Sinfonietta Productions Limited (Limited by Guarantee)
Report and Accounts
Year to 30 September 2025
Company registration No: 00926551
Charity No: 255095
Sinfonietta Productions Limited (a company limited by guarantee)
Contents
| Contents | |
|---|---|
| Page | |
| Reference and Administrative Details | 3 |
| Report of the Chair of Trustees | 4 |
| Report of the Council of Trustees | |
| Strategic Report | 6 |
| Statement of Accounting and Reporting Responsibilities | 19 |
| Independent Auditors’ Report | 20 |
| Statement of Financial Activities | 23 |
| Balance Sheet | 24 |
| Statement of Cashflows | 25 |
| Notes to the Accounts | 26 – 35 |
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Sinfonietta Productions Limited (a company limited by guarantee)
Reference and Administrative Details
| Trustees | Fiona Thompson, Chair | |
|---|---|---|
| Sudeep Basu | ||
| Andrew Burke | ||
| Timothy Gill | ||
| Annabel Graham Paul | ||
| Kathryn Knight | ||
| Arbër Koci | ||
| Stephen Reid | ||
| Paul Silverthorne (resigned 31 March 2026) | ||
| Justin Spooner (co-opted 24 March 2025) | ||
| Fay Sweet | ||
| James Thomas | ||
| Mark Van de Wiel | ||
| Ben Weston (resigned 10 December 2025) | ||
| Secretary | Elizabeth Davies | |
| Chief Executive & | Andrew Burke | |
| Artistic Director | ||
| Key Management | Andrew Burke, Frances Bryant, Elizabeth | Davies, Natalie Galer (née |
| Personnel | Marchant) and Holly Isherwood | |
| Registered office and | Theatro Technis | |
| administrative address | 26 Crowndale Road | |
| London | ||
| NW1 1TT | ||
| Auditors | MGR Weston Kay LLP | |
| Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditors | ||
| 55 Loudoun Road | ||
| St John’s Wood | ||
| London NW8 0DL | ||
| Bankers | Lloyds TSB plc | CCLA Fund Managers Limited |
| London Bridge Branch | COIF Charity Funds | |
| 69 Borough High Street | One Angel Lane | |
| London | London | |
| SE1 1NQ | EC4R 3AB | |
| Registered numbers | Company no 00926551 | Charity no 255095 |
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Sinfonietta Productions Limited (a company limited by guarantee)
Report of the Chair of Trustees For the year ended 30 September 2025
Our Report on the 12 months to 30 September 2025 reflects continuing intense work and artistic activity aimed at realising a more resilient organisation and evolving the business model to deliver our strategic objectives. It is clear that this is an ongoing process which will take a longer time-period to fully unfold but the last year represents a significant step towards a more sustainable future.
The Trustees, players and management continue to believe that the London Sinfonietta makes a significant contribution to the creative and musical life of London and this country and delivers strongly against Arts Council England’s Let’s Create as a National Portfolio Organisation.
In line with our strategic aims, the artistic season presented a balanced mix of classic 20[th] and 21[st] century repertoire (such as Schoenberg: Reshaping Tradition in October 2024 and The Boulez/Cage Letters in March 2025), collaborations with artists from different musical and artistic worlds (including Refracted Sound in November 2024 and In C: Sasha Waltz & Guests in April 2025) and newly commissioned works. Laurence Osborn’s new piece Mute , the first of eight commissions supported by Cockayne – Grants for the Arts, was one of several which received its premiere during the period.
We continued to work with long-standing partner venues and promoters including Southbank Centre (for our main concert season), Turner Sims (Southampton) and Music @ Malling (Kent). It was a quieter year for overseas touring with the most significant performance outside the UK taking place in Poland as part of the Warsaw Autumn Festival in September 2025.
Culminating as usual at the annual Sound Out! concert at Royal Festival Hall (March 2025), the organisation’s schools’ programme continued its work in key locations across the UK and piloted Composition Challenges activity in our local area of Camden, London. Supported by a grant from Arts Council England, the organisation also took the Sound Out! concert format on tour with 13 additional performances for schools in Enfield (London), Isle of Wight, Southampton, Aldershot and Bristol, reaching many more enthusiastic children and young people and opening their ears to the possibilities of creating and performing new music.
Our talent development work continued with Playing the Future (our programme of activity for emerging performing talent) and the continuation of the Writing the Future programme for early career music creators. The fifth edition of Writing the Future came to fruition in 2024-25 with performances of new works by a diverse set of composers/creators: Pablo Martinez, Rocky Sun Keting and Omri Kochavi (a final work by Ashkan Layegh will be premiered in November 2025).
Progressing the Transform Two project (supported by funding from Arts Council England) formed a significant focus for our energy during the period, with strands of activity around refreshing the organisation’s brand, exploring the most effective ways to adapt our business model, developing new touring relationships with promoters in the UK and overseas, re-developing our individual giving scheme to grow donor engagement and income, and looking at ways to reduce our cost base (including a reduction in employee numbers). Although the Transform Two funding came to an end in March 2026, we recognise that this is a long-term journey which will take continued effort. However, this work is already bearing fruit, with touring activity growing in future seasons and the launch of the refreshed brand and new individual giving scheme taking place in April 2026. These are significant milestones and the Trustees thank the management team for the huge amount of ongoing work, delivered by a smaller team. We face the future with confidence that we can continue delivering against our mission.
We continue to be incredibly grateful to the many funders, supporters and partners who share our passion for bringing the music of today into being and presenting it to audiences and participants. The success of our concerts, projects and programmes is only possible due to the generosity of numerous Trusts and Foundations including long-term and major funders Cockayne – Grants for the Arts, The Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, John Ellerman Foundation, Jerwood Arts, Karlsson Játiva Charitable Foundation and a host of others. And we continue to be hugely grateful to the many individual donors who support our work.
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We are pleased that the Charity was able to generate a small surplus of £1,031 on General Funds, with Designated and Restricted Funds also supporting strategic activity during a busy period.
The Charity continues to find new ways for contemporary music to tell the stories of our lives, create diverse and powerful artistic experiences, connect us to the bigger issues we all face and engage audiences, including children and young people, with breathtaking performances. The thrill of experiencing musical creativity in all its many forms has the power to change lives and we are grateful for the loyalty and openness of all those who come with us on this journey.
As ever, we are grateful to the many talented and inspiring players, artists and music creators who have helped to bring such diverse new music projects to audiences and participants during the period.
Fiona Thompson Chair of Trustees
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Sinfonietta Productions Limited (a company limited by guarantee)
Report of the Council of Trustees For the year ended 30 September 2025
The Trustees are pleased to present their annual report together with the financial statements of the Charity for the year ended 30 September 2025, which are also prepared to meet the requirements of a Directors’ report and accounts for Companies Act purposes.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out on pages 26-27 of the attached accounts and comply with the charitable company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Companies Act 2006, the Charities Act 2011, other applicable laws, the requirements of the Statement of Recommended Practice for Charities effective for all periods commencing on 1 January 2019 (October 2019 SORP) and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
STRATEGIC REPORT
Purposes
The purposes of the Charitable Company, as stated in its governing documents, are to advance and encourage public education in the performing arts, particularly music. From its earliest days in 1968 the Charity set out to commission and premiere new works from living composers and creators, performing them with the most talented musicians and taking the art-form to national and international audiences as well as into schools and community settings.
Vision
The London Sinfonietta’s Vision is for new music to be an indispensable and valued part of contemporary society, education and community life, causing positive change in these areas. Experiencing world-class new music produces powerful, positive collective experiences for individuals, audiences and communities. The messages that such art communicates can provoke empathy for others, a reflection on contemporary society and promote equality of opportunity. Musical creativity and performance are fundamentally important for young people and will significantly improve their education and chances in life. Public participation in the creation and performance of new music can provide a catalyst for personal growth and positive community change. We work towards realising, and advocating for, these ideals.
Mission
We produce world-class new music projects and performances that engage with today’s society, involving and inspiring the lives of individuals, audiences, communities and artists.
Activity Areas
The Charity identifies six main areas of activity, through which it delivers its Mission, and its budgets and accounts are structured to reflect these six activity areas:
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1.) Own and co-promoted concerts which form its main season of performances and events
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2.) Commissioning composers and artists and supporting the development of New Work through collaborative processes and programmes such as Writing the Future
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3.) A programme of Participation & Learning work, offering children, young people and the public the opportunity to experience and be creatively involved in live music-making and supporting the development of musical talent
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4.) Digital Engagement projects and recordings which engage the audience, as well as promoting and enhancing the experience at live events
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5.) Engagements to perform on tour across the UK
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6.) Overseas Engagements to perform in Europe and the rest of the world
Strategy
In February 2022, the organisation developed a 10-year framework strategy which included four main Aims (see below) and since then Business Plans have been written and updated each year based on this strategy.
Subsequently, in November 2022, we received the unexpected news that our Arts Council England grant (regular funding as a National Portfolio Organisation) was to reduce by 41% to £300,000 per annum from
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April 2023. The organisation acted quickly and a successful application to Arts Council England’s Transform One funding programme provided immediate support during the period from April to July 2023.
The organisation subsequently applied successfully to Arts Council England’s Transform Two funding programme which has supported the organisation up to March 2026 as we started to evolve the business model and develop new income streams to become more self-reliant in the longer-term. This is a significant ongoing project for the Charity. The Transform Two grant has also provided a tapering level of support for ongoing activity and overhead costs whilst the business development project has been running. The 202-25 financial year therefore constituted Year 2 of this activity.
The overall 10-year Strategy is unchanged and retains the same four Aims, but the focus and emphasis are undoubtedly impacted by the Transform project (much of which sits most naturally under Aim 1 and Aim 4). Our response to the Strategy will continue to evolve yearly as the Transform project continues.
The Aims in the 10-Year strategy are:
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To make a 21st century new music programme that is relevant and accessible to a wider audience
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To create social impact through our activities
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To evolve an effective, inclusive and equitable organisation and ensemble of artists
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To evolve a resilient, sustainable organisation
The London Sinfonietta’s progress during the 2024-25 financial year against the Strategic Aims above (and the Objectives which sit under them) is summarised later in this Report.
Public Benefit
The Trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the aims, objectives and activities of the Charity.
As described in its Mission Statement and Strategic Aims, the London Sinfonietta aims to engage a wide and diverse audience with a varied and inspiring programme of contemporary classical music, placing it at the heart of today’s culture. To make its programme of live events accessible to all, the organisation balances the need to earn box office income with audience development initiatives, including discounted ticket offers and promotions. Those that are unable to attend these live performances can listen to or watch selected concerts or archive performances for free on YouTube or on BBC Radio 3. The organisation continues to offer a range of free digital content through the ‘LS Digital Channel’ on its website including podcasts, films and audio recordings, and a large catalogue of London Sinfonietta’s recordings on CDs or digital downloads are available to purchase.
The organisation offers unique opportunities to emerging composers, conductors and players, supporting them as they develop the skills necessary for their professional careers. In addition, the Participation & Learning programme offers a wide range of opportunities to individuals of all ages and from diverse backgrounds to engage with contemporary classical music through performance and music creation. This includes projects and concerts designed especially for school children, interactive music events for families and community projects (during the period, in Enfield). We also provide opportunities for the public to participate in the creative process and live performance of new music.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
An overview of our programme of activity and progress against our strategic aims and objectives in 2024-25 is outlined below:
Own/co-promotions
Overall, the season comprised eight own or co-promotions, most of which were at Southbank Centre as part of our Residency. This included four concerts at the Queen Elizabeth Hall ( Schoenberg: Reshaping Tradition, Refracted Sound, Hidden Voices and In C: Sasha Waltz & Guests ), and two at the Purcell Room ( The Boulez/Cage Letters and Humans ). There was also one performance at Kings Place ( Love Lines as part of their Scotland Unwrapped series) and a performance of Omri Kochavi’s
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Report of the Council of Trustees (continued)
new work Ladies in Bloomers , which was due to take place at the Story Garden, British Library but moved at the last minute to Regent Theatre due to poor weather.
Composer commissions and new work
A new work by Electra Perivolaris A Wave of Voices received its premiere at Love Lines in December 2024. Later in the season, a new work by Robin Haigh was premiered at the Sound Out! Schools concert (March 2025) and Hidden (April 2025) saw the world premiere of a commission from Laurence Osborn (supported by Cockayne – Grant for the Arts: a donor advised fund held at The London Community Foundation). The same concert also featured the UK premiere of Hannah Kendall’s shouting forever into the receiver , winner of the 2023 Ivor Novello Award for Best Large Ensemble Work.
New work created and developed through the organisation’s Writing the Future scheme was the main focus for Humans (June 2025) with two new works; Just for Today by Pablo Martinez and Conduit by Rocky Sun Keting. A further Writing the Future outcome received its premiere in September 2025. Omri Kochavi’s Ladies in Bloomers explored pioneering female gardeners. Ashkan Layegh, the final composer currently participating in Writing the Future , will see his new work performed in the early part of the 2025-26 season.
Participation and Learning
Our successful Schools’ Programme continued with the Composition Challenges project, which as usual culminated in the annual Sound Out! Schools’ Concert in March 2025 at the Royal Festival Hall, London. We were also successful in applying for a grant from Arts Council England to take Sound Out! on tour in June/July 2025. This resulted in 13 additional performances for schools in Enfield (London), Isle of Wight, Southampton, Aldershot and Bristol.
The final activity as part of our three-year community residency in Enfield took place during the period. The organisation will now focus on developing activity in Camden where its offices are situated.
In terms of talent development work, the Playing the Future programme (previously titled Academy Pathways ) continued, with the aim of finding the next generation of players to perform with the ensemble.
Digital engagement
The organisation continued to release new digital content at regular intervals across the year, to inform and engage audiences about the contemporary music performed during the season. Altogether, 10 separate pieces of digital content were launched during the period.
UK engagements
Key engagements during the year included a performance at Turner Sims (Southampton), an engagement to perform with Maya Dunietz & Friends at Southbank Centre, a workshop with the Royal Overseas League and a repeat performance of The Boulez/Cage Letters as part of the Music @ Malling Festival in Kent.
Overseas engagements
During the period the partnerships with Sinfonietta Cracovia (which began in February 2024) was completed, with two further London Sinfonietta players performing in Poland at different concerts.
Our main overseas project for the year was a performance of mainly Polish repertoire at the Warsaw Autumn Festival in September 2025 (which is linked to a concert which includes the same repertoire at Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival in the 2025-26 period).
Overall, the London Sinfonietta’s live performances during the year to 30 September 2025 reached 26,903 people (2024 – 26,362) with 34 live performances and events (2024 - 30) in venues and online, including nine own and co-promotions, four UK engagements, two overseas engagements and 19 events for schools and communities. The organisation delivered one performance streamed ‘as live’ and four performances were pre-recorded for delayed broadcast or as a separate digital production for use on the LS Channel. One
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London Sinfonietta concert was broadcast on radio, with an estimated 500,000 listeners for the ensemble’s work across the year.
The Participation and Learning programme performed live to 18,334 people (2024 – 16,873) attending schools concerts at venues including Royal Festival Hall and on Isle of Wight, Southampton, Alderton and Bristol. We reached 1,897 children across 57 workshops , workshop - rehearsals and other participatory sessions, both in-person and online. In terms of work with higher education instrumentalists we worked with 77 students across 14 workshops , rehearsals and side-by-side sessions with the Royal Academy of Music, Trinity Laban Conservatoire and Trinity Laban Juniors composer’s ensemble, as part of our Playing the Future programme. In line with our new focus on the local area of Camden, we developed a new relationship with Camden Music Service, whilst strengthening established partnerships with the North London Music Hub, Music Services in Gloucestershire, Southampton, Portsmouth, and others throughout the country.
Across all its live and broadcast work, the London Sinfonietta gave 20 (2024 – 20) world premiere and UK premiere performances, which included 13 (2024 – 6) works that were commissioned by or developed collaboratively with the ensemble.
In terms of digital reach, there were 109,902 (2024 – 106,965) unique views of the Charity’s website during the period, 7.46m (2024 – 6.4m) listens on Spotify and 117,000 (2024 – 226,963) views on YouTube during the period. We have steadily gained followers on YouTube, Spotify and Tiktok over the year making a total subscriber and follower base on these platforms of 14,249 (2024 – 12,973). The Charity also sustained its social media following at 20,472 (2024 – 20,443) followers on Facebook and 6,255 (2024 – 5,192) on Instagram. The Charity made a strategic decision not to focus on gaining followers on Twitter.
Overall, the London Sinfonietta reached an estimated 8.12 million people (7.69 million in the year to 30 September 2024) with its work. The variance is mainly due to the large number of Spotify streaming listens which fluctuate significantly year on year. Additionally, access to the ensemble’s significant recorded legacy through radio station relays, on-demand services and activity on streaming platforms contributes hugely each year to the organisation’s reach.
PROGRESS AGAINST STRATEGIC AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
Aim 1: To make a 21st century new music programme relevant & accessible to a wider audience
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Curate a high-quality artistic programme to build and engage our audience, which includes Commissions, Collaborations and Classics
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Produce more projects that can tour, and capitalise on our current work, via an expanded network in the UK and abroad
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Redefine London Sinfonietta’s vision, mission and brand
The artistic programme in 2024-25 presented a variety of high-quality concerts which included new commissions and premieres, collaborative projects developed with artists or in partnership with other promoters and the representation of classic 20[th] century repertoire. Some programmes focussed on one of these objectives while others achieved a mix of these ambitions in a single concert.
The first part of the season included two sell-out concerts which allowed audiences to revisit ‘classics’ from contemporary music’s back catalogue, including a programme of works by the pioneering Arnold Schoenberg in celebration of his 150[th] anniversary year (October 2024). This was followed by a pairing of American modernist Morton Feldman’s tribute For Samuel Beckett presented alongside the playwright’s mysterious works for dancers and ensemble Quad I + II . This project came together in collaboration with dancers from Trinity Laban and musicians from the Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble, working alongside London Sinfonietta players. Further ‘classic’ repertoire across the rest of the season included an evening exploring the relationship in letters between composers Pierre Boulez and John Cage.
In terms of new work, three pieces from the organisation’s Writing the Future scheme came to fruition and were presented to London audiences. Pablo Martinez’s Just for Today was paired with Sun Keting’s Conduit and performed at the Humans concert in June 2025. Both were conceived as collaborative works, involving
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Report of the Council of Trustees (continued)
a dancer, set designer, soprano and director as well as conductor and lighting/sound design across both pieces. In September 2025, Omri Kochavi’s dramatic stage-piece Ladies in Bloomers explored the stories of pioneering women gardeners from the early 20[th] century in a theatrical work involving a female chorus (Exaudi) and live, on-stage gardeners reading the lines of these long-forgotten horticulturists.
Aim 2. To create social impact through our activities
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Consolidate and nurture our work to support composition and creativity in schools
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Produce projects that support place-making work with communities
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Use our art form to engage audiences and the public in major societal issues including the climate emergency
The London Sinfonietta’s school and community work continued to grow this year, reaching thousands of primary school-aged children and supporting composition and creativity in schools across the UK. In 202425 our six partnership areas were Gloucestershire, Southampton & Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and the London Boroughs of Waltham Forest, Enfield and Haringey – all areas of low investment and engagement which have either been identified as government ‘Levelling up for Culture Places’ or as an Arts Council England ‘Priority Place’. In addition, the fifth Composition Challenge resource was released in November 2024. With 59 schools responding to this creative call, we received over 236 compositions from all around the UK. Student compositions were included in London Sinfonietta’s programme throughout the year, including our flagship Sound Out! concert at the Royal Festival Hall in March 2025 and Sound Out! Tour concerts in June-July 2025.
As usual, the culmination of our work in schools was the Sound Out! concert which this year took place on 28 March 2025 at the Royal Festival Hall to a live audience of school children and subsequently made available to schools online. Composer and presenter Patrick Bailey took the audience on a whistle-stop tour of contemporary music and composition, featuring 11 pieces of contemporary music, including three world premieres, two of which were by young people who participated in our Composition Challenges project. London Sinfonietta players were joined for three pieces by a youth ensemble, made up of 35 instrumentalists from the London Boroughs of Haringey, Enfield and Waltham Forest. An audience of 2,056 audience children and teachers attended the live concert, and the online recording of the concert reached 854 views.
Following a pilot in Enfield in 2024, we were successful in being awarded a grant from Arts Council England which enabled us to take Sound Out! on tour outside London for the first time, giving 13 concerts at venues in Enfield, Isle of Wight, Southampton, Hampshire and Bristol. In total these concerts reached an audience of 2,681 young people, involved 195 children who took part in Composition Workshops across six schools in the lead up to the tour and 139 young instrumentalists who played alongside London Sinfonietta musicians. Alongside the Composition Challenges workshops, teachers were invited to engage with continuing professional development (CPD) workshops, with provision in each of our partnership areas.
This season Academy Pathways evolved into a new programme Playing the Future , featuring a side-by-side project with the Royal Academy of Music and various small-scale projects with all ages from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance Junior, Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Graduate musicians. In November 2024 London Sinfonietta worked side-by-side with the Royal Academy of Music’s Manson Ensemble to play Morton Feldman’s For Samuel Beckett in the concert Refracted Sound (November 2024). A series of four workshops and one performance took place with the Trinity Laban Junior Conservatoire Composers Ensemble and London Sinfonietta musicians supported the Trinity Laban Chamber Orchestra to record third year composition students’ new works. For many of the composition students, this was the first time writing for a full orchestral line up. London Sinfonietta musicians also worked with five alumni from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance who were awarded a fellowship to explore contemporary classical music.
2024-25 also saw the completion of our In Town programme in the London Borough of Enfield with a final residency at St Ignatius College, this time linked to the performance of Terry Riley’s In C with the Sasha Waltz Dance Company during the Southbank Centre’s Multitudes festival in late April 2025.
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Aim 3. To evolve an effective, inclusive and equitable organisation and ensemble of artists
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Provide inclusive pathways for emerging talent, including via our artist development schemes
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Create effective structures for the Ensemble, Council and Staff that will enable the representation of a variety of skills, genders, ages, ethnicities, disabilities and socio-economic backgrounds
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Establish a positive, inclusive and supportive working culture
The organisation’s approach to effectiveness, inclusivity and equitability is now part of our regular thinking, planning and project implementation.
With regard to pathways for emerging talent, we progressed the 5[th] edition of our composer development scheme Writing the Future , having selected four composers from the largest and most diverse application pool we have ever achieved (over 250 applicants with 22% of applicants identified as being of a Global Majority background, 55% identified as non-heterosexual, 19% as disabled and 57% as neurodivergent. Applications were also more gender-balanced with 51% men and 49% women or gender minorities). From this pool we selected four composers who all represented different aspects of the Global Majority (Rocky Sun Keting, Pablo Martinez, Omri Kochavi and Ashkan Layegh) and then worked with them on their projects across the 2024-25 year, seeing the culmination of three of those works in professional performances as part of our main series of concerts.
Our talent development programmes have continued to support the performing skills of young players on the verge of entering professional careers. We decided after 14 editions to end our own Academy programme partly because many more colleges of music now run contemporary ensembles providing this training opportunity for young people. The most valuable offer we could continue has been side-by-side working for young players as part of our new Playing the Future scheme. Student musicians from the Royal Academy of Music joined us on-stage performing side-by-side with London Sinfonietta musicians in Morton Feldman’s classic For Samuel Beckett , while four movement / dance artists from Trinity Laban appeared in the same programme, enacting the very rarely seen TV play Quad II by Samuel Beckett. The success of such ventures is not only in giving professional experience to the next generation, but in generating audiences for what was a sold-out house (see also under Aim 1).
The organisation continues to work on increasing representation in all key areas as part of our Inclusivity and Relevance Action Plan. Having received a grant from the Cockayne Foundation of £100,000 towards commissioning, eight composers were offered new works in the 2024-25 year (to be performed in future seasons), of which four are men, four women, three represent the Global Majority and one identifies as disabled. This spread of gender, ethnicity and disability is an example of the balance that we are seeking to apply to our programming, on stage artists and organisational make-up.
Aim 4: To evolve a resilient, sustainable organisation
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Maximise income from individual giving, box office and profitability from touring
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Build new, sustainable income streams including from online transactional relationships
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Create efficiencies from more integrated project working and finding a lower-cost office base and archive
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Embed a framework of training, policies, technology and systems to underpin and develop the organisation
During the period, the organisation continued working to achieve these objectives, supported by the Transform Two grant (from Arts Council England) and led by the Income Generation Committee (board subcommittee). The period saw a series of sessions with a consultant to work on the longer-term evolution of the business model, a successful fundraising event at Theatro Technis (the building in which our office is situated) which explored several new formats and income generating ideas, the redevelopment of our individual donor schemes (for relaunch in 2026) and the completion of a major brand refresh to promote better engagement with audiences (also to be launched in 2026). In addition, we moved forward with a project to explore a permanent, long-term solution for housing the organisation’s archive (which would save the cost of storing it) and continued to invest in developing touring relationships with promoters in the UK and overseas. All these initiatives are aimed at helping us to reduce our cost base and grow existing or develop new income streams.
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Box office income, especially for events in the quarter October to December 2024, saw a positive increase with audiences keen to hear classic repertoire such as Schoenberg. The combination of Morton Feldman’s music with a rare performance of Quad I + II by Samuel Beckett also attracted a large audience of music and theatre/dance aficionados.
The organisation continued to work towards its goal of Environmental Responsibility, developing ideas for maximising sustainability around its artistic programme. In line with the organisation’s cycle of funding and reporting to Arts Council England the Environmental Policy and Action Plan was re-written in March 2025 for the period to March 2026. A key focus during the period was the dramatic piece Ladies in Bloomers project (September 2025) where we aimed to embed sustainability in the production planning. Unfortunately, due to adverse weather, we were unable to perform outside in the British Library’s Story Garden as originally intended and had to compromise on some of our original aims in terms of reducing carbon emissions by using natural light and limited amplification. The performance went ahead indoors using nearby Regent School’s theatre. We were still able to incorporate elements such as a team of community gardeners, who were an integral part of the live performance, and audience engagements elements such as printing the programmes on paper embedded with wildflower seeds. The management team continues to explore more efficient ways to collect Greenhouse Gas emissions data which falls under Scope 3, such as the emissions arising from business travel and touring, and to develop new initiatives to better understand and reduce the Charity’s carbon footprint.
In terms of developing the organisation, research into new finance software options was completed during the period and the migration to Xero took place in February 2026. The change to Xero will reduce our budget for software licenses and also allow us to create efficiencies in our workflows and processes.
Evaluation and Review
The Charity’s monitoring and evaluation framework encompasses quantitative and qualitative data collection using formal and informal evaluation methods, centered on a cycle of regular internal meetings, reports and reviews. Quantitative data collection takes place across key activity areas, and management staff report to the board on a quarterly basis, including progress against Business Plan objectives and key performance indicators. The management team imports, extracts and analyses data from Exchequer (finance), ArtsVision (performances and repertoire) and Tessitura (ticketing, customer and donor data).
Qualitative data is captured from internal evaluation of events and external customer surveys and focus groups, and informal feedback via social media. A full audience ‘Ambition & Quality’ survey was undertaken in Summer 2025 and will continue to be repeated annually. Critical feedback from press reviews and industry peers is regularly compiled to gain a rounded view of how projects are received and to inform future artistic planning, and the organisation uses tools such as Impact & Insight surveys via the Culture Counts online platform to collect customer and peer feedback on selected events.
We continue to upload data to the Arts Council England-mandated audience insights platform Illuminate, which entails quarterly uploads of activity surveys and box office data. An annual statistical data survey is also required by ACE. The organisation monitors and evaluates its progress against the requirements of ACE National Portfolio Organisation funding including ACE Activities & Outcomes and ACE Investment Principles, via the internal management team, Council (board) meetings and the board committees. ACE issue a quarterly risk assessment, and every year an evaluation is provided by the ACE relationship manager on the organisation’s progress against objectives.
Financial review and Key Performance Indicators
The Charity is pleased to report a surplus on General Unrestricted Funds for the year of £1,031 (£1,653 – 2024). The Revenue Reserve shows a balance of £4,685 (£3,654 – 2024) and the Contingency Reserve remained at £130,000 (£130,000 - 2024). At the end of the period, the balance on Restricted Funds was £189,782 (£174,492 - 2024) and the balance on Designated Funds reduced to £54,078 (£94,078 - 2024) with £40,000 disbursed from the Strategic Projects Fund to support activity during the year.
The Statement of Financial Activities shows net expenditure on Total Funds (before transfers) of £23,679 (net expenditure of £69,530 – 2024). This is made up of the surplus on General Funds of £1,031, a decrease on Designated Funds of £40,000 and an increase on Restricted Funds of £15,290. The movement on Restricted Funds represents a net increase in funds held for activity which will take place in a future period.
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Total incoming resources in the year were £1,193,161 (£1,172,479 - 2024). This figure includes £497,614 of funding from Arts Council England (£469,558 - 2024); income of £407,222 (£328,337– 2024) from other fundraised sources such as trusts, foundations and individuals and £157,671 (£235,109 - 2024) earned from the Charity’s activities (principally engagement fees and box office income).
Full details of all the figures are shown in the Statement of Financial Activities and the Notes. Further details of the Charity’s activities are shown in the Achievements and Performance section of the Strategic Report.
Funds
The charity’s funds fall into two groups:
| Restricted Funds | – funds which are earmarked for a particular purpose by those who provide |
|---|---|
| them (including Future Project Funds) | |
| Unrestricted Funds | |
| Designated Funds | _–_funds which the Council earmarks for specific strategic purposes |
| Contingency Reserve | – funds held to provide for contingencies that may arise in the future |
| Revenue Reserve | _–_the balance carried forward on the Statement of Financial Activities |
| consisting of funds available for use by the organisation to contribute towards | |
| its ongoing future artistic activity |
Reserves Policy
A key element in the management of financial risk is the regular review of the Charity’s policy on reserves. The Trustees aim to build up a Contingency Reserve at an appropriate level to provide for unforeseen liabilities and mitigate risks that may arise, whilst also giving the Charity the confidence to fulfil its artistic ambition to continue to innovate and invest.
In March 2026 the Trustees reviewed the Reserves Policy and agreed that the target set in September 2023 of £150,000 continued to be a prudent amount to build towards to mitigate key potential financial risks (such as a loss from delayed or non-payment of a fee on a large-scale artistic project or withdrawal of a significant grant). The target has been set on the basis of a risk-based analysis and is broadly equivalent to three months’ operating costs while also reflecting risks to the Charity taking into account the current external environment and the organisation’s core funding. The timetable for meeting this target was originally set at five years (from September 2023) but due to budgetary constraints the Trustees have agreed to adjust this timetable to allow the target to be met at a more sustainable pace. The Charity now aims to meet the target of £150,000 by 30 September 2030. At 30 September 2025 the Contingency Reserve remained at £130,000 (£130,000 - 2024).
Going Concern
The Trustees consider that, at the date of the signing of the Report and Accounts, the Charity is a going concern, based on their review of existing funds, secured income for future periods and expected cash flows. This takes into account the impact of the reduced level of grant from Arts Council England and the ongoing evolution of our business model.
Risk Management
The Council of Trustees is ultimately responsible for the management of risks and this focus is driven by the Finance, Risk & Audit Committee. The Charity has a Risk Register which identifies the major risks to which it may be exposed and assesses these by likelihood and impact as well as summarising controls in place to mitigate each risk. These risks and any newly arising risks are reviewed and discussed regularly at Council meetings and the Risk Register is revised in the light of changes and developments.
The Charity’s controls are designed to provide reasonable but not absolute assurance against material misstatement, loss or exposure to risk. Activities are largely project-based, and systems are in place to ensure that the Charity’s exposure is kept in line with secured core and project funding. The Trustees are satisfied that the systems developed will mitigate exposure to major risks and believe that risk management is a tool that assists the Charity in promoting its charitable purposes.
A key risk area faced by the organisation currently is the successful evolution of its business model. This risk is well mitigated by the funding from Transform Two which provides tapering support across the period to March 2026 for ongoing activities and aims to underpin the organisation as it explores new business models
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Sinfonietta Productions Limited (a company limited by guarantee)
and income streams. From the 2026-27 financial year, the organisation’s plans have been rebuilt around a reduced core funding base and greater reliance on income from Trusts & Foundations, individual donations and engagement income (from touring in the UK and overseas). The Transform Two project has supported the organisation to become more resilient and sustainable for the future.
As identified in the Risk Register, the Charity considers the key risks at the current time to be as follows:
| Risk identified | Action taken to mitigate risk |
|---|---|
| Continuing to adapt our business model and balance our budgets with rising costs and fixed ACE grant funding. |
Recent funding under ACE’s Transform Two programme has helped kickstart the development of new income streams and the evolution of a new business model. We continue to work to build resilience and long-term sustainability. |
| Income targets from fundraising or earned sources are not met which threatens the Charity’s financial stability. |
As above, the organisation is working to diversify its income streams and innovate its business model. In the short term, the Reserves target has recently been reviewed and the organisation is working towards achieving a new target. Careful forward planning takes account of income which is unconfirmed and ensures that activity takes place in line with this. |
| Risks arising from cyber security, cyber-crime and the impact of AI, including malicious attacks resulting in fraud and/or damage to IT systems and/or loss of data or intellectual property leading to financial liabilities, operational difficulties and potential damage to reputation. |
IT support company advises on and manages security and back up procedures. Relevant Employee Policies are in place to help safeguard IT security and data and staff receive training on spotting potential cyber risks. Cyber Security insurance is in place. Charity is in process of developing a strategy/policy around use of AI. |
| Simultaneous loss of multiple, senior level management personnel. |
Sufficient notice periods included in contracts, handovers planned with outgoing managers and documentation of key systems and processes in place. The organisation has a successful track record of attracting strong candidates and strives to be a welcoming and inclusive place to work, which pays equitably. |
| Risks arising from a sudden major catastrophic event (such as a weather event, pandemic, war, terrorism) causing the cancellation of events or the closure of the LS office. |
The pandemic has helped us to put in place better business continuity plans and the ability to work effectively remotely. Promoter contracts include Force Majeure clauses to reduce potential liabilities and cancellation insurance policies are taken out where appropriate. |
Other risks identified at the current time arise from uncertainties in the external environment, such as the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, government policies on funding and support for the arts, increased costs due to high inflation in recent years and increased competition for private funds (e.g. from Trusts & Foundations). This means that while costs continue to rise for the Charity it is becoming harder to secure grant funding. The Charity’s ability to adapt quickly and flexibly will continue to help mitigate risks arising from external change.
Funders and supporters
The organisation continues to be supported by Arts Council England as a National Portfolio Organisation and as part of its Transform Two funding programme which aims to support organisations which received a significant grant cut from April 2023. The Transform Two funding can be used to support some core costs but at least 50% of the total grant is to be spent on researching and implementing a refreshed business model, diversifying income streams and developing the organisation to become sustainable and resilient for the long term. At the time of writing, this project is just concluding (see Progress Against Strategic Aims and Objectives, Aim 4 for further details of activity in the 2024-25 financial year).
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Sinfonietta Productions Limited (a company limited by guarantee)
The London Sinfonietta is grateful to Arts Council England for its continued support as a National Portfolio Organisation and through its Transform programme.
We would also like to gratefully acknowledge the support of other key funders including Art Mentor Foundation Lucerne, The Arts Council of Ireland, Barbara Whatmore Charitable Trust, Big Give Arts for Impact Fund, Boris Karloff Charitable Foundation, Cockayne Grants for the Arts: a donor advised fund held at The London Community Foundation, Cuddigan Oliver Trust, De Laszlo Foundation, Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation, Finzi Trust, Garrick Charitable Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, Hodge Foundation, Jerwood Foundation John Ellerman Foundation, John Lyon's Charity, John S Cohen Foundation, Karlsson Játiva Charitable Foundation's Signatur Programme, Leche Trust, Marchus Trust, Margaret Engering Music Trust, Patrick Rowland Foundation, PRS Foundation, Radcliffe Trust, Royal Philharmonic Society, Samuel Gardner Memorial Trust, Summerfield Charitable Trust, Simon Gibson Charitable Trust, Steven R. Gerber Trust, Thistle Trust, Three Monkies Trust, Thriplow Charitable Trust, Vaughan Williams Foundation and Victoria Wood Foundation.
The organisation acknowledges with much gratitude the many donations from individual supporters which help us to achieve our goals, particularly in supporting the development of new commissions and the continuation of its schools’ programme.
The London Sinfonietta was a member of the Fundraising Regulator during this financial year.
PLANS FOR 2025-26 AND THE FUTURE
With the Transform Two funding now fully committed (at April 2026), the organisation will be completing its transition to a new lower funding base and continuing to evolve the income mix during the 2025-26 season and beyond. Artistic activity for the 2025-26 period includes:
Own/co-promotions (London and UK)
A full season of live concerts at Southbank Centre including:
-
Boulez: Sonic Structures at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in October 2025, a tribute to Pierre Boulez in his centenary year.
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London Sinfonietta & Marius Neset in November 2025 features Changes , a new commission from Marius Neset which fuses ecstatic jazz with the pulse and precision of the London Sinfonietta. This was paired with a new work by Ashkan Layegh Ephemerality and Recurrence , commissioned through the organisation’s Writing the Future scheme.
-
Grisey: Quatre Chants at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in late November 2025 explored this pioneering figure in the spectral music movement alongside younger generation composers influenced by him.
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Toru Takemitsu: Between Music and Silence took place in the Purcell Room in February 2026, a repeat of the programme performed at Portsmouth Guildhall.
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Pulse and Presence at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in March 2026 saw the UK premiere of Alex Paxton’s Scrunchy Touch Sweetly to Fall and the London premiere of Tansy Davies’s Soul Canoe alongside Louis Andriessen’s Zilver and John Adam’s witty, energetic Chamber Symphony .
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Sympoesia at Queen Elizabeth Hall in April 2026, a co-promotion with Southbank Centre, weaves together music and poetry.
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Time Entwined also at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in June 2026 celebrates the Southbank Centre’s 75[th] anniversary and presents the world premiere of new commissions from James B Wilson (written for young musicians from the North London Music Hub, who perform side by side with London Sinfonietta players) and Florence Anna Maunders alongside Christian Mason’s In Time Entwined, In Space Enlaced and Harrison’s Birtwistle Secret Theatre .
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Reich @ 90 in September 2026 at Royal Festival Hall celebrates the birthday of iconic American composer Steve Reich with an overview of his music including works commissioned by the ensemble in the past.
Composer commissions and new work
Commissions and co-commissions premiered in the 2025-26 season include:
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Marius Neset’s Changes (supported by Cockayne – Grants for the Arts) and Ashkan Layegh’s Ephemerality and Recurrence (developed through the Writing the Future scheme)
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A new commission for the Sound Out! Schools Concert, Mach 5 (Supersonic) by Gillian Walker
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Sinfonietta Productions Limited (a company limited by guarantee)
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A new commission from Florence Anna Maunders supported by the Steven R Gerber Trust
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James B Wilson’s new work (also supported by Cockayne – Grants for the Arts)
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A new piece by Louise Drewett (supported by the Cuddigan Oliver Trust) to be performed at the Aldeburgh Festival
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New works by Nathalie Joachim and Klein, co-commissioned with the Holland Festival
Participation and learning
In terms of the organisation’s programme for schools, in the 2025-26 season we continue to deliver Composition Challenges activity in our key partnership areas (Haringey, Enfield, Islington, Barnet, Southampton & Isle of Wight and Gloucestershire) through workshops and teacher CPD. The organisation has also expanded this activity to work in depth with three schools in the area closest to its office in St Pancras and Somers Town, Camden. This activity culminated at our annual Sound Out! Schools Concert at the Royal Festival Hall in March 2026 which provided an opportunity to celebrate young people as composers and performers. Our Time Entwined concert (June 2026) will also include young musicians from the North London Hub Partners (11-18 year olds) performing a new work by James B Wilson.
In our talent developing strand, a further performance of new work from our Writing the Future scheme (by Ashkan Layegh) took place in November 2025, and we continue to offer work to emerging performers through our Playing the Future programme, with young players from Royal Academy of Music performing side-by-side with London Sinfonietta players at three concerts during the season.
A project in collaboration with Britten Pears Arts will see Aldeburgh Young Musicians (supported by the London Sinfonietta) write a new protest song inspired by Henze’s Voices , which the ensemble will perform at the Aldeburgh Festival in June 2026.
Digital engagement
The organisation continues to release a range of digital content to introduce audiences to composers and artists programmed in its main season of concerts.
UK engagements
An engagement with Boston Consulting Group to deliver a training workshop to professionals took place in October 2025 and the ensemble returned to Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival with a programme of new works from Poland in November 2025 (linked to our concert at Warsaw Autumn Festival in 2024-25 financial year).
A performance of music by Steve Reich took place at Southbank Centre in February 2026 as part of their Classical Mix Tape event, showcasing all the resident orchestras. We returned to Portsmouth Guildhall in February 2026 to explore Takemitsu: music shaped by silence and nature , featuring the music of Toru Takemitsu alongside other 20[th] Century composers who responded to nature in their music (Claude Debussy, Olivier Messiaen and Anton Webern).
An engagement to appear at the Aldeburgh Festival, performing Henze’s iconic masterpiece Voices alongside a new commission by Louise Drewett, takes place in June 2026, and a further performance at Music @ Malling Festival is planned for September 2026, following our success there last season.
Overseas engagements
The organisation continues its efforts to strengthen existing relationships and develop new links with overseas promoters. We were pleased to return to Mexico and renew our relationship with the Cervantino Festival in October 2025. In January 2026 the ensemble gave repeat performances of Marius Neset’s new commission Changes at three venues in Norway (Cosmopolite Scene, Harstadt Kulturhaus and Tromsø Kulturhaus), following its premiere in London in November 2025.
A project with Musikene (a Spanish promoter) sees the ensemble working with young composers to develop new works for performance in April 2026 in San Sebastian. The ensemble will then travel to perform at the Holland Festival in June 2026 with a repeat performance of Henze’s Voices alongside new works by Nathalie Joachim and Klein.
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Sinfonietta Productions Limited (a company limited by guarantee)
Report of the Council of Trustees (continued)
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Legal status
Sinfonietta Productions Ltd (working as the London Sinfonietta) is registered as a Company limited by guarantee (Company number 00926551) and as a charity with the Charity Commission (Charity number 255095). The Charity’s Trustees, also Directors of the Company, are called the Council. The Charity was founded in 1968 and is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association. Membership of the Company consists of the current Directors. Members are co-opted by the Council and stand for election by the Members at the following general meeting of the Company.
Appointment of Trustees
As set out in the Articles of Association, the number of Trustees shall be not less than five and shall not exceed 18. This includes at least two and no more than four Trustees who are Principal Players with the London Sinfonietta. The Trustees can co-opt additional Trustees who will stand for formal appointment at the subsequent general meeting. A skills audit of existing Trustees is undertaken regularly to identify specialist skills needed. All Trustees can nominate potential new Trustees for consideration, and the Council advertises publicly for them as required.
A third of Trustees are required to retire from office at each Annual General Meeting and are eligible for reelection. Trustees can serve three terms of three years, a maximum of nine consecutive years, and retire by rotation in accordance with the Articles of Association.
An induction process is in place for new Trustees which includes spending time with the Chair and the Chief Executive as well as receiving relevant information about the organisation and their responsibilities as Company Directors and Charity Trustees. The Council of Trustees meets at least four times a year and they are encouraged to attend the organisation’s programme of concerts, events and projects. Trustees also sit on board committees and may participate in ad hoc working groups involving the management team where they can bring advice to particular areas of the operation. Trustees are also encouraged to attend appropriate external training events where these will facilitate their role. The Council regularly undertakes SelfAssessment to gain an understanding of any skill gaps. This last took place in Summer 2024 and has been used to help prioritise skills sought in recruitment processes since.
The organisation continues to ensure that there is regular rotation of Trustees in line with its governing documents. Following the appointment of two new Trustees in 2024-25, three Trustees will either step down or are due to retire in 2025-26. The organisation is therefore recruiting for further new Trustees at the time of writing, including one from the Principal Players to represent the ensemble.
Ultimate responsibility for the Charity rests with the Council of Trustees. The Trustees during the year are listed on page 3 and details of the Trustees’ responsibilities are set out on page 19.
Organisation and Management
The day-to-day running of the organisation is managed by the Chief Executive & Artistic Director, Andrew Burke, working closely with the Head of Finance, Head of Development, Head of Concerts & Production, Head of Participation & Learning and other members of staff to deliver the programme of work. Over the period, the Charity has had a team of five full-time and six part-time salaried staff members (on average) as well as support from freelancers. Two employees were made redundant in Autumn 2024 and remaining roles were revised in order to streamline the team further. This included the evolution of the General Manager role into a new Head of Development role with a much greater focus on income generation, in particular fundraised income.
The Chief Executive is a member of the Council of Trustees and reports to it, as well as maintaining regular contact with the Chair. Budgets are set by the Chief Executive and Head of Finance and ratified by the Council. The organisation’s Strategic Aims and Objectives describe the Charity's ambitions; annual and threeyear Business Plans outline activity in all areas, including artistic planning, participation and learning, digital projects development, financial planning and organisational development. In all matters, the Council monitors progress and delivery against the Business Plan aims.
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Sinfonietta Productions Limited (a company limited by guarantee)
The Council has three Committees. The Finance, Risk & Audit Committee meets at least four times a year to review financial planning and reporting in advance of Council meetings and to consider the organisation’s financial, strategic and operational risks as well as overviewing compliance in other areas. The Programme Strategy Committee meets at least twice a year to review past and future artistic plans including those of our public engagement programme. Lastly, the Income Generation Committee meets to consider fundraising, development of new income streams and business model innovation. Other ad-hoc working groups are set up from time to time to work on specific, short-term projects.
Third Party Indemnity insurance was in force during the year for the benefit of all Trustees/Directors of the Charity and the management team.
Remuneration Policy for Senior Management Personnel
The senior management team comprises the key management personnel of the Charity, in charge of directing and controlling, running and operating the Charity on a day-to-day basis. During the year ended 30 September 2025, the senior management team were the Chief Executive & Artistic Director, the General Manager (until December 2024, when this role changed), the Head of Finance, the Head of Development (from December 2024) the Head of Concerts and Production and the Head of Participation & Learning. Their remuneration, along with that of all staff, is reviewed annually and increased when appropriate, taking into account affordability, inflation and market practice. The Charity regularly benchmarks pay levels against other charities of similar size and purpose.
No Trustees received remuneration during the period, except as authorised by the Company’s Memorandum & Articles of Association. Where Trustees receive remuneration for other services provided to the Charity, these are detailed under Note 12. During the year, this included the Chief Executive & Artistic Director and three Principal Players.
STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES IN RELATION TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Charity Trustees (who are also Directors of Sinfonietta Productions Ltd for the purposes of Company Law) are responsible for preparing a Trustees’ annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the surplus or deficit, profit or loss of the charitable company for that period.
In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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observe methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
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make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.
The Trustees are also responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The Trustees acknowledge their responsibility for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charity’s website.
So far as the Trustees are aware, there is no relevant audit information (information needed by the company’s auditors in connection with preparing their report) of which the company’s auditors are unaware, and each
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Sinfonietta Productions Limited (a company limited by guarantee)
Trustee has taken all the steps that he ought to have taken as a Trustee in order to make himself aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the company’s auditors are aware of that information.
Auditors
A Resolution will be placed before the Members at the Annual General Meeting to approve the reappointment of MGR Weston Kay LLP as Auditors of the Company in accordance with the Companies Act 2006.
This Report, relating to the reporting period ended 30 September 2025, was approved by the Council of Trustees on 28 April 2026 and signed on their behalf by:
F Thompson Chair of Trustees
A Burke Chief Executive
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Sinfonietta Productions Limited (a company limited by guarantee)
Independent Auditors’ Report to the Members of Sinfonietta Productions Limited (a company limited by guarantee)
Opinion
We have audited the accounts of Sinfonietta Productions Limited for the year ended 30 September 2025 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, the Statement of Cash Flows and Notes to the accounts, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
In our opinion the accounts:
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give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company's affairs as at 30 September 2025 and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended;
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have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
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have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.
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 accounts section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the accounts 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 these accounts, 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 charitable company'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.
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 other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the accounts and our auditor's report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the accounts does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
In connection with our audit of the accounts, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the accounts or our knowledge obtained in the course of 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 there is a material misstatement in the accounts or a material misstatement of the other information. 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.
Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:
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Sinfonietta Productions Limited (a company limited by guarantee)
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the information given in the Chair of Trustees and Council of Trustees Reports, for the financial year for which the accounts are prepared is consistent with the accounts; and
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the Chair of Trustees and Council of Trustees Reports have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
Matters on which we are required to report by exception
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the Trustees and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Chair of Trustees and Council of Trustees Reports.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
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adequate accounting records have not been kept or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us;
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the accounts are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns;
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certain disclosures of trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or
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we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.
Responsibilities of Trustees
As explained more fully in the Statement of Chairman’s And Trustees’ Responsibilities, the Chairman and Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts 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 accounts that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the accounts, the Trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company’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 company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the accounts 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 accounts. A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the accounts is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: http://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.
Explanation as to what extent the auditor was considered capable of detecting irregularities including fraud
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.
As part of our planning of the audit work we obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks that are applicable to the entity via enquiries of the company’s management, carried out analytical procedures, held discussions amongst the engagement team and using knowledge of the sector determined that the most significant laws and regulation are those that relate to:
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The Code of Fundraising Practice.
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The Charities Act
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Health and safety regulations.
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The Safeguarding of Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.
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Employment law including right to work in the UK.
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Data Protection Laws (GDPR)
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UK Tax legislation
21
Sinfonietta Productions Limited (a Company limited by guarantee) We also considered those18ws and regulations that have a direct impact on the preparation of the financial statements such as Charfties SORP, FRS102 and the Companies Acl 2006. Based on the results of our risk assessment we designed our audil procedures to Identrfy non-compliance wilh the laws and regulations and the fraud risks identified. This included enquiries with management to understand their policies and procedures for compliance with those regulallons and we compieled the following tests: Obtained an understanding of relevant controls. Reviewed the company's risk assessments, procedures and systems. Checked samples of documentation including minutes of the meetings of the tnJstee$ and service agreements with regukgtory advisors. We also assessed the risks of material misslatemenl in Tespect of fraud as follows: Revenue fraud. Unaulhorised expenditure andlor payments. Management override of controls. Manipulation of accounting estimates. Related paty fraud. Based on the resuhs of our risk assessment we deslgned our audit procedures to idenllfy and to address material misslalements in relation to fraud. This included the risk of management blas and the risk of makir¢g inappropriate accounting entries. No significant issues were identtfied during our testing. There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above and the primary responslbility ft)r the prevention and detection of irregularities including fraud rests with management. As with any audlt. there remained a risk of non- detection of irregularities. as these could involve collusion. forgery, inlentlon81 omissions, misrepresentations or the override of internal controls. Use of our report This report is made solely to the charitable company's members, as a body. in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and regulations made undei that ACL Ou¥ audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company's members those matters we are Tequired to slate to them in an 8udilors' 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 charitable company and its members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have fomied. ptL { Nicholas Muir FCA (Senlor Statutory Auditor) For and on behalf of MGR Weston Kay LLP Chartered Accountsnts Statutory Auditors 55 Loudoun Rgad Sl John's Wood London. NW8 ODL
Sinfonietta Productions Limited (a company limited by guarantee)
Statement of Financial Activities (incorporating the Income and Expenditure Account) for the year ended 30 September 2025
| Notes Income Donations 3 Income from charitable activities 4 Other income 5 Investment income 7 Total income Expenditure Costs of raising funds 8 Expenditure on Charitable activities 8, 9 & 10 Total expenditure Net income/ (expenditure) before transfers Gross transfers between funds Net movement in funds Reconciliation of funds Funds brought forward Funds carried forward 18 |
Unrestricted Funds General Designated £ £ 426,341 - 131,921 - 128,968 - 1,686 - 688,916 - 123,303 - 564,582 40,000 687,885 40,000 1,031 (40,000) - - 1,031 (40,000) 133,654 94,078 134,685 54,078 |
Restricted Funds £ 478,495 25,750 - - 504,245 7,665 481,290 488,955 15,290 - 15,290 174,492 189,782 |
Total Funds 2025 £ 904,836 157,671 128,968 1,686 1,193,161 130,968 1,085,872 1,216,840 (23,679) - (23,679) 402,224 378,545 |
Total 2024 £ 797,895 235,109 138,343 1,132 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,172,479 | ||||
| 86,140 1,155,869 |
||||
| 1,242,009 | ||||
| (69,530) - |
||||
| (69,530) 471,754 |
||||
| 402,224 |
This Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure is derived from continuing activities.
The Notes on pages 26 to 35 form part of these accounts.
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Sinfonietta Productions Limited
(a company limited by guarantee)
Balance Sheet at 30 September 2025
| Notes Fixed assets Tangible assets 13 Current assets Debtors 14 Short term deposits 15 Cash at bank and in hand Total Creditors:Amounts falling due within one year 16 Net current assets Net assets The Funds of the Charity Restricted Income Funds Unrestricted Income Funds Designated Funds Contingency Reserve Revenue Reserve Total Charity Funds 17 |
2024 £ £ 6,638 392,563 4,575 251,551 648,689 (276,782) 371,907 378,545 189,782 54,078 130,000 4,685 **378,545 ** |
2024 £ £ 5,980 339,903 4,378 192,852 537,133 (140,889) 396,244 402,224 174,492 94,078 130,000 3,654 402,224 |
2024 £ £ 5,980 339,903 4,378 192,852 537,133 (140,889) 396,244 402,224 174,492 94,078 130,000 3,654 402,224 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 402,224 | |||
| 174,492 94,078 130,000 3,654 |
|||
| 402,224 |
The accounts were approved by the Council of Trustees on 28 April 2026 and signed on its behalf by:
F Thompson Chair of Trustees
A Burke Chief Executive
Company registration No: 00926551 Registered Charity No: 255095
The Notes on pages 26 to 35 form part of these accounts.
24
Sinfonietta Productions Limited
(a company limited by guarantee)
Statement of Cashflows For the year ended 30 September 2025
| Cash flows from operating activities Surplus for year ended Interest received Depreciation Decrease/(Increase) in debtors (Decrease)/increase in creditors Net cash provided by operating activities Cash flows from investing activities Interest from bank deposits Fixed asset additions Net cash from investing activities Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year Cash and cash equivalents at end of year Cash and cash equivalents Short term deposits Cash at bank and at hand Cash and cash equivalents at 30 September |
2025 £ £ (23,679) (1,686) 1,357 (52,660) 135,893 59,225 1,686 (2,015) (329) 58,896 197,230 256,126 4,575 251,551 256,126 |
2025 £ £ (23,679) (1,686) 1,357 (52,660) 135,893 59,225 1,686 (2,015) (329) 58,896 197,230 256,126 4,575 251,551 256,126 |
2024 £ £ (69,530) (1,132) 1,248 49,793 (4.245) (23,866) 1,132 (6,282) (5,150) (29,016) 226,246 197,230 4,378 192,852 197,230 |
2024 £ £ (69,530) (1,132) 1,248 49,793 (4.245) (23,866) 1,132 (6,282) (5,150) (29,016) 226,246 197,230 4,378 192,852 197,230 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,686 (2,015) |
1,132 (6,282) |
|||
| 58,896 197,230 |
(29,016) 226,246 |
|||
| 256,126 | 197,230 | |||
| 4,575 251,551 |
4,378 192,852 |
|||
| 256,126 | 197,230 |
The Notes on pages 26 to 35 form part of these accounts.
25
Sinfonietta Productions Limited (a company limited by guarantee)
Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 30 September 2025
1. Accounting policies
The financial statements are prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice for Charities (October 2019 SORP), which became effective for all periods commencing on 1 January 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.
Sinfonietta Productions Ltd meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are recognised initially at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes.
The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of these financial statements are as follows:
(a) Going concern
The Trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties regarding the Charity’s ability to continue as a going concern and have prepared these financial statements on this basis.
- (b) Income and Deferred Income Income from donations, as well as other sundry income, is accounted for on a receivable basis. Income from charitable activities is shown gross with the associated costs included in direct charitable costs. Income from engagements and promotions is stated net of value added tax. Income that relates to projects and fees of a future period is deferred until that period. Please refer to (j) for details regarding accounting policies for Restricted Funds.
(c) Expenditure
Costs and expenses have been apportioned between the cost of raising funds and expenditure on charitable activities according to the nature of the work performed and the time taken.
All expenditure is accounted for under the accruals concept.
(d) Operating leases
Rentals payable under operating leases are charged against income on a straight-line basis over the lease term.
(e) Foreign currency translation
Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into sterling at the rates of exchange ruling at the balance sheet date. Transactions in foreign currencies are recorded at the rate ruling at the date of the transaction. All differences are taken to the Statement of Financial Activities.
(f) Pension costs
The Charity operates individual defined contribution pension schemes. The assets of the schemes are held separately from those of the Charity in independently administered funds.
(g) Tangible fixed assets and depreciation
Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less depreciation. They are depreciated on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful economic lives, as follows:
| Years | |
|---|---|
| Office and stage equipment | 5 |
| Computer equipment | 5 |
26
Sinfonietta Productions Limited (a company limited by guarantee)
Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 30 September 2025
(h) Financial instruments
The Charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments, including trade and other debtors and creditors, are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value.
(i) Taxation
The Company is a registered Charity and accordingly is not subject to Corporation Tax on its charitable activities. The tax credit for the year is the payable tax credit claimed under the Orchestra and Theatre Tax Relief schemes.
(j) Fund accounting
Funds held by the Charity are categorised as follows:
Restricted Funds : funds which are earmarked for a specific purpose by the donors.
Unrestricted Funds : funds which can be used in accordance with the charitable objects at the discretion of the Trustees. Unrestricted funds include:
Designated Funds : unrestricted funds which have been earmarked for specific purposes by the Trustees.
Contingency Reserves : funds held to provide for contingencies that may arise in the future. Revenue Reserves : the balance of funds carried forward on the Statement of Financial Activities consisting of funds available for use by the Charity to contribute towards its ongoing artistic activity.
(k) Intangible income and gifts in kind
Donations in kind are valued and included in income to the extent that they represent goods or services which would otherwise be purchased. The valuation is based on what a third party would pay for the good or service. An equivalent amount is charged as expenditure. Income and the corresponding expense are recognised in the year that the goods or service are received/used.
In accordance with Charities SORP (FRS 102), the value of the amount of time given by volunteers has not been quantified in the accounts.
(l) Legal status and share capital
Sinfonietta Productions Limited is a registered charitable company limited by guarantee. The Memorandum of Association restricts the liability of members on winding up to £1 unless their liability becomes unlimited through contravention of the Memorandum. In the case of winding up none of the accumulated funds are distributable to the members but shall be given or transferred to some other charitable institution having similar objectives.
(m)
Creditors
Creditors 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 are normally recognised at their settlement amount.
(n) Government Grants
Government grants in these accounts are recognised on an accrual model and classified as grants relating to revenue.
2. Critical accounting judgements and estimates
In preparing these financial statements, management has made judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the application of the Charity’s accounting policies and the reported assets, liabilities, income and expenditure and the disclosures made in the financial statements. Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated and are based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.
27
Sinfonietta Productions Limited (a company limited by guarantee)
Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 30 September 2025
| 3. Donations Year to 30 September 2025 Arts Council England Trusts and Foundations Donations and Individual Giving Total Year to 30 September 2024 Arts Council England Trusts and Foundations Donations and Individual Giving Total 4. Income from charitable activities Own/co-promotions (UK) Engagements (UK) Engagements (Overseas) – See Note 6 Participation and Learning Digital projects Total 5. Other income Other Income Total |
Unrestricted 2025 £ 302,415 79,945 43,981 426,341 Unrestricted 2024 £ 300,000 85,489 37,526 423,015 |
Restricted 2025 £ 195,199 244,648 38,648 478,495 Restricted 2024 £ 169,558 197,107 8,215 374,880 Total 2025 £ 79,857 17,692 32,342 25,750 2,030 157,671 Total 2025 £ 128,968 128,968 |
Total 2025 £ 497,614 324,593 82,629 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 904,836 | ||||
| Total 2024 £ 469,558 282,596 45,741 |
||||
| 797,895 | ||||
| Total 2024 £ 81,283 67,775 62,347 19,687 4,017 |
||||
| 235,109 | ||||
| Total 2024 £ 138,343 138,343 |
Other Income includes funds received as a result of Orchestra and Theatre Tax Relief claims.
6. Geographical analysis of Overseas Engagements income
| European Union / EEA Rest of world Total |
Total 2025 £ 32,342 - 32,342 |
Total 2024 £ 29,439 32,908 |
|---|---|---|
| 62,347 |
28
Sinfonietta Productions Limited
(a company limited by guarantee)
Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 30 September 2025
7. Investment income
All investment income arises from interest bearing deposit accounts. Short-term deposits shown on the Balance Sheet are unlisted investments held in a COIF Charities Deposit Fund and available at short notice.
8. Analysis of expenditure
| Year to 30 September 2025 Cost of raising funds Own/co-promotions (UK) Engagements (UK) Engagements (Overseas) Participation & Learning Composer commissions & new work Digital projects Advertising and publicity Future Project Funds disbursed Total Year to 30 September 2024 Cost of raising funds Own/co-promotions (UK) Other engagements (UK) Overseas engagements Participation & Learning Composer commissions & new work Digital projects Advertising and publicity Future Project Funds disbursed Total |
Staff Costs 2025 £ 91,354 154,507 11,172 23,206 82,857 31,837 873 61,735 - 366,187 457,541 Staff Costs 2024 £ 60,217 169,291 61,956 43,806 73,520 11,644 5,744 56,230 - 422,191 482,408 |
Direct Costs 2025 £ 10,868 201,877 14,597 30,321 108,260 41,598 1,140 87,862 122,303 607,958 618,826 Direct Costs 2024 £ 5,000 209,425 76,645 54,192 90,950 14,405 7,106 31,319 141,445 625,487 630,487 |
Support Costs 2025 £ 28,746 48,431 3,502 7,274 25,972 9,980 273 16,295 - 111,727 140,473 Support Costs 2024 £ 20,923 43,120 15,781 11,158 18,726 2,966 1,463 14,977 - 108,191 129,114 |
Total 2025 £ 130,968 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 404,815 29,271 60,801 217,089 83,415 2,286 165,892 122,303 |
||||
| 1085,872 | ||||
| 1,216,840 | ||||
| Total 2024 £ 86,140 |
||||
| 421,836 154,382 109,156 183,196 29,015 14,313 102,526 141,445 |
||||
| 1,155,869 | ||||
| 1,242,009 |
Staff Costs and Support Costs are allocated to activities either on an actual basis (where possible) or based on the percentage of total Direct Costs that the activity accounts for in the year.
In 2025 Support Costs includes an unrealised exchange loss of £89 (2024: exchange loss of £249).
29
Sinfonietta Productions Limited (a company limited by guarantee)
Notes to the Accounts
for the year ended 30 September 2025
| 9. Staff costs and employees Wages and salaries Social security costs Pension costs Other staff related costs Total |
Total 2025 £ 416,264 21,804 12,100 450,168 7,373 457,541 |
Total 2024 £ 427,349 32,036 12,696 |
|---|---|---|
| 472,081 10,327 |
||
| 482,408 |
The average number of employees during the year was 11 (2024: 12), which included five full-time and six part-time employees. The key management personnel for the year were considered to be the Chief Executive & Artistic Director, the Head of Development, the Head of Finance, the Head of Concerts & Production and the Head of Participation & Learning. The total remuneration and pension contributions paid to key management personnel of the Charity were £222,137 (2024: £227,945).
No employee except Andrew Burke, Chief Executive & Artistic Director (see Note 12 below) received emoluments in excess of £60,000 in the year.
The pension cost charge represents contributions payable by the Charity to the funds and amounted to £12,100. Contributions totalling £1,928 were payable to the funds at the year end and are included in Creditors.
10. Support costs
| Support costs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rent and equipment leases Other establishment costs General office expenses IT costs and software licenses Depreciation Auditors remuneration Total |
Total 2025 £ 28,069 19,922 44,526 31,099 1,357 15,500 140,473 |
Total 2024 £ 34,183 18,345 32,594 30,944 1,248 11,800 |
| 129,114 |
Governance Costs of £46,473 (2024: £52,124) are included in Staff costs and Support costs which include audit fees as shown below. Governance Costs are calculated based on an estimation of staff time and resources required to support the governance function and the actual cost of recruiting new Trustees.
11. Auditors Remuneration
Fees payable to the company’s auditors and associates:
| For audit services: Audit of the company’s financial statements For other services: Taxation services Other services |
Total Total 2024 2024 £ £ 15,500 11,800 3,000 2,600 - 195 |
|---|---|
30
Sinfonietta Productions Limited (a company limited by guarantee)
Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 30 September 2025
12. Transactions with Trustees and Related Parties
Trustees received no remuneration during the period, except as authorised by the Company’s Memorandum & Articles of Association. The Chief Executive & Artistic Director and player members were paid as follows:
| Andrew Burke Timothy Gill Paul Silverthorne Mark van de Wiel Total |
Salary £ 77,598 - - - 77,598 |
Pension £ 3,880 - - - 3,880 |
Payments as members of the orchestra £ - 7,304 5,024 6,856 19,184 |
Total 2025 £ 81,478 7,304 5,024 6,856 100,662 |
Total 2024 £ 81,478 4,518 11,711 1,804 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99,511 |
The payments made to members of the orchestra represent gross amounts paid during the year and while they were registered as Trustees of the Charity.
Reimbursements to Trustees for expenses during the year amounted to £0 (2024: £60).
During the year £7,184 of donations were received from the Trustees (2024: £6,538). The number of Trustees to whom retirement benefits are accruing is 1 (2024: 1). There were no other related party transactions.
13. Tangible fixed assets
| Tangible fixed assets | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost At 30 September 2024 Additions At 30 September 2025 Depreciation At 30 September 2024 Charge for the period At 30 September 2025 Net book value At 30 September 2025 At 30 September 2024 |
Office Equipment £ 2,440 - 2,440 123 488 611 1,829 2,317 |
Computer equipment £ 6,747 2,015 8,762 3,084 869 3,953 4,809 3,663 |
Total £ 9,187 2,015 |
| 11,202 | |||
| 3,207 1,357 |
|||
| 4,564 | |||
| 6,638 | |||
| 5,980 |
31
Sinfonietta Productions Limited (a company limited by guarantee)
Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 30 September 2025
14. Debtors
| Trade debtors VAT Other debtors Prepayments Accrued income Tax recoverable Total |
Total 2025 Total 2024 £ £ 35,123 26,337 10,633 4,054 6,300 6,300 66,659 36,879 35,496 13,322 238,352 253,011 392,563 339,903 |
|---|---|
15. Short-term deposits
Short-term deposits are unlisted investments held in a COIF Charities Deposit Fund and available at short notice.
16. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year
| Trade creditors Taxation and Social Security Other creditors Accruals Deferred income (received in advance) Total Movements in deferred income in the year were as follows: Balance brought forward Amounts released in the year Amounts deferred in the year Balance carried forward |
Total 2025 £ 80,800 7,891 2,706 49,199 136,186 276,782 Total 2025 £ 71,334 (70,979) 135,831 136,186 |
Total 2024 £ 25,037 9,315 2,833 32,370 71,334 |
|---|---|---|
140,889 |
||
| Total 2024 £ 48,640 (48,640) 71,334 |
||
71,334 |
Any amounts deferred in the year relate to cash received in the year ended 30 September 2025 or a prior year, for expenditure on concerts and projects taking place in a future financial year.
32
Sinfonietta Productions Limited
(a company limited by guarantee)
Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 30 September 2025
17. Analysis of Charitable Funds
Year to 30 September 2025
| Restricted Funds Future Projects Fund Unrestricted Funds Designated Funds Contingency Reserve Revenue Reserve Total* |
Balance at 1 October 2024 £ 174,492 94,078 130,000 3,654 **402,224 ** |
Net movement £ 15,290 (40,000) - 1,031 (23,679) |
Transfers between Funds £ - - - - |
Balance at 30 September 2025 £ 189,782 54,078 130,000 4,685 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 378,545 |
During the year £40,000 was disbursed from Designated Funds to support Strategic Projects. The remaining balance on Designated Funds allows the Charity to invest in artistic activity planned in 202526 and future financial years.
| *** Designated Funds** comprise: Balance at 1 October 2024 Net movement Transfer between funds Balance at 30 September 2025 |
Strategic Projects Fund £ 65,555 (40,000) - 25,555 |
Digital Production Fund £ 18,523 - - 18,523 |
Future Business Innovation Fund £ 10,000 - - 10,000 |
Total Designated Funds £ 94,078 (40,000) - |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54,078 |
Year to 30 September 2024
| Restricted Funds Future Projects Fund Unrestricted Funds Designated Funds Contingency Reserve Revenue Reserve Total* |
Balance at 1 October 2023 £ 210,675 129,078 125,000 7,001 471,754 |
Net movement £ (36,183) (35,000) - 1,653 (69,530) |
Transfers between Funds £ - - 5,000 (5,000) - |
Balance at 30 September 2024 £ 174,492 94,078 130,000 3,654 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 402,224 |
33
Sinfonietta Productions Limited (a company limited by guarantee)
Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 30 September 2025
Restricted Funds:
Future Projects Fund
The Future Projects Fund relates to funds already raised for projects which are continuing into or commencing during 2025-26 and beyond. The Charity has committed to fund these projects. A deficit on Restricted Funds for the year indicates that funds raised in a prior year have been used for the projects for which they were intended and have not yet been replaced by funds for future projects.
The Future Projects Fund contains amounts to be allocated to Own/Co-Promotions, Participation & Learning and New Work.
Unrestricted Funds:
Designated Funds
The Strategic Projects Fund relates to funds set aside to support strategic projects in future financial periods.
The Digital Production Fund relates to funds set aside to support digital production and audience engagement, including CD releases, audio and film projects and other digital projects.
The Future Business Innovation Fund relates to funds set aside to use as seed-corn funding for researching and developing new income generation ideas. This follows a decision at the Council meeting in December 2024 to re-designate the Future Office Fund following the completion of the move to new office premises at Theatro Technis in July 2024.
Contingency Reserve
The Contingency Reserve represents funds held to provide for unforeseen liabilities that may arise.
Revenue Reserve
The Revenue Reserve represents the balance carried forward on the Statement of Financial Activities and consists of funds available for use by the organisation to contribute towards its ongoing future artistic activity.
18. Analysis of Net Assets between Funds
| As at 30 September 2025 Tangible fixed assets Debtors Short term deposits Cash at bank and in hand Creditors falling due within one year Total Net Assets |
Unrestricted Funds General Designated £ £ 6,638 - 178,612 - - - 24,662 54,078 (75,227) - 134,685 54,078 |
Restricted Funds £ - 213,951 4,575 172,811 (201,555) **189,782 ** |
Total 2025 £ 6,638 392,563 4,575 251,551 (276,782) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 378,545 |
34
Sinfonietta Productions Limited
(a company limited by guarantee)
Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 30 September 2025
As at 30 September 2024
| Tangible fixed assets Debtors Short term deposits Cash at bank and in hand Creditors falling due within one year Total Net Assets |
Unrestricted Funds General Designated £ £ 5,980 - 67,946 12,707 - - 105,390 81,371 (45,662) - 133,654 94,078 |
Restricted Funds £ - 259,250 4,378 6,091 (95,227) 174,492 |
Total 2024 £ 5,980 339,903 4,378 192,852 (140,889) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 402,224 |
19. Operating lease commitments
At the reporting date the Company had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:
| Within one year Between two and five years Total |
2025 £ 876 698 1,574 |
2024 £ 876 1,574 |
|---|---|---|
| 2,450 |
Lease payments of £876 (2024: £178) have been recognised as an expense in the year ended 30 September 2025.
20. Government Grants
Income from government grants comprises regular core funding from Arts Council England of £302,415 (2024: £300,000) as a National Portfolio Organisation and grant income recognised of £158,440 (2024: £169,558) under the Transform Two programme (see Note 3).
The regular funding from Arts Council England is to support the organisation and its artistic work across all areas. The Transform Two grant allocated during the period is to support the organisation as it realigns its business model across the period up to March 2026, following a reduction in regular funding from Arts Council England from April 2023.
Additionally, the organisation was awarded a project grant of £36,759 in support of Sound Out! On Tour (June/July 2025) under Arts Council England’s National Lottery Project Grants programme.
21. Company Information
Sinfonietta Productions Limited is a company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office and principal place of business is Theatro Technis, 26 Crowndale Road, London, NW1 1TT.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest pound.
35