and other payables
**Net cash provided by operating activities**
**Cash flows from investing activities**
Payments for property, plant and equipment
**Net cash used in investing activities**
**Net cash from financing activities**
**Net increase in cash and cash equivalents**
**Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year**
**Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year**
**Components of cash and cash equivalents**
Cash and bank balances|**2025**
**£**
92,053
1,038
5,250
(2,005)
96,336
(1,939)
(1,939)
-
94,397
123,108
217,505
217,505
217,505|**2024**
**£**
33,578
800
1,124
9,574|
|---|---|---|
|||45,076
-|
|||-|
||||
|||-|
||||
|||45,076|
|||76,819|
|||121,895|
||||
|||123,108|
||||
|||123,108|
Page 18
**Curious Arts Notes to the Accounts**
## **for the year ended 30 April 2025**
- 1 **Accounting policies**
## **Basis of preparation**
The financial statements 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 of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.
## **Change in basis of accounting or to previous accounts**
There has been no change to the accounting policies (valuation rules and method of accounting) since last year and no changes have been made to accounts for previous years.
## **Fund accounting**
- Unrestricted funds These are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objects of the charity.
- Designated funds These are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular purposes. Revaluation funds These are unrestricted funds which include a revaluation reserve representing the restatement of investment assets at their market values.
- Restricted funds These are available for use subject to restrictions imposed by the donor or through terms of an appeal.
## **Income**
- Recognition of Income is included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when the charity income becomes entitled to, and virtually certain to receive, the income and the amount of the income can be measured with sufficient reliability.
- Income with related Where income has related expenditure the income and related expenditure is expenditure reported gross in the SoFA.
- Donations and Voluntary income received by way of grants, donations and gifts is included in the legacies the SoFA when receivable and only when the Charity has unconditional entitlement to the income.
- Tax reclaims on Income from tax reclaims is included in the SoFA at the same time as the donations and gifts gift/donation to which it relates. Donated services These are only included in income (with an equivalent amount in expenditure) and facilities where the benefit to the Charity is reasonably quantifiable, measurable and material.
Volunteer help The value of any volunteer help received is not included in the accounts. Investment income This is included in the accounts when receivable. Gains/(losses) on This includes any gain or loss resulting from revaluing investments to market value revaluation of fixed at the end of the year. assets Gains/(losses) on This includes any gain or loss on the sale of investments. investment assets
Page 19
**Curious Arts Notes to the Accounts**
## **Expenditure**
- Recognition of Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis. Expenditure includes any VAT which expenditure cannot be fully recovered, and is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates.
- Expenditure on These comprise the costs associated with attracting voluntary income, fundraising raising funds trading costs and investment management costs. Expenditure on These comprise the costs incurred by the Charity in the delivery of its activities and charitable activities services in the furtherance of its objects, including the making of grants and governance costs.
- Grants payable All grant expenditure is accounted for on an actual paid basis plus an accrual for grants that have been approved by the trustees at the end of the year but not yet paid.
- Governance costs These include those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the Charity, including any audit/independent examination fees, costs linked to the strategic management of the Charity, together with a share of other administration costs.
- Other expenditure These are support costs not allocated to a particular activity.
## **Taxation**
The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.
## **Tangible fixed assets and depreciation**
Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life:
Plant & Machinery 3% Reducing Balance
IT & Office Equipment 3% Straight Line
## **Freehold investment property**
Investment properties are measured initially at cost and subsequently at fair value at each balance sheet date and are not depreciated. All gains or losses are taken to the Statement of Financial Activities as they arise.
## **Stocks**
Stock is included at the lower of cost or net realisable value. Donated items of stock are recognised at fair value which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay for the items on the open market.
## **Trade and other debtors**
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.
## **Cash and cash equivalents**
Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash at bank and on hand, demand deposits with banks and other short-term highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less and bank overdrafts. In the statement of financial position, bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings or current liabilities. In the Statement of Cash Flows, cash and cash equivalents are shown net of bank overdrafts that are repayable on demand and form an integral part of the company's cash management.
Page 20
**Curious Arts Notes to the Accounts**
## **Trade and other creditors**
Short term creditors are measured at the transaction price. Other 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.
## **Research and development**
Expenditure on research and development is written off in the year in which it is incurred.
## **Foreign currencies**
Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in currencies other than the functional currency of the charity are translated at the rates of exchange prevailing at the end of the reporting period. Transactions in currencies other than the functional currency of the charity are recorded at the rate of exchange on the date that the transaction occurred.
All exchange differences are are taken into account in arriving at net income/expenditure.
## **Leased assets**
Where the charity enters into a lease which entails taking substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership of an asset, the lease is treated as a finance lease.
Leases which do not transfer substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to charity are classified as operating leases.
Assets held under finance leases are initially recognised as assets of the charity at their fair value at the inception of the lease or, if lower, at the present value of the minimum lease payments. The corresponding liability to the lessor is included in the balance sheet date as a finance lease obligation. Lease payments are apportioned between finance expenses and reduction of the lease obligation so as to achieve a constant rate of interest on the remaining balance of the liability. Finance expenses are recognised immediately, unless they are directly attributable to qualifying assets, in which case they are capitalised in accordance with the charity's policy on borrowing costs. Assets held under finance leases are depreciated in the same way as owned assets.
Operating lease payments are recognised as an expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term. In the event that lease incentives are received to enter into operating leases, such incentives are recognised as a liability. The aggregate benefit of incentives is recognised as a reduction of rental expense on a straight-line basis.
## **Pension costs**
The charity operates a defined contribution plan for its employees. A defined contribution plan is a pension plan under which the company pays fixed contributions into a separate entity. Once the contributions have been paid the company has no further payments obligations. The contributions are recognised as expenses when they fall due. Amounts not paid are shown in accruals in the balance sheet. The assets of the plan are held separately from the company in independently administered funds.
## **Receipt of donated goods, facilities and services**
All donated goods, facilities and services received are recognised within incoming resources and expenditure at an estimate of the value to the charity.
Page 21
**Curious Arts Notes to the Accounts**
## 2 **Company status**
The company is a private company limited by guarantee and consequently does not have share capital.
## 3 **Statement of Financial Activities - prior year**
|3
**Statement of Financial Activities - prior year**||||
|---|---|---|---|
|**Income and endowments from:**
Donations and legacies
Charitable activities
Other trading activities
**Total**
**Expenditure on:**
Raising funds
Charitable activities
Other
**Total**
**Net income**
**Net income before other**
**gains/(losses)**
**Other gains and losses:**
**Net movement in funds**
**Reconciliation of funds:**
Total funds brought forward
**Total funds carried forward**
4
**Income from donations and legacies**
Donations, Gift Aid,
Fundraising|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
5,784
170,343
261
176,388
564
84,128
37,669
122,361
54,027
54,027
54,027
49,330
103,357
**Unrestricted**
**£**
4,293
4,293|**Restricted**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
-
199,572
-
199,572
-
220,021
-
220,021
(20,449)
(20,449)
(20,449)
37,331
16,882
**Total**
**2025**
**£**
4,293
4,293|**Total funds**
**2024**
**£**
5,784
369,915
261|
||||375,960
564
304,149
37,669|
||||342,382|
||||33,578|
||||33,578|
||||33,578
86,661|
||||120,239|
||||**Total**
**2024**
**£**
5,784|
||||5,784|
Page 22
**Curious Arts**
## **Notes to the Accounts**
## 5 **Income from charitable activities**
|Grant Income
Other Public Funds
Earned Income
6
**Income from other trading activities**
Fundraising Events
7
**Expenditure on raising funds**
_Fundraising trading costs_
Merchandising/Shop Costs
8
**Expenditure on charitable activities**
_Expenditure on charitable_
_activities_
Freelance Fees
Marketing Costs
Project Costs
_Governance costs_
Board Meetings|**Unrestricted**
**£**
46,802
2,375
192,527
241,704
**Unrestricted**
**£**
27,194
16,518
17,757
162
61,631|**Restricted**
**£**
281,554
-
-
281,554
**Unrestricted**
**£**
1,507
1,507
**Unrestricted**
**£**
1,309
1,309
**Restricted**
**£**
-
-
264,436
-
264,436|**Total**
**2025**
**£**
328,356
2,375
192,527
523,258
**Total**
**2025**
**£**
1,507
1,507
**Total**
**2025**
**£**
1,309
1,309
**Total**
**2025**
**£**
27,194
16,518
282,193
162
326,067|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
238,647
11,505
119,763|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||369,915|
|||||**Total**
**2024**
**£**
261|
|||||261|
|||||**Total**
**2024**
**£**
564|
|||||564|
|||||**Total**
**2024**
**£**
128,344
4,775
171,002
28|
|||||304,149|
Page 23
**Curious Arts Notes to the Accounts**
## 9 **Other expenditure**
|Employee costs
Motor and travel costs
Premises costs
Amortisation, depreciation,
impairment, profit/loss on
disposal of fixed assets
General administrative costs
Legal and professional costs
10 **Net income before transfers**
This is stated after charging:
Depreciation of owned fixed assets
11 **Staff costs**
Salaries and wages
No employee received emoluments in excess of £60,000.
12 **Tangible fixed assets**
**Cost or revaluation**
At 1 May 2024
Additions
At 30 April 2025
**Depreciation and**
**impairment**
At 1 May 2024
Depreciation charge for the
year
At 30 April 2025
**Net book values**
At 30 April 2025
At 30 April 2024|**Unrestricted**
**£**
68,487
22,877
6,124
1,038
4,298
6,805
109,629
**2025**
**£**
1,038
**2025**
62,644
62,644
**Plant &**
**Machinery**
**£**
4,000
250
4,250
1,067
813
1,880
2,370
2,933|**Total**
**2025**
**£**
68,487
22,877
6,124
1,038
4,298
6,805
109,629
**IT & Office**
**Equipment**
**£**
1,525
1,689
3,214
1,525
225
1,750
1,464
-|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
9,029
15,992
3,560
800
3,303
4,985|
|---|---|---|---|
||||37,669|
||||**2024**
**£**
800
**2024**
4,975|
||||4,975|
||||**Total**
**£**
5,525
1,939|
||||7,464|
||||2,592
1,038|
||||3,630|
||||3,834|
||||2,933|
Page 24
**Curious Arts Notes to the Accounts**
## 13 **Debtors**
|13 **Debtors**|||
|---|---|---|
|Trade debtors
Prepayments and accrued income
14 **Creditors:**
amounts falling due within one year
Trade creditors
Other taxes and social security
Other creditors
Accruals
Deferred income|**2025**
**£**
16,050
2,093
18,143
**2025**
**£**
3,728
8,886
1,606
1,650
11,320
27,190|**2024**
**£**
22,674
719|
|||23,393|
|||**2024**
**£**
8,880
7,553
-
2,862
9,900|
|||29,195|
Page 25
**Curious Arts Notes to the Accounts**
## 15 **Movement in funds**
|15 **Movement in funds**||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**At 1 May**
**2024**
-
-
16,882
-
-
-
16,882
73,357
30,000
-
-
-
-
30,000
120,239|**Incoming**
**resources**
**(including**
**other**
**gains/losses)**
**£**
28,488
54,428
140,314
4,481
3,843
50,000
281,554
247,504
-
-
-
-
-
-
529,058|**Resources**
**expended**
**£**|**Gross**
**transfers**
**£**
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
(65,000)
20,000
7,000
10,000
20,000
8,000
65,000
-|**At 30 April**
**2025**
**£**
5,432
7,686
20,882
-
-
-|
|**Restricted funds:**
**Restricted income funds:**
Youth Music Trailblazer
Youth Groups
Pride/Mini Pride/Other
Events
Woodsmith Foundation
Shears Foundation
Arts Events
_Total_
**Unrestricted funds:**
**General funds**
**Designated funds:**
New Product Development
Research
Legal Fees||||||
||||(23,056)|||
||||(46,742)|||
||||(136,314)|||
||||(4,481)|||
||||(3,843)|||
||||(50,000)|||
||||(264,436)
(142,569)
(30,000)
-
-
-
-
(30,000)
(437,005)|||
||||||34,000|
||||||113,292
20,000
7,000
10,000
20,000
8,000|
|Staffing Costs||||||
|Website & CRM
_Total_
**Total funds**||||||
||||||65,000|
|||||||
||||||212,292|
Purposes and restrictions in relation to the funds: Restricted funds: Youth Music Trailblazer Youth Music Trailblazer Costs Youth Groups Cost towards Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Teesdale Youth Group Sessions Pride/Mini Pride/Other Cost towards pride/mini pride events & other events Events Woodsmith Foundation Cost towards pride/mini pride events & other events Shears Foundation Cost toward Shears Foundation Project Arts Events Cost towards arts events and general support Designated funds: New Product Development Development of new products and services to ensure the charity is at the forefront of its field in terms of effective activity programmes to make the impact needed to further its charitable aims
Page 26
**Curious Arts Notes to the Accounts**
|**ious Arts**
**es to the Accounts**||
|---|---|
|Research|Planning time for capital based strategic projects and partnership|
||development|
|Legal Fees|Increased legal expertise and increased insurance to navigate the complex|
||and shifting legal context|
|Staffing Costs|Increased staffing costs including recruitment, wellbeing, salary costs,|
||additional fundraising and increased office costs.|
|Website & CRM|Finalise development of website and CRM systems|
## 16 **Analysis of net assets between funds**
|Fixed assets
Net current assets
**Reconciliation of net debt**
Cash and cash equivalents
Net debt|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**£**
3,834
235,648
239,482
**At 1 May**
**2024**
**£**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**£**
-
(27,190)
(27,190)
**Cash flows**
**£**|**Total**
**£**
3,834
208,458|
|---|---|---|---|
||||212,292|
||||**At 30 April**
**2025**
**£**|
||123,108|94,397|217,505|
||123,108
123,108|94,397
94,397|217,505|
||||217,505|
## 17 **Reconciliation of net debt**
## 18 **Related party disclosures**
## _**Controlling party**_
The company is limited by guarantee and has no share capital; thus no single party controls the company.
Page 27
**Curious Arts Detailed Statement of Financial Activities**
## **for the year ended 30 April 2025**
|**Income and endowments from:**
Donations and legacies
Donations, Gift Aid, Fundraising
Charitable activities
Grant Income
Other Public Funds
Earned Income
Other trading activities
Fundraising Events
**Total income and endowments**
**Expenditure on:**
Costs of other trading activities
Merchandising/Shop Costs
**Total of expenditure on raising**
**funds**
Charitable activities
Freelance Fees
Marketing Costs
Project Costs
Governance costs
Board Meetings
**Total of expenditure on charitable**
**activities**
Employee costs
Salaries/wages
Staff training
Motor and travel costs
Travel and subsistence
Fares
Premises costs
Rent|**Unrestricte**
**d funds**
**2025**
**£**
4,293
4,293
46,802
2,375
192,527
241,704
1,507
1,507
247,504
1,309
1,309
1,309
27,194
16,518
17,757
61,469
162
162
61,631
62,644
5,843
68,487
20,343
2,534
22,877
6,084|**Restricted**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
-
-
281,554
-
-
281,554
-
-
281,554
-
-
-
-
-
264,436
264,436
-
-
264,436
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|**Total funds**
**2025**
**£**
4,293
4,293
328,356
2,375
192,527
523,258
1,507
1,507
529,058
1,309
1,309
1,309
27,194
16,518
282,193
325,905
162
162
326,067
62,644
5,843
68,487
20,343
2,534
22,877
6,084|**Total funds**
**2024**
**£**
5,784|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||5,784|
|||||238,647
11,505
119,763|
|||||369,915|
|||||261|
|||||261|
|||||375,960
564|
|||||564|
|||||564
128,344
4,775
171,002|
|||||304,121|
|||||28|
|||||28|
|||||304,149
4,975
4,054|
|||||9,029|
|||||14,533
1,459|
|||||15,992|
|||||3,347|
Page 28
## **Curious Arts**
## **Detailed Statement of Financial Activities**
|Premises cleaning
Premises repairs and
maintenance
General administrative costs,
including depreciation and
amortisation
Depreciation of Plant &
Machinery
Depreciation of IT & Office
Equipment
Bank charges
General insurances
Postage and couriers
Software, IT support and related
costs
Stationery and printing
Subscriptions
Sundry expenses
Telephone, fax and broadband
Legal and professional costs
Audit/Independent examination
fees
Accountancy and bookkeeping
Other legal and professional
costs
**Total of expenditure of other costs**
**Total expenditure**
Net gains on investments
**Net income**
**Net income before other**
**gains/(losses)**
Other Gains
**Net movement in funds**
**Reconciliation of funds:**
Total funds brought forward
**Total funds carried forward**|-
40
6,124
813
225
98
1,154
210
948
476
1,220
150
42
5,336
1,650
5,061
94
6,805
109,629
172,569
-
74,935
74,935
-
74,935
103,357
178,292|-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
264,436
-
17,118
17,118
-
17,118
16,882
34,000|-
40
6,124
813
225
98
1,154
210
948
476
1,220
150
42
5,336
1,650
5,061
94
6,805
109,629
437,005
-
92,053
92,053
-
92,053
120,239
212,292|101
112|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||3,560|
|||||800
-
145
609
299
539
588
550
479
94|
|||||4,103|
|||||1,650
3,322
13|
|||||4,985|
||||||
|||||37,669|
|||||342,382
-|
|||||33,578|
|||||33,578
-|
|||||33,578|
|||||86,661|
|||||120,239|
Page 29
CuriousArts_30-04-2025 Final Accounts & TAR - signed by Philip Douglas on 16_01_2026, 11_54_51
Final Audit Report
2026-01-28
Created: 2026-01-23 By: Michelle Wright (michelle-wright@hotmail.com) Status: Signed Transaction ID: CBJCHBCAABAAiC2ZWRDQ6v3AonT7j_OvtaT3kTuzJjKa
"CuriousArts_30-04-2025 Final Accounts & TAR - signed by Phili p Douglas on 16_01_2026, 11_54_51" History
Document created by Michelle Wright (michelle-wright@hotmail.com) 2026-01-23 - 08:45:36 GMT
Document emailed to Kay Wightman (kay@accountingforgood.co.uk) for signature 2026-01-23 - 08:45:43 GMT
Document emailed to veritybartesch@gmail.com for signature 2026-01-23 - 08:45:43 GMT
Document emailed to sianbroadhurst@hotmail.com for signature 2026-01-23 - 08:45:43 GMT
Email viewed by Kay Wightman (kay@accountingforgood.co.uk) 2026-01-23 - 08:58:45 GMT
Document e-signed by Kay Wightman (kay@accountingforgood.co.uk) Signature Date: 2026-01-23 - 08:59:17 GMT - Time Source: server
Email viewed by veritybartesch@gmail.com 2026-01-23 - 09:03:02 GMT
Signer veritybartesch@gmail.com entered name at signing as V. Bartesch 2026-01-23 - 09:03:33 GMT
Document e-signed by V. Bartesch (veritybartesch@gmail.com) Signature Date: 2026-01-23 - 09:03:35 GMT - Time Source: server
- Michelle Wright (michelle-wright@hotmail.com) replaced signer sianbroadhurst@hotmail.com with sian.broadhurst@york.ac.uk (sianbroadhurst@hotmail.com)
2026-01-28 - 11:29:42 GMT
- Document emailed to sian.broadhurst@york.ac.uk (sianbroadhurst@hotmail.com) for signature 2026-01-28 - 11:29:43 GMT
Michelle Wright (michelle-wright@hotmail.com) replaced signer sianbroadhurst@hotmail.com with Sian Broadhurst (sian.broadhurst@york.ac.uk)
2026-01-28 - 12:25:14 GMT
Document emailed to Sian Broadhurst (sian.broadhurst@york.ac.uk) for signature
- 2026-01-28 - 12:25:17 GMT
Email viewed by Sian Broadhurst (sian.broadhurst@york.ac.uk)
2026-01-28 - 12:25:46 GMT
Document e-signed by Sian Broadhurst (sian.broadhurst@york.ac.uk) Signature Date: 2026-01-28 - 12:26:55 GMT - Time Source: server
Agreement completed.
2026-01-28 - 12:26:55 GMT