2022-03-31-accounts - The Manchester Young People's Theatre Limited

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

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited

(A company limited by guarantee)

Report and Financial Statements Year ending 31 March 2022

Charity number: 501953 Company number: 01066757

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Reference and administrative details

Charity number: 501953 Company number: 01066757 Registered Office: Contact Theatre, Devas Street, Oxford Road, Manchester, M15 6JA

Our advisers

Auditors Beever & Struthers Suite 9b, The Beehive, Shadworth Business Park, Lions Drive, Blackburn BB1 2QS Bankers Natwest Bank plc 1 Spinningfields Square, Manchester, M3 3AP Solicitors Gateley LLP Ship Canal House, 98 King Street, Manchester, M2 4WU

Directors and Trustees

The Directors of the Charitable Company (the Charity) are its trustees for the purpose of charity law. The Trustees and officers serving during the year and since the year end were as follows:

Key management personnel Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited: Trustees and Directors President Mr C Austin-Behan Non-Trustee role Chair Mr J Akinola Vice Chair Ms A Wilson University of Manchester representative: Dr K Dorney Manchester City Council representative: Cllr A Abdullatif Resigned 14 December 2021 Elected trustees: Ms R Tennenhaus Ms G Gibb Resigned 14 December 2021 Ms G Flynn Mr J Wilkinson Ms F Ope Mr C Cremin Appointed 2 March 2022 Mr P Olubayo Appointed 2 March 2022 Secretary Mr M Fenton Resigned 2 March 2022 Mr S Moon Appointed 2 March 2022

Key management personnel:

Senior managers of Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited: Artistic Director/Chief Executive M Fenton Resigned 30 April 2022 K Thompson Appointed 13 June 2022 Head of Creative Development S Henderson Resigned 15 January 2022 L Whitehurst Appointed 14 March 2022 Head of Finance V Yates Resigned 31 May 2022 S Moon Appointed 29 November 2022 Head of Marketing & Communications M Barham Appointed 1 November 2022 Head of Commercial & Visitor Experience S Stephens Head of Production J Dale-Dowd

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 March 2022

The Trustees are pleased to present their Annual Trustees’ Report together with the financial statements of the Charity for the year ending 31 March 2022 which are also prepared to meet the requirements for a Directors’ Report and Accounts for Companies Act purposes.

The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).

Chair’s Report

This year has delivered many opportunities for Contact to champion young people, explore and develop new practices, take creative risks and deliver artistic excellence to local audiences. A new era of leadership has arrived at Contact with many significant new additions to the staff team within the year, culminating with the appointment of Keisha Thompson as AD/CEO in June 2022. In October 2021 Contact’s newly refurbished building re-opened with the production of CYC’s Everything All of the Time. The public have returned to Contact’s public spaces for events, workshops, social gatherings and more, whilst we recover from the pandemic and simultaneously seek to support those still navigating public space with caution.

Contact’s Board continues to develop its youth governance model. With a make-up of 50% of trustees under 30, the Board is unique in its ability to reflect the lives of young people, who remain Contact’s key stakeholders. In May 2022 we formalised a Vice-Chair position in order to deputise Chair responsibilities and build sustainability into our youth-led governance work.

We entered the first year of a new five-year plan with The Agency, launching a central Steering group with Agents from across the national network and commissioning evaluation to further understand the extensive impact this project is having on the lives of young people. Our participation projects continue to equip young people with skills in music, live technology, production, drama, workshop delivery and more. Contact’s resident young company re-opened the building with the production of CYC’s Everything All of the Time, and in 2022 are planning new immersive outdoor work with internationally renowned company Gob Squad and a new show directed by AD/CEO Keisha Thompson. In March 2022, 20 young people entered into a 12-month reverse mentoring scheme with BBC, matching young people involved at Contact with senior BBC staff from MediaCity’s Children’s and Learning department. Projects designed for and with young people continue to build lasting connections with significant industry partners, opening doors for future opportunities and ensuring those who are often left out of traditional provision have access to exciting and meaningful cultural and career opportunities.

Contact’s artistic programme has welcomed thousands of live and digital attendees. The unique design of the air filtration system in Contact’s main theatre, Space 1, has offered a particularly safe environment for audiences to re-emerge and once again enjoy unique and diverse programming offers, including As British As a Watermelon by commissioned artist mandla rae. The building hosted an array of live and digital events throughout its spaces, including project launches, building wide takeovers and the hugely successful holiday club. The past year has seen and heard joy return to the

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 March 2022

building through the experience of young people, artists, audiences and participants who once again are making the space their own.

Contact’s corporate hire offer has continued to grow, bringing a range of businesses and organisations into the building for the first time, alongside GRUB and House of Habesha’s bar and café service, which attract customers from across Manchester. We delivered Anti-Racism Training to local theatre HOME and London-based arts centre Battersea Arts Centre amongst others.

Throughout the year we successfully applied to key trusts and foundations, and have recently been awarded standstill funding for the 24-26 round of Arts Council NPO. Whilst we weather the impact of the cost-of-living crisis in almost every faction of the organisation, we continue to maintain reserves and seek to support staff in as many ways as possible.

The year has been unique in its on-going challenges, however the impact of Contact’s commitment to young people and local audiences can be felt across Greater Manchester. With a dynamic and skilled team, we continue to deliver on our core values; centring young people at the heart of decision making, ensuring artistic excellence, respecting and honouring diversity of cultures and developing new artists, audiences and under-served young people. Contact remains a hub of curiosity, integrity and community. We look forward to this next year.

Junior Akinola, Chair of the Board of Trustees

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 March 2022

Objectives and Activities

Our vision is a world where young people are empowered by creativity to become leaders in both the arts and their communities. We provide a wealth of opportunities for the next generation of creative leaders, artists and audiences, redefining theatre in the process. We produce and present a programme of outstanding performances, events and festivals in our building, in surprising places and virtual spaces. In 2020/2021, we were again rated as ‘outstanding’ by Arts Council England in their Creative Case for Diversity, one of a small number organisations nationally.

Our purpose is to provide tangible benefit to young people aged 13-30, though the public programme we co-create with them is available to everyone. We programme and produce diverse, innovative work that draws young audiences, supports early career artists and enhances local communities. We aim to overcome physical and financial barriers to accessing the arts, so all young people can participate equally. Young people of all backgrounds and abilities engage with our programmes and enjoy our performances.

Our free weekly programme of creative learning activity for young people aged 13+ covers music, theatre, spoken word, producing and programming, marketing, social enterprise and leadership development. From drop-in activity to developing more specialist artistic, leadership or entrepreneurship skills over a longer period, we encourage young people along a journey from first engagement to Board level.

Our core values are:

A young people centred approach to decision making
Artistic excellence, integrity and creative risk taking
Respect for diversity of cultures, creativity, and understanding within and between communities

• Development of new artists, audiences and practitioners reaching under-served and excluded young people who may not have connected to theatre or the arts.

We use these values to inform our activity, and as the framework for evaluating our progress. In shaping our objectives for the year and planning our activities, the Trustees have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit, including the guidance ‘public benefit: running a charity (PB2)’. Our main areas of activity are:

Providing transformative experiences for young people
Producing high quality new work with a focus on social realities

• Operating a unique, ethical and welcoming building Contact is an environmentally sustainable building with an energy rating of A.

Each year Contact commissions and co-produces new shows for first presentation in Manchester, and for national touring. Contact supports early career artists through a structured programme of

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 March 2022

seed fund commissions alongside in-house financial, producer and technical support. Productions focus on pressing social issues relevant to young people. Contact is a leader in the field of diversity and representation, both of which are at the core of both our produced and presented work. Our on-going target is that 50% of the artists that we support are from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic background, markedly higher than local or national averages, and a target we again met in 2021-22.

Our presented programme of theatre, music, spoken word, comedy and cabaret features early career and first-time artists alongside internationally acclaimed companies. Contact audiences get to be the first to experience innovative and pioneering shows that go on to major venues and festivals, and to experience the work of artists who go on to renowned and award-winning careers.

Within this iconic building the atmosphere is open and welcoming, with local young people populating the most front-facing roles. Contact provides a meeting place for young people, communities and artists to work and socialise together. We provide free Wi-Fi, and there is no obligation to buy or consume anything in our public spaces. We also present a high-quality visual art programme of exhibitions and artists' films that complement and often relate to the performance programme. These are curated across public spaces around the building, and are always free to enter. As an organisation championing young people, Contact pays all staff the national living wage, regardless of age. The Trustees are proactive in ensuring that our activities benefit the public and young people, and as a consequence have considered the guidance in all our activities and fee charging.

Main Areas of Activity:

The Agency

We are currently in year one of a new five-year era for The Agency. At the time of writing, this statement has been issued to The Agency board. We’ve launched a new Steering group made up of Agents from across the National network (12 in total) and had two meetings so far. Ahead of the 10th birthday year for The Agency, we have appointed 21 Artists as evaluators to conduct a Longitudinal Evaluation to examine aspects previously under explored, including the impact on health and wellbeing, employability and involvement in education. We have developed a new comms strategy, launched the new website and operations manual, training and support package for all partner organisations. The teams from Battersea, Manchester and Southampton took part in a three-day methodology training together.

A Home for Grief

We were proud to programme A Home for Grief - an experience for one person at a time. It begins with a sound-walk through the cityscape surrounding Contact. After, visit an installation in Contact’s brand-new Space 0, with a collection of audio-visual pieces, featuring 5 quilted maps that chart the different landscapes of grief we find inside ourselves.

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 March 2022

All the Things They Never Teach Us

A series of podcasts developed with young people called exploring aspects of science not taught in school. The second year was two documentaries made in collaboration with M13. The focus for the third year was paused as Chloe left the Health & Science Producer role last year. Rose, the new producer, is reviewing how we deliver the last instalment.

Anti-Racism Training

Developed by Keisha Thompson, this training has been delivered to a number of cultural organisations across the country both in-person and online. Feedback to date has been very positive with growing interest in the package. Upon writing, five new facilitators have been recruited to meet the demand. Following the funding decisions at the end of 2022, the aim is to recruit another commercial administrator to ensure we can continue to deliver the programme whilst managing wider hires conversations.

The Arts & Trauma Network

Funded by GMVCO, this network includes 15 venues and freelance practitioners from across Greater Manchester. Contact is the lead partner with Oldham Coliseum, Manchester Art Gallery and Dr Simon Parry from University of Manchester as supporting partners.

Commissioned Artists: Miray Sidhom and Mandla Rae

Miray is an emerging theatre practitioner, combining elements of film, soundscapes, poetry, and movement to create experimental and thought-provoking performances which deconstruct a concept through form. She’s been part of Contact Young Company, including as Assistant Artist for Baby Fever. Independently, she created If I Knew it was Harmless I would’ve Killed it Myself (GM Fringe 2017). Miray has recently graduated with an MA in Advanced Theatre Practice from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, and is one-sixth of ClusterFlux Collective.

In February 2022, she premiered The Break We Break. Drawing on her Egyptian heritage, Miray Sidhom explores Egypt’s suppressed history of political uprising. Weaving together memories of a childhood in Cairo, frank conversations with her mother, and archive footage, she questions bread’s cultural symbolism and fermentation as a metaphor for social change.

A decade on from the Arab Spring, Miray traces the origins of uprisings to the first workers strike in the Pharonic era. This piece attempts to piece together fragments from an untold history, to knead the past into the present, to feed the future. Oscillating between personal & political, Miray reconciles and celebrates her Middle Eastern heritage; exposing the way everyday aspects of our lives can be politicised and controlled, and asks what are we driven to do when our fundamental rights are threatened?

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 March 2022

mandla rae is a queer Zimbabwean writer, performer and curator. mandla is agender and has no pronouns. mandla’s work typically explores an intersectional existence enforced on the artist’s body as a result of the world we live in. mandla has been commissioned by many organisations across the country including the BFI, Journeys Festival International and Hope Mill Theatre to make written works. mandla is an Associate Artist for Outbox Theatre.

As British As a Watermelon was performed in October 2021, following a filmed version that featured in Queer Contact 2021. Through the exploration of mandla’s fragmented asylum and migration memories, as british as a watermelon asks questions about belonging, trauma and forgiveness. Told through an unflinching autofiction narrative weaving poetry and storytelling; set within a chaotically colourful, sensory performance space; you are invited to watch as mandla rises from the dead to reclaim a previously misplaced power.

Contact Young Company – Saturnalia and Everything All of the Time

Contact provides performance and training opportunities for young performers through its renowned ensemble Contact Young Company (CYC). CYC is made up of young performers, actors, dancers, musicians, poets and MCs, and each year creates brand new professional standard shows in collaboration with major national and international artists. CYC empowers young people of all backgrounds into creative careers, offering an alternative to expensive training. We nurture the next generation of creative talent who go onto shine in the arts across the country, on stage and in leadership roles.

Saturnalia - /ˌsatəˈneɪlɪə/ (noun) an occasion of wild revelry or indulgence. CYC, Level Up and HighRise Theatre took over skate park ProjektsMCR to create a colosseum of celebration, imagination and revolution with an Avengers-like company of multi-talented performers including DJs, MCs, poets, dancers, musicians and storytellers.

Directed by Dominic Garfield (Lil.Miss.Lady, Merryville, The Concrete Jungle Book) with material created by CYC and Level Up, this new-concept rave offers audiences the chance to transport into an underground world of bass, politics and belonging – rising from the ashes of our brand-new world.

Everything All of Time was a physical and visual journey through a new world. As we emerge blinking into a new reality, CYC ask what now, what has changed and what needs to change? Everything All of the Time is a physical and visual journey through a new world, squashed into an hour of hedonism, love, anger, nostalgia and hope.

With influences from Gaika’s music videos, Benji Reid’s photography and Bo Burnham’s Inside, CYC get ready to face the music and dance. The creative team included director Matt Fenton,

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 March 2022

choreographer Yandass Ndlovu, dramaturg Sam Holley-Horseman and assistant director Allegra Jeffreys. Produced by Lauren Banks.

Every Brain

Trustee Ali Wilson launched her project, Every Brain: Galaxies of Neurons Firing at Contact.

Every Brain is an evolving project designed to support & platform neurodivergent creativity. Galaxies of Neurons Firing: Every Brain's guide for theatres & cultural organisations on supporting neurodiversity. This guide is one of many pieces of work being created across the cultural sector to share knowledge around neurodiversity. The guidance offered in this guide is not final. This guide will be updated as understandings and experiences evolve, grow and transform.

GMCDP – DIS:Play

DIS:Play was a Living Museum installation piece across the Contact building with individual pieces of work created by young disabled and neurodivergent creatives. In collaboration with Director Sam Holley-Horseman combining live performance, sensory spaces, and digital installations, this hybrid event had access and activism at its heart.

Level Up

Four young people from the music programme received their first professional paid commissions. Our advanced music training programme, Level Up, funded by Youth Music, became online tutorials, as well as face-to-face delivery when possible from the new studio.

Manchester City Council: First 1000 Days

The Glowing Mum’s Group co-presented with Moston Miners. This project was led in the first phase by associate artist, Amy Vreeke, exploring creative writing with parents living in the Moston and Harpurhey area. The second phase was led by another associate artist, Chloe Barlow. Chloe supported the group to research and develop a new offer for children and their parents in Moston and Harpurhey. The outcome of this project was a week-long of activities at Harpurhey Neighbourhood Project called ‘Kids Fun Zone’.

Manchester International Festival: Looking Forward

Produced by Manchester International Festival and Contact. Commissioned by Manchester

International Festival. Created by the people of Greater Manchester.

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 March 2022

What will our future hold – and how can we make it better? Join activists, artists, campaigners, key workers and your fellow citizens for two days of talk and action.

In 2020, under lockdown, a group of Greater Manchester residents aged 16 to 70 came together for the first time to share their hopes, thoughts and ideas about the future. Hosted by Contact and MIF, the group has continued to meet and discuss the important issues of today: and now, they’d like you to join them and their invited guests – artists, activists, key workers, campaigners and others – for conversation and debate about two topics they think are key to our future: Equality and Environment.

Manchester Literature Festival: FLUX

Contact supported Manchester Literature Festival’s Young Producer’s Collective as they worked with Kate Bradnam to develop their ideas for a new show as a part of the festival. They came up with FLUX - an immersive, dynamic space where artist and audience can connect through words.

Manchester Literature Festival’s Young Producers Collective bring together a range of

multidisciplinary artists to celebrate and explore how we tell stories. Taking words from the page to the stage, FLUX re-engages people with the form, creating an immersive, dynamic space where artist and audience can connect through words.

Queer Contact

Annual Queer Contact Festival is a celebration of Greater Manchester’s LGBTQ+ arts and creativity each February. Collectively, the artists presenting work with or at Contact are highly distinctive in the gender, racial, ethnic, social, disability and sexual diversity they represent. Informed by a young consultation group for programming, the 2022 festival saw the youngest and most ethnically diverse audience to date with significant variance of representation for LGBTQ+ subgroups.

Peaceophobia

Contact was proud to programme Peaceophobia. Conceived in Bradford and co-directed by young women from Speakers’ Corner Collective and award-winning theatre company Common Wealth, cowritten by acclaimed playwright Zia Ahmed and Bradford Modified Club, in co-production with Fuel Peaceophobia is an unapologetic response to rising Islamophobia around the world. Part car-meet part-theatre, the show explores how you find peace in a world that tells you who you are. Staged in a carpark with a Supra, a Golf and a classic Nova, Peaceophobia brings together cars and theatre with cinematic lighting and an original electronic sound score.

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 March 2022

RTYDS

The Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme, Contact and Ramps on the Moon appointed Sam Holley-Horseman as the recipient of the RTYDS 18-Month Residency, provided as part of the partnership between Ramps on the Moon and RTYDS. Sam began her residency at Contact in April 2021.

Matt Fenton, Artistic Director & Chief Executive at Contact commented:

We’re delighted Sam is joining Contact for the next 18 months, and she will make a brilliant addition to our team. Her residency comes at a time when we reopen our building, launch our manifesto of care, and open our Wellcome Trust health research studio in the newly expanded Contact.

Sam Holley-Horseman said:

I feel incredibly lucky to have this opportunity for the next 18-Months. I am thrilled to start at Contact, to be part of their team and be mentored by Matt Fenton, especially at this exciting time as they open the doors to their new building.

Michèle Taylor, Director for Change at Ramps on the Moon commented:

We are proud to be able to play a part in supporting Sam’s journey as a director. This seems like such a good match, and it will be exciting to see what Sam and Contact learn from each other and to see the work that develops from this relationship.

Studio School and Binural Beats Music Projects

Studio School is an alternative education using creative arts and digital media for year 7 to 11 students who are not in mainstream education. Each young person who engaged with the project left having completed a Bronze Arts Award.

Pop-up Beats (Binaural beats) used research to collaborate with artists to look at music as a tool to help improve health and wellbeing. A balance of £4,428 was carried over from 2020-2021.

Young Manchester: Holiday Club and Youth & Play Creative Connections

Young Manchester provided funding for two projects with Contact. The Summer Creative Camp was a free 2-week long project in which young people from the Manchester area came together to learn skills in drama, dance, arts and craft, music making and much more. The Youth & Play project was a programme for youth workers and arts professionals to share best practice and build new partnerships.

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 March 2022

Finance Review

Unrestricted Funds

Contact had an operating deficit of £90,469 in 2021-22 (2020-21: surplus of £175,496). The unrestricted general reserves now stand at £535,215. The building is fully operational following the capital project which ended in 2021. A slow recovery was anticipated due to a mixture of on-going COVID-related issues impacting staff and audience confidence. Furthermore, a major upheaval to the senior management team with Victoria Yates (Head of Finance), Suzie Henderson (Head of Creative Development) and Matt Fenton (Artistic Director/CEO) leaving within a 9-month period resulted in the need for the organisation to do a heavy-duty recruitment process with disruption to operational continuity. The NPO application window opened at the end of 2021. On his departure, Matt Fenton submitted the funding bid to secure ACE funding for 2023-2026 and we were awarded standstill funding in November 2022.

The principal sources of income were grants and donations, income from the artistic programme, office hires, anti-racism training and Covid recovery funds. We also made limited use of the government furlough scheme which came to an end in September 2021. The majority of staff are back to working in the building. There is significantly more flexible working and hybridity of meetings. The majority of our participation programmes have returned to being in-person. Although, we are very responsive to participants and young people who have requested to engage with us remotely, i.e.: via Zoom.

Ticket income has been positive. It has been encouraging to see a decent level of early-booking, membership investment and increased diversity of ticket buyers; particularly in response to Queer Contact 2021. Ticket income for the year exceeded budget targets thanks to the success of the panto and Queer Contact.

Arts Council England, GMCA, Manchester City Council and the University of Manchester are our principal funders. We also received a number of restricted grants to enable Contact’s work to continue and these are detailed below. We were very pleased to receive £50,000 from Coutts. Income from grants and foundations was in line with budget for the year.

The provision of participatory activities is funded by both core and restricted grants whilst the Health & Science activity is funded by restricted grants only. We also received £41,671 from Manchester City Council Local Restrictions Grants.

Following positive responses to the Anti-Racism Training package, the Commercial team have been met with ongoing demand and opportunities presenting themselves for this work. We have seen a healthy level of office and space hires. And have continued to host KMS Media as a third-party office hire. GRUB started operating from the Contact Kitchen from Nov 2021 initially on a pop-up agreement moving into a year-long contract from Dec 2021.

We also made use of government initiatives – Kickstarter and HMRC CJRS receiving £6,032 and £1,119 respectively.

Due to the pandemic closing the building and some key positions not being filled for parts of the year, our total unrestricted expenditure was below budget for the year. This was further helped by receiving additional covid support from funders.

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 March 2022

Restricted Funds

We brought forward non-capital restricted project funds of £494,384 (2020-21: £210,932). During the year we were successful in attracting restricted project funds of £522,644 (2021: £604,279) including:

• The Agency – we were awarded £110,518 to continue with The Agency project in partnership with Battersea Arts Centre and People’s Palace Projects. The project has received funding for a five-year period between 2022-2027. A balance of £19,236 was carried forward to 2022-2023.

• Youth Music – we received £39,998 to support the Media Drop and Level Up projects as a continuation of the music programme. This included Pop-up Beats (Binaural beats) which used research to collaborate with artists to look at music as a tool to help improve health and wellbeing. A balance of £4,059 was carried forward to 2022-2023.

• Transport for Greater Manchester – a grant of £4,830 to support our and audiences to travel actively to and from Contact.

• Wellcome Trust – a grant of £19,714 to further fund the post of Health & Science Producer.

• Manchester City Timestamp – a grant of £2,900 to commission culturally diverse artists to produce new work.

• Curiosity Fund – a balance of £10,430 was received this year. Awarded in 2019 - total of £29,790 to be broken down over three years - the outcome of the first year was a series of podcasts with young people called ‘All the things they never teach us’ – exploring aspects of science not taught in school. The second year was two documentaries made in collaboration with M13. The focus for the third year was paused as Chloe left the Health & Science Producer role last year. Rose, the new producer, is reviewing how we use the last instalment.

• Ironmongers – a grant of £4,304 from the Ironmongers Foundation was received as match funding to provide additional support for the Summer Creative Camp project.

• Steel Foundation – a grant of £15,000 to fund Studio School is an alternative education using creative arts and digital media for year 7 to 11 students who are not in mainstream education. Each young person who engaged with the project left having completed a Bronze Arts Award.

• Manchester City Council: Covid Impact Fund – a grant of £24,885 to as a part of the Additional Restrictions Grants scheme for Cultural, Entertainment and Convention Facilities. This is a direct awards scheme designed to provide financial support to cultural, entertainment and convention facilities as part of the city’s economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

• Manchester City Council: First 1000 Days - a grant of £50,000 was received for the Glowing Mum’s Group and co-presented with Moston Miners. This project was led in the first phase by associate artist, Amy Vreeke, exploring creative writing with parents living in the Moston and Harpurhey area. The second phase was led by another associate artist, Chloe Barlow. Chloe supported the group to research and develop a new offer for children and their parents in Moston and Harpurhey. The outcome of this project was a week-long of activities at Harpurhey Neighbourhood Project called ‘Kids Fun Zone’.

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 March 2022

• RTYDS – a grant of £22,743 for the Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme, Contact and Ramps on the Moon 18-Month Residency recipient, Sam Holley-Horseman. The placement began in April 2021.

• Young Manchester Holiday Club – £10,000 was received to cover the Summer Creative Camp – a free 2-week long project in which young people from the Manchester area came together to learn skills in drama, dance, arts and craft, music making and much more.

• GMCDP – a grant of £6,970 was received this year. This fund was held by GMCDP and awarded in 2020 by Young Manchester. The production of DIS:Play was delivered between October 21-April 22. DIS:Play was a Living Museum installation piece across the Contact building with individual pieces of work created by young disabled and neurodivergent creatives.

• GMCVO – a grant of £10,000. This is for the Arts & Trauma network. A network including 15 venues and freelance practitioners from across Greater Manchester. Contact is the lead partner with Oldham Coliseum, Manchester Art Gallery and Dr Simon Parry from University of Manchester as supporting partners. The network will run from September 22-March 23.

• Young Manchester-Youth & Play Creative Connections – a grant of £44,957 to run a programme for youth workers and arts professionals to share best practice and build new partnerships.

• Creative Protagonists (Reclaim) – a grant of £3,440 to co-deliver this project with working class young people exploring art and activism.

• C Change Project – a grant of £6,000 to fund the production of a show on climate change.

• Far Apart – a grant of £18,600 to be part of a research project looking at the impact of COVID on young people. A balance of £9,306 is carried forward to 2022-23.

• Arts Council England- Cultural Recovery Fund – a grant of £96,555 to provide financial support to cultural organisations impacted by Covid.

We carry forward restricted non-capital project funds of £229,404 (2021: £494,384).

Investment powers and policy

The Trustees, having regard to the liquidity requirements of running Contact, have kept available funds in an interest-bearing deposit account and seek to achieve a rate on deposit which matches or exceeds inflation as measured by the retail prices index.

Reserves policy and going concern

Following the end of furlough in September 2021 and the return to normal funding rounds from Arts Council England, amongst other significant indicators, it would appear that we are now in a “postCOVID” phase of recovery. During this financial year, Contact has been able to reopen its building to staff and audience. Unfortunately, we have not been able to deliver a building reopening event. The

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 March 2022

persistent variation of guidelines around opening to the public and upholding COVID-related restrictions has resulted in a soft opening.

Post capital project, Contact also needs to build and maintain a general reserve in relation to the upkeep and improvement of the building, and to address those areas not covered by the current programme (main house seats, Space 2 Studio). Thus, it has been an expectedly quiet period which has been useful in serving this transitional phrase underpinned by a delayed NPO decision and a few set-backs to commercial areas.

The Board have agreed that three months’ operating costs should be held as a reserve. Operating costs are defined as total unrestricted expenditure excluding costs of raising funds. Free reserves stand at £456,751, which is just over our reserves policy of 3 months operating costs based on annual expenditure of £1.5m. On 1 June 2022 the Board de-designated £93,855 of the designated capital fund, which was no longer necessary having secured additional capital funding in previous periods. Reserves are forecast to be slightly under target at the end of 22-23, with an aim to bring them back in line in future periods.

Contact is at the end of a five-year funding cycle (April 2018 – March 2023) with Arts Council England as a Band 2 National Portfolio Organisation (NPO). Standstill funding has been confirmed for the next funding cycle for April 2023 – March 2026. We have Manchester City Council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) have confirmed funding for the next twelve months.

Although this core funding continues at the same level, we continue to seek new funding partners and have been successful at increasing funds to support our core work. The aim is still to increase our income from commercial trading and operation of the building and to decrease our reliance on statutory funding.

The Christmas period included external hire events and a local pantomime from a Manchester producer, running throughout the festive period and into the new year. Queer Contact Festival February 2022 was the largest and most ambitious for many years. It went on sale in late November 2021. Sales targets were met whilst the audience proved to be the most diverse audience to date.

Interest in our anti-racism training package has continued to be buoyant. The Trustees therefore believe it is appropriate to prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis.

Staff sickness and departures from major posts have been significant. Contact has managed to be relatively responsive during this time. The Arts Council made a slight adjustment to our risk status which was a great indication of how well the team and the board managed the situation.

Due to the anomalies of CRF and changes in leadership and strategy, it has been difficult to have a realistic view of targets. Keisha has spent a bulk of time, since joining the team in June, meeting with departments; getting them to set new targets and work in a more orchestrated way.

Unfortunately, the current economic climate has over-shadowed the benchmarking that took place earlier this year. Keisha has delivered a series of actions to communicate with staff how we plan to respond to the rising cost of living and what our options will be based on the NPO decision in October. Projections have been shared with staff and the board. Despite these conditions, there has been a healthy interest in the autumn season with ticket sales at £3,547 (over 10% of the season).

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 March 2022

The production team have put Contact in a relatively healthy position with a three-year fixed deal for energy costs. There are a significant number of building needs that means we still have a capital target of approx. £300k.

Plans for future periods

On the 18[th] August 2022, Contact celebrated its 50th Year Anniversary soon after the appointment of Keisha Thompson as the new Artistic Director/ CEO. Thus, Contact is in pivotal period. In July 2022 an extra board meeting was held for Keisha to share her vision for the organisation. This was met with very positive responses.

The aim is to make Contact more commercially viable, increase resources geared towards participation, programme less, capitalise on consultancy and training opportunities and make some structural changes to various departments i.e: expand Development and reduce Creative Development.

The staff survey and 1-1s with Keisha have shown that in general staff feel positive but there is still work to do in terms of rebuilding trust, alleviating fears and boosting morale.

We are in the process of developing a new website. This is an opportunity to refine the current brand. Website developers Supercool have been appointed and have started consultation for a new site set to launch in Spring 2023.

Various departures to the Creative Development and Marketing & Sales teams (Lauren Banks, Young People’s Producer, Wesley Thistlewaite, Box Office and Audience Insights Manager, Ayodeji Hayes, Sales and Information Assistant and Tanica Powell, Digital Marketing Officer) means we are in a position to scrutinise those teams and develop some new roles that will serve our new interests.

GRUB’s period of operating the bar and kitchen will come to end in December 2022. During the autumn 2022 period, the kitchen will be occupied by popular caterers, House of Habesha. The tender for a new caterer is live. This will be filled by January 2023. We are excited to secure a new partner that will bring in new and varied audiences to the building. The brief for the new food vendors was influenced by consultation with some of our young people.

An unsuccessful application to the Youth Music Fund has resulted in some participatory activities being paused for Autumn 2022. Alternative opportunities for participants are being provided such as masterclasses with Princes Trust. A new participatory programme is being drafted by Laura, Head of Creative Development and Keisha with input from the Artistic Team. This will be introduced in January 2023.

The Anti-Racism Training has restarted with the recruitment five new facilitators. Depending on the funding outcome, there is an intention to increase the Commercial team to manage the welcome demand for this service. Furthermore, there is an interest in developing similar packages for other topics such LGBTQ+ awareness, Neurodiversity in the Workplace and Environmental Responsibility.

In summer 2022, our tenants KMS Media decided to terminate their contract with the hireable office. The senior management team has also made the decision to revert the second office to its original status as it was being used as a contemplation room during the quiet reopening period. Thus, both office spaces are on the market with the intention to have them filled by Jan 2023.

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 March 2022

Through staff consultation and building analysis we are looking at alternative options for a contemplation space / prayer room for audience members and participants. We are also working to increase visibility around the Media Lounge as a hireable space.

Keisha has committed to the calendar split which allows commercial hires to take priority from April – Sept for Spaces 1 and 2.

A new freelance pool process in underway to ensure we are being more transparent and timeconscious with the appointment of freelance work and the new base rates for freelancers are now in action.

Set up via the Chair, Junior, we are at the beginning of a BBC Reverse Mentoring project. There are 25 pairs of BBC employees and Contact young people. The board and Keisha will continue to look for various opportunities to make partnerships with organisations across the city to build visibility and resilience for Contact.

So far Keisha has continued or initiated conversations with the following parties with intentions to pursue a variety of opportunities from sponsorship to co-producing: University of Manchester, MA / PHD placements with MMU via Simon Parry, MIF, Future Everything, Oxford Corridor, hÅb, Carbon Literacy Awards, Equity, BECTU, ITC, Manchester Independent Artists, MADE, Cultural Leadership Group, Clore Leadership, International Slavery Museum, National Football Museum, Speakers for Schools, Bev Craig, Andy Burnham, Audio Always, Thirty Pound Gentleman, See My World, Blue Dot Festival, Cooperative Bank and Manchester Literature Festival, S!ck Festival.

Structure, Governance and Management

Governing Document

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited, also known as Contact, is a registered charity (No 501953) and a company (No 1066757) limited by guarantee. The governing documents of Manchester Young People's Theatre Limited are its Memorandum and Articles of Association. The company was incorporated on 18 August 1972 and registered as a charity on 31 October 1972. The Trustees of the Charitable Company guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 to the assets of the Charity in the event of winding up.

The Articles of Association are currently under review by the Trustees with a view to adopting a revised set of articles later in the year.

Appointment, induction and training of trustees

Trustees retire after three years by rotation. These Trustees may offer themselves for reappointment for a second term. All new trustees are recruited via a thorough process led by the Resources Board. Candidates are interviewed by a panel of trustees and a separate panel of young people and if appropriate recommended to the Board for appointment. New Board members undertake a series of induction meetings with the Board Chair, Senior Management Team and staff and a comprehensive induction pack is provided. Board wide training is arranged as required. The

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 March 2022

Board includes one representative from the University of Manchester and one representative from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

Organisation

The Trustee Board has the following sub committees: Resources, Artistic Evaluation and Trading Board. These committees each meet at least four times a year with meetings scheduled to allow reporting back to the Board each quarter.

The Trustees ensure the accuracy and timeliness of all financial reporting information through the work of its Resources Board, which reviews all financial information, the development of business systems and procedures and progress on income generation and fundraising strategies. The Resources Board, which meets on a quarterly basis develops and monitors Contact’s Financial Regulations and Risk Register. In addition, it reviews operational risks in relation to employment issues as well as keeping abreast of changes in employment law and developing relevant policies. The Resources Board also reviews Health & Safety Policy and procedures as well as Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy and procedures. Members of the Resources Board bring expertise on business planning, equality, diversity and inclusion, HR and finance.

In terms of service quality, all individual projects undertaken by the organisation are subject to risk assessment, monitoring and evaluation procedures. Reports are made quarterly to the Trustees. The Trustees also monitor the quality of services through its Artistic Evaluation Board, which also meets quarterly.

Related parties and co-operation with other organisations

None of our Trustees receive remuneration or other benefit from their work as Trustees with the Charity. Five Trustees, Mr Joshua Wilkinson, Ms Grainne Flynn, Ms Ali Wilson, Mr Junior Akinola, and Ms Faidat Ope were engaged on a freelance basis for various projects throughout the year.

Any connection between a Trustee or Senior Manager of Contact with a production company, contracted actor, performer, or exhibitor must be disclosed to the full Board of Trustees in the same way as any other contractual relationship with a related party. Contact has a Conflict of Interest Policy and Register of Interests.

Contact and the University of Manchester have an Agreement, which allows for Contact to lease the building from the University, to access some facilities and services, and to collaborate with the University on programming events for and by students.

Pay policy for senior staff

The Directors, who are Contact’s Trustees, consider themselves and the Senior Management Team to be the key management personnel in charge of directing and controlling, running and operating Contact on a day to day basis. All Directors give of their time freely and no Director received remuneration for being a Director/Trustee in the year. Details of related party transactions are disclosed in note 15 to the accounts.

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 March 2022

Salaries are benchmarked against market rates for all staff. The pay of the senior staff is reviewed annually and normally increased in accordance with inflation and at the same rate as all other staff.

Risk management

The Trustees review the objectives, services, management and regular funding of the organisation as part of an ongoing planning and review process, which includes the development of a Four-Year Business Plan. The plan assesses Contact's development and sets targets in relation to a number of risk factors, including financial, operational, governance and external factors.

In addition, the Resources Board reviews the risk process. These are also the routes for any additional areas of concern highlighted by the review of the plan or arising through changes in external circumstances, new activities or changes in the law. The risk is assessed and any further action is identified and parameters are agreed. The risk register, with any additional supporting information, is then reported to the Board quarterly through the Resources Board Report.

The Senior Management Team assesses day to day risks within the remit agreed by the Board, identifying areas of concern, undertaking risk analysis and agreeing decisions within agreed parameters.

The Trustees have reviewed the major risks that could impact on Contact. These are:-

Risk
Increasing costs due to energy and cost of living
crisis
Inability to meet increased income targets
Cuts in existing public sector funding
Inability to retain existing staff and recruit new
staff due to low salaries

Mitigation
Resources Board focus, implementing cost
saving measures and developing additional
fundraising capacity
Resources Board focus, setting up trading
subsidiary with relevant external expertise,
strengthening staff team and marketing,
communications & sales function
Regular dialogue with our funders, reporting our
social impact and reach and business planning
around new commercial models of income
Resources Board focus, review of salaries and
cost base pending

The Board of Trustees and staff undergo regular training and professional development to ensure they remain abreast of current developments, changes in statutes and best practice.

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 March 2022

Trustees’ responsibilities in relation to the financial statements

The Trustees (who are also the directors of the Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing a Trustees’ Annual Report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure for that period. In preparing the financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
state whether applicable UK accounting standards have been followed;
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that Contact will continue in business.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of Contact and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of Contact and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

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

Statement as to disclosure to our auditors

In so far as the Trustees are aware at the time of approving our Trustees’ Annual Report:

there is no relevant information, being information needed by the auditor in connection with preparing their report, of which Contact’s auditor is unaware, and
the Trustees, having made enquiries of fellow directors and Contact’s auditor that they ought to have individually taken, have each taken all steps that he/she is obliged to take as a director in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditor is aware of that information.

By order of the Board of Trustees

Mr J Akinola (Chair)

7 December 2022

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS AND TRUSTEES OF THE MANCHESTER YOUNG PEOPLE’S THEATRE LIMITED FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of The Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited for the year ended 31 March 2022 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities (including the Income and Expenditure Statement), the Statement of Financial Position, the Statement of Cash Flows and the related notes on pages 27 to 47. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice) including FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland”.

In our opinion, the financial statements:

give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company’s affairs as at 31 March 2022 and of the charity’s incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure for the year then ended.
have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
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 the financial statements 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 financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

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

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

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

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS AND TRUSTEES OF THE MANCHESTER YOUNG PEOPLE’S THEATRE LIMITED FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report therein. The trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the other information. Our opinion on the financial statements 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 financial statements our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements 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.

Opinion on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

the information given in the Trustees’ Report (which includes the Directors’ Report prepared for the purposes of company law) for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
the Directors’ Report (included within the Trustees’ Report) has 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 charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the directors’ report included within the trustees’ report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
certain disclosures of trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS AND TRUSTEES OF THE MANCHESTER YOUNG PEOPLE’S THEATRE LIMITED FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

Responsibilities of Directors

As explained more fully in the Trustees’ Responsibilities Statement set out on page 19, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

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

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

We obtained an understanding of laws and regulations that affect the charity, focusing on those that has a direct effect on the financial statements or that has a fundamental effect on its operations. Key laws and regulations that were identified included the UK Companies Act and Charity Commission requirements.

We reviewed the Trustee’s meeting minutes for evidence of non- compliance with relevant laws and regulations.

We gained an understanding of the controls that the Trustees have in place to prevent and detect fraud. We enquired of the Trustees about any incidences of fraud that had taken place during the accounting period.

The risk if fraud and non- compliance with laws and regulations and fraud was discussed within the audit team and tests were planned and performed to address these risks. We identified the potential for fraud in the following areas: misappropriation of cash and other assets.

We reviewed the financial statements disclosures and tested to supporting documentation to assess the compliance with relevant laws and regulations discussed above.

We enquired of the Trustees about actual and potential litigation and claims.

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS AND TRUSTEES OF THE MANCHESTER YOUNG PEOPLE’S THEATRE LIMITED FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

We performed analytical procedures to identify and unusual or unexpected relationships that might indicate risks of material misstatement due to fraud.

In addressing the risk of fraud due to management override of internal controls we tested the

appropriateness of journal entries and assessed whether the judgements made in making accounting estimates were indicative of a potential bias.

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

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

S Lomax FCA (Senior Statutory Auditor)

For and on behalf of Beever and Struthers

Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditors Suite 9b The Beehive Lions Drive Shadsworth Business Park Blackburn BB1 2QS

Date: 07/12/2022

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Statement of Financial Activities (including the Income and Expenditure Statement) for the year ending 31 March 2022

Note Income: Donations & Legacies: Donations 2 Income from charitable activities: Grants - core funding 3 Operation of building and related artistic programme 4 Provision of participatory activities 5 Health & Science 6 Creative Experts Capital Refurbishment Project Grants 7 Income from other trading activities: Commercial trading operations 8 Investment income Insurance claim Other Income 9 Total income Expenditure: Costs of raising funds: Commercial trading operations Fundraising support costs Expenditure on charitable activities: Operation of building and related artistic programme 10 Provision of participatory activities 10 Health & Science 10 Creative Experts Capital Refurbishment Project 10 Total expenditure Net income/(expenditure) and net movement in funds for the year Theatre Tax Relief Transfer of funds 21 Reconciliation of funds Total Funds brought forward Total funds carried forward	Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Funds Funds 2022 £ £ £ 2,622 - 2,622 1,101,377 - 1,101,377 110,929 25,643 136,572 18,310 273,617 291,927 5,000 121,999 126,999 - - - - 97,538 - 97,538 98 - 98 124,248 101,385 225,633	Total Funds 2021 £ 8,544 1,101,652 5,648 391,621 60,850 6,261 738,179 28,170 372 375,651
	1,460,122 522,644 1,982,766	2,716,949
	58,662 22,298 80,960 85,900 - 85,900 1,259,655 486,615 1,746,270 127,344 300,671 428,015 14,245 125,815 140,060 - 4,785 1,681 6,466	81,778 63,147 1,275,281 304,133 40,012 3,065 79,697
	1,550,591 937,080 2,487,671	1,847,113
	(90,469) (414,436) (504,905) - - - 196,492 (196,492) -	869,836 16,120 -
	106,023 (610,928) (504,906) 589,192 8,118,990 8,708,182	885,956 7,822,225
	695,215 7,508,062 8,203,277	8,708,181

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

The notes on pages 27 to 47 form an integral part of the financial statements

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Statement of Financial Position as at 31 March 2022

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2022

Note Fixed assets Tangible assets 17 Total Fixed Assets Current assets Debtors 18 Cash at bank and in hand Total Current Assets Liabilities Creditors falling due within one year 19 Net Current assets Creditors falling due over one year 20 Net assets The funds of the Charity: 21 Unrestricted general funds Designated income funds Restricted income funds Restricted building funds Total charity funds	2022 2021 £ £ 7,577,110 7,526,404
	7,577,110 7,526,404
	317,620 834,585 712,296 872,135
	1,029,916 1,706,720 244,173 349,015
	785,743 1,357,704
	159,576 175,926
	8,203,277 8,708,182
	535,215 429,192 160,000 160,000 262,949 878,180 7,245,113 7,240,810
	8,203,277 8,708,182

Registered Company No: 01066757

These accounts are prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act relating to small companies and constitute the annual accounts required by the Companies Act 2006 and are for circulation to members of the company.

These financial statements were approved by the members of the Board authorised for issue on the 7 December 2022 and are signed on their behalf by:

Signed

Mr Junior Akinola, Chair of Board on behalf of the Trustees

The notes on pages 27 to 47 form an integral part of the financial statements.

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Statement of Cash Flows for the year ending 31 March 2022

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited Statement of Cash Flows for year ending 31 March 2022

Note Cash used in operating activities 24 Cash flows from investing activities Interest income Insurance claim Sale of tangible fixed assets Purchase of tangible fixed assets Cash used in investing activities Loan (repayments)/advance from Manchester City Council Cash used in financing activities (Decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents in the year Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year Total cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year	2022 2021 £ £
	244,383 916,478
	98 372 25,426 - 0 (238) (404,293) (844,268)
	(378,769) (844,133)
	(25,453) 200,000
	(25,453) 200,000
	(159,839) 272,347
	872,135 599,788
	712,296 872,135

Cash and cash equivalents is made up solely of cash at bank and in hand.

The notes at pages 27 to 47 form an integral part of the financial statements.

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Notes to the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022

1. Accounting Policies

The principal accounting policies adopted, judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows:

a) Basis of preparation

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

Contact meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS102. Assets and liabilities are recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s).

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the entity.

b) Judgements and key accounting estimates

The preparation of the financial statements requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported. These estimates and judgements are continually reviewed and are based on experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.

Significant judgements

The judgements (apart from those involving estimations) that management has made in the process of applying the entity’s accounting policies and that have the most significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements are as follows:

Determination of whether there are indicators of impairment of Contact’s tangible fixed assets. Factors taken into consideration in reaching such a decision include the economic viability and expected future financial performance or charitable use of the asset.
Determination of whether leases entered into by Contact as lessee are operating or finance leases. These decisions depend on an assessment of whether the risks and rewards of ownership have been transferred from the lessor to the lessee on a lease by lease basis.

Key sources of estimation uncertainty

Accounting estimates and assumptions are made concerning the future and, by their nature, will rarely equal the related actual outcome. The key assumptions and other sources of estimation uncertainty that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year are as follows:

Determination of recoverability of trade debtors. A specific provision is made against certain debts where in the opinion of the trustees the debt is not fully recoverable.

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Notes to the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022

Tangible fixed assets are depreciated over their useful lives taking into account residual values, where appropriate. The actual lives of the assets and residual values are assessed annually and may vary depending on a number of factors. In re-assessing asset lives, factors such as technological innovation, product life cycles and maintenance are taken into account. Residual value assessments consider issues such as future market conditions, the remaining life of the asset and projected disposal values.
c) Preparation of the accounts on a going concern basis

The Trustees have carefully considered The Charity’s going concern position as it nears the end of the current round of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) funding. Contact has recently been awarded funding for the next cycle of NPO funding. The funding cycle covers 3 years from April 2023 to March 2026. Manchester City Council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) have confirmed funding for the year to March 2023 and we are in active discussions with them about future funding, seeking uplift in both cases. Although the NPO funding continues at the same level, we continue to seek new funding partners and have been successful at increasing funds to support our core work.

The Charity is likely to meet its commercial profit targets for 2022-23 and we plan to develop these income streams further in 2023-24.

The free reserves currently stand at just over the reserves policy’s requirement of three months’ operating costs. Contact has budgets in place to maintain free reserves at three months operating costs over the next NPO funding period.

The Trustees therefore believe it is appropriate to prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis.

d) Income recognition policies

Items of income are recognised and included in the accounts when all of the following criteria are met:

the Charity has entitlement to the funds;
any performance conditions attached to the item(s) of income have been met or are fully within the control of the Charity;
there is sufficient certainty that receipt of the income is considered probable; and
the amount can be measured reliably.

Income received in advance of a theatrical performance or provision of other specified service is deferred until the criteria for income recognition are met.

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Notes to the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022

1. Interest receivable

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the Charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the Bank.

2. Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of the Charity. Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for particular areas of the Charity’s work or for specific artistic projects being undertaken by the Charity.

Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified under the following activity headings:

Costs of raising funds comprise the costs of trading including commercial hires and their associated support costs and fundraising support costs.
Expenditure on charitable activities includes the costs of performances, touring, participatory work and other activities undertaken to further the purposes of the Charity and their associated support costs. Expenditure on the capital redevelopment project is also included in this heading.
Other expenditure represents those items not falling into any other heading.
Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.
Allocation of support costs

Support costs are those functions that assist Contact’s work but do not directly undertake charitable activities. Support costs include back office costs, finance, personnel, payroll and governance costs which support Contact’s artistic programme and participatory activities. The bases on which support costs have been allocated are set out in note 11.

5. Operating leases

Contact classifies the lease of printing equipment as an operating lease; the title to the equipment remains with the lessor and the equipment is replaced every 5 years whilst the economic life of such equipment is normally 10 years. Rental charges are charged on a straight line basis over the term of the lease.

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Notes to the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022

6. Tangible fixed assets

Individual fixed assets costing £500 or more are capitalised at cost and are depreciated over their estimated useful economic lives on a straight line basis as follows:

Asset Category	Annual rate
Long term leasehold buildings	2 – 10%
Fixtures and fittings	20 – 50%
Computer equipment	25 – 33%
Motor vehicles	20%

Land is not depreciated.

Building redevelopment construction costs are capitalised in the year they occur and depreciated over the remaining length of the lease. Fixtures and fittings purchased as part of the capital redevelopment project are not depreciated until the date of use. Professional fees relating to the capital redevelopment project have been expensed in the year they occurred.

Donated fixed assets are recognised at fair value which is the amount Contact would have been willing to pay for the items on the open market.

7. Debtors

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

8. Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.

9. Creditors and provisions

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

10. Financial instruments

Contact only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Notes to the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022

subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method. The financing charge to expenditure is at a constant rate calculated using the effective interest method.

11. Pensions

Contact contributes to a group money purchase defined contribution pension scheme operated by The People’s Pension. New and existing employees are automatically enrolled into the money purchase scheme unless they have exercised their right to opt out of scheme membership.

Employees joining the money purchase pension scheme operated by The People’s Pension, contract directly with the insurance company. Contact makes a matching contribution of 3% of salary to this pension scheme and acts as agent in collecting and paying over employee pension contributions. The contributions made for the accounting period are treated as an expense and were £16,455 (2021: £16,868). There were no contributions outstanding as at the balance sheet date.

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Notes to the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022

1. Legal status of the Charity

Contact is a company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England & Wales, and has no share capital. In the event of Contact being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of Contact.

The registered office address is Contact Theatre, Devas Street, Oxford Road, Manchester, M15 6JA. Contact is the leading UK arts organisation to place young people’s leadership and decision making at the heart of everything. Our main areas of activity are:

Providing transformative opportunities for young people
Producing high quality new work with a focus on pressing social realities and presenting the future mainstream with a diverse and pioneering programme
Operating a unique, ethical and welcoming building.

2. Income from donations

Donations	Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total Funds Total Funds 2022 2022 2022 2021 £ £ £ £ 2,622 - 2,622 8,544
	2,622 - 2,622 8,544

Income from donations includes Gift Aid. From time to time Contact benefits from the involvement and support of volunteers. In accordance with accounting standards, the economic contribution of general volunteers is not recognised in the accounts.

3. Unrestricted Grant Income from Core Funders

GMCA (Greater Manchester Culture & Social Impact Fund) The University of Manchester Manchester City Council Arts Council England – National Portfolio Organisation	2022 2021 £ £ 97,000 97,000 41,080 41,080 30,000 30,275 933,297 933,297
	1,101,377 1,101,652

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Notes to the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022

4. Income from artistic programme

In the year Contact presented a number of digital, online performances as well as face to face live performances and Queer Contact 2022.

Income from theatre performances Income from touring productions Grime Commission Manchester City Council – Time Stamp Regional Theatre Young Director’s Scheme Artistic programme	Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total Funds Total Funds 2022 2022 2022 2021 £ £ £ £ 101,362 - 101,362 3,648 9,567 - 9,567 - - - - 2,000 - 2,900 2,900 - - 22,743 22,743 -
	110,929 25,643 136,572 5,648

5. Income for Provision of Participatory Activities

C Change Co Creating Change Creative Protagonists Esmee Fairbairn Foundation Far Apart UK Future Fires Ironmongers MCEP Youth Voice Pilot Other Income Steel foundation Studio School The Agency (Reaching Communities) The Agency film Weston Culture Fund Young Manchester/Groundworks Young Manchester Holiday Club Youth & Play Creative Connections Young Manchester Youth Music Provision of Participatory Activities	Unrestricted Restricted Total Total Funds Funds Funds Funds 2022 2022 2022 2021 £ £ £ £ - 6,000 6,000 2,850 - - - 625 - 3,440 3,440 10,923 - - - 29,787 - 18,600 18,600 8,000 - - - 8,716 - 4,304 4,304 - - - - 3,000 2,980 - 2,980 4,000 - 15,000 15,000 - - 800 800 9,883 10,330 130,518 140,848 83,768 5,000 - 5,000 - - - - 178,090 - - - 14,980 - 10,000 10,000 - - 44,957 44,957 7,000 - 39,998 39,998 29,999
	18,310 273,617 291,927 391,621

C Change
Co Creating Change
Creative Protagonists
Esmee Fairbairn Foundation
Far Apart UK
Future Fires
Ironmongers
MCEP Youth Voice Pilot
Other Income
Steel foundation
Studio School
The Agency (Reaching Communities)
The Agency film
Weston Culture Fund
Young Manchester/Groundworks
Young Manchester Holiday Club
Youth & Play Creative Connections
Young Manchester
Youth Music
Provision of Participatory Activities

Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Total
Funds
Funds
Funds
Funds
2022
2022
2022
2021
£
£
£
£
-
6,000
6,000
2,850
-
-
-
625
-
3,440
3,440
10,923
-
-
-
29,787
-
18,600
18,600
8,000
-
-
-
8,716
-
4,304
4,304
-
-
-
-
3,000
2,980
-
2,980
4,000
-
15,000
15,000
-
-
800
800
9,883
10,330
130,518
140,848
83,768
5,000
-
5,000
-
-
-
-
178,090
-
-
-
14,980
-
10,000
10,000
-
-
44,957
44,957
7,000
-
39,998
39,998
29,999

18,310
273,617
291,927
391,621

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Notes to the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022

6. Income for Health & Science Activities

Curiosity Fund GMCDP GMCVO - Trauma responsive communities MCC - Covid Impact Fund MCC - First 1000 Days UoM - Devices Wellcome Trust	Unrestricted Restricted Total Restricted Funds Funds Funds Funds 2022 2022 2022 2021 £ £ £ £ - - 10,430 10,430 500 - 6,970 6,970 - - 10,000 10,000 - - 24,885 24,885 - - 50,000 50,000 - 5,000 - 5,000 - - 19,714 19,714 60,350
	5,000 121,999 126,999 60,850

7. Restricted Grant Income for Capital Redevelopment Project

Arts Council England – Large Capital Grant Arts Council England – Kickstart Business Growth Hub Thomas Deane Trust	Restricted Funds Restricted Funds 2022 2021 £ £ - 295,489 - 424,799 - 2,891 - 15,000
	- 738,179

8. Income earned from trading activities

Trading income consists of income from the provision of accountancy and consultancy services to other arts organisations, hire of spaces and office hire, retail sales of confectionery, and revenue from the lease of the bar area.

Accountancy services Bar & Catering Hire of Spaces Office hires Consultancy services Retail	2022 2021 £ £ 11,083 16,475 5,425 - 43,382 - 13,500 - 21,875 3,820 2,273 7,875
	97,538 28,170

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Notes to the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022

9. Other Income

9. Other Income
Coutts Foundation revenue grant HMRC CJRS Insurance claim Kickstart jobs scheme MCC - Discretionary Grants MCC - Local Restrictions Grants ACE Culture Recovery Fund TfGM - cycling infrastructure	Unrestricted Restricted Total Total Funds Funds Funds Funds 2022 2022 2022 2021 £ £ £ £ 50,000 - 50,000 - 1,119 - 1,119 132,074 25,426 - 25,426 - 6,032 - 6,032 - - - - 25,000 41,671 - 41,671 24,857 - 96,555 96,555 193,720 - 4,830 4,830 -
	124,248 101,385 225,633 375,651

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Notes to the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022

10. Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities

Salaries Facilitator fees, project costs & expenses Travel, accommodation & subsistence Specialist fees & advice Production & touring costs Artists fees and box office splits Commissioning & artist development Box office and marketing costs Premises & technical costs Finance charges Recruitment & Training Bad debts & write offs Depreciation Loss on disposal of fixed asset Governance costs (see note 11) Support costs (see note 11) Total	Artistic programme Provision of participatory activities Health & Science activities Capital Project Total Total 2022 2021 £ £ £ £ £ £ 523,335 170,263 29,596 - 723,194 659,699 17,200 245,503 110,027 - 372,730 149,607 6,525 12,249 437 - 19,211 8,514 - - - - - 21,322 54,316 - - - 54,316 5,569 117,674 - - - 117,674 30,828 12,486 - - - 12,486 29,652 82,833 - - - 82,833 62,565 276,618 - - 6,466 283,084 228,639 10,712 - - - 10,712 10,193 53,893 - - - 53,893 21,206 - - - - - 44 353,587 - - - 353,587 294,438 - - - - - (238) 21,866 - - - 21,866 17,572 215,225 - - - 215,225 162,577
	1,746,270 428,015 140,060 6,466 2,320,811 1,702,187

Salaries
Facilitator fees,
project costs &
expenses
Travel,
accommodation &
subsistence
Specialist fees &
advice
Production &
touring costs
Artists fees and
box office splits
Commissioning &
artist
development
Box office and
marketing costs
Premises &
technical costs
Finance charges
Recruitment &
Training
Bad debts & write
offs
Depreciation
Loss on disposal
of fixed asset
Governance costs
(see note 11)
Support costs (see
note 11)
Total

Artistic
programme
Provision of
participatory
activities
Health &
Science
activities
Capital
Project
Total
Total
2022
2021
£
£
£
£
£
£
523,335
170,263
29,596
-
723,194
659,699
17,200
245,503
110,027
-
372,730
149,607
6,525
12,249
437
-
19,211
8,514
-
-
-
-
-
21,322
54,316
-
-
-
54,316
5,569
117,674
-
-
-
117,674
30,828
12,486
-
-
-
12,486
29,652
82,833
-
-
-
82,833
62,565
276,618
-
-
6,466
283,084
228,639
10,712
-
-
-
10,712
10,193
53,893
-
-
-
53,893
21,206
-
-
-
-
-
44
353,587
-
-
-
353,587
294,438
-
-
-
-
-
(238)
21,866
-
-
-
21,866
17,572
215,225
-
-
-
215,225
162,577

1,746,270
428,015
140,060
6,466
2,320,811
1,702,187

Of the £2,320,811 expenditure in 2021-22 (2021: £1,702,187), £1,406,029 was charged to unrestricted funds (2021: £1,089,850) and £914,782 to restricted funds (2021: £612,333).

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Notes to the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022

11. Analysis of governance and support costs

Contact initially identifies the costs of its support functions. It then identifies those costs which relate to the governance function. Having identified its governance costs, the remaining support costs together with the governance costs are apportioned between the key charitable activities undertaken (see note 10) in the year. Refer to the table below for the basis for apportionment and the analysis of support and governance costs.

Catering for Board & Trustee Meetings and general expenses Salaries, wages and related costs General office costs Audit & tax fees Total	General support Governance function Total 2022 Total 2021 Basis of apportionment £ £ £ £ - 170 170 1,968 Direct 183,423 7,251 190,674 134,783 Staff time 31,802 - 31,802 34,656 Direct - 14,445 14,445 8,741 Direct 215,225 21,866 237,091 180,149

12. Net income/(expenditure) for the year

This is stated after charging: Operating leases – equipment Depreciation Loss on disposal of fixed assets Audit fees Tax fees	2022 2021 £ £ 1,488 4,106 353,587 294,438 - 238 9,960 6,856 4,485 1,885
	369,520 307,523

13. Analysis of staff costs, trustee remuneration and expenses, and the cost of key management personnel

personnel
Salaries and wages Social security costs Pension costs	2022 2021 £ £ 971,985 809,601 81,551 72,573 16,455 16,868
	1,069,991 899,042

No employees had employee benefits in excess of £60,000 (2021: nil). Pension costs are allocated to activities in proportion to the related staffing costs incurred.

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Notes to the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022

The key management personnel of Contact comprise the Trustees, the Artistic Director/Chief Executive, Head of Creative Development, Head of Finance, Head of Commercial & Visitor Experience, Head of Marketing & Communications and Head of Production. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel were £240,300 (2021: £254,323).

Trustees are not paid for carrying out their trustee duties nor do they receive any other benefits from their association with Contact. No trustees were reimbursed expenses during the year (2021: £39).

14. Staff Numbers

The average monthly head count was 37 staff (2021: 29 staff) and the average monthly number of full-time equivalent employees (including casual and part-time staff) during the year was as follows:

follows:
Permanent staff including part time staff on permanent basis	2022 2021 Number Number
	38 30

15. Related party transactions

Contact and the University of Manchester have an agreement which allows for Contact to lease the building from the University, to access some facilities and services, and to collaborate with the University on programming some events for and by students. On this basis Contact feels it is appropriate to disclose transactions with the University as related party transactions.

The University of Manchester awarded grants to Contact of £41,080 (2021: £41,080).

Contact provided Creative Experts services, artistic services and hire of spaces of £6,650 (2021: £9,538) to the University of Manchester. There was an outstanding balance due from the University of £49,296 as at 31 March 2022 (2021: £420). Contact purchased goods and services from the University of Manchester of £0 (2021: £360). There was an outstanding balance due to the University as at 31 March 2022 of £0 (2021: £360).

The Arts Council of England which provides core funding to Contact has a charge over the land and buildings of Contact.

Mr Joshua Wilkinson, Ms Grainne Flynn, Ms Ali Wilson, Mr Junior Akinola, and Ms Faidat Ope, all trustees of Contact, were engaged on a freelance basis for various projects throughout the year, although not in their role as trustees. Mr Wilkinson and his joint enterprises received £20,612 (2021: £7,134), Ms Flynn received £100 (2021: £nil), Ms Wilson received £2,517 (2021: £nil), Mr Akinola received £2,980 (2021: £100), and Ms Ope received £572 (2021: £nil). There was an outstanding balance due to Mr Wilkinson of £nil as at 31 March 2022 (2021: £160).

Donations from trustees amounted to nil in the year (2021: £nil).

During the year, Councillor Amna Abdullatif (resigned 14 December 2021) was an elected representative of Manchester City Council which is a core funder of Contact.

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Notes to the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022

16. Corporation Taxation

Contact is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or section 252 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects.

In 2021 Contact incurred qualifying losses in respect of theatre productions and these were surrendered for a cash payment from HMRC under the Theatre Tax Relief scheme. Where the receipt of these tax credits is probable, they are included in the accounts in the year following the year in which the qualifying losses were included.

17. Tangible fixed assets

Cost: Brought forward Additions Disposals Carried forward Depreciation: Brought forward Disposals Charge for the year Carried forward Net book value Brought forward Carried forward	Land and buildings Fixtures and fittings Motor vehicles Computer Equipment Total 2022 £ £ £ £ £ 10,250,487 157,192 15,469 98,361 10,521,509 209,862 103,415 - 91,016 404,293 (12,000) (640) - (24,666) (37,306)
	10,448,349 259,967 15,469 164,711 10,888,496
	2,799,172 101,734 15,469 78,730 2,995,105 (12,000) (640) - (24,666) (37,306) 298,063 14,656 - 40,868 353,587
	3,085,235 115,750 15,469 94,932 3,311,386
	7,451,315 55,458 - 19,631 7,526,404
	7,363,114 144,217 - 69,779 7,577,110

£nil (2021: £588,719) included in the Land & Buildings cost figure is in development and has not been depreciated.

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Notes to the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022

18. Debtors

Trade debtors Deferred costs Prepayments and accrued income Grants receivable VAT receivable	2022 2021 £ £ 113,740 82,918 - 2,873 55,572 48,734 146,917 692,190 1,391 7,870
	317,620 834,585

19. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

Trade creditors Other creditors Accruals and deferred income Taxation and social security costs Manchester City Council Loan	2022 2021 £ £ 90,878 123,634 12,703 1,106 98,493 174,598 27,129 25,603 14,970 24,074
	244,173 349,015

Deferred income comprises advance ticket sales for performances of shows due to take place post 31 March 2022, and income for projects due to take place post 31 March 2022.

	2022	2021
	£	£
Deferred income brought forward	13,256	54,171
Released in the year	(10,181)	(52,421)
Income deferred in the year	57,766	11,506
Deferred income carried forward	60,841	13,256

20. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

20. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Manchester City Council Loan	2022 2021 £ £ 159,576 175,926
	159,576 175,926

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Notes to the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022

Loans repayable by instalments:

Loans repayable by instalments:
Due in less than one year Due in one to two years Due in two to five years Due in over five years	2022 2021 £ £ 14,970 24,074 20,597 20,051 66,411 64,649 72,569 91,226
	174,547 200,000

Manchester City Council has provided a £200,000 loan at a rate of 2.7% + the EC Reference Rate which is the variable rate. Manchester City Council holds Quasi-security over The Manchester Young People's Theatre building, whereby a negative pledge is in place.

21. Analysis of charitable funds

Analysis of movements in unrestricted funds

General fund Designated fund (Capital Redevelopment Project) Total	Balance 1 April 2021 Incoming resources Resources expended Transfers Funds 31 March 2022 £ £ £ £ £ 429,192 1,460,122 1,550,591 196,492 535,215 160,000 160,000
	589,192 1,460,122 1,550,591 196,492 695,215

Name of unrestricted fund Description, nature and purposes of the fund

General fund

The ‘unrestricted reserves’ after allowing for all designated funds and including unrestricted fixed assets

Designated fund Designated fund for Capital Redevelopment Project

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Notes to the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022

21 Analysis of charitable funds (continued)

	Balance 1 April 2021	Incoming resources	Resources expended	Transfers	Funds 31 March 2022
	£	£	£	£	£
Building Fund	7,240,810	-	323,411	327,714	7,245,113
TFGM active travel	-	4,830	1,681	(3,149)	-
The Agency Phase 3	69,236	-	3,608	(65,628)	-
The Agency extension 1	5,015	-	1,597	(3,418)	-
The Agency extension 2	31,934	-	31,934	-	-
The Agency 2021-2026	-	110,518	63,358	(27,924)	19,236
The Agency Alumni	-	20,000	-	4,425	24,425
Media Drop 2.0 (Youth Music)	14,576	39,998	50,515	-	4,059
Capital Refurbishment Project	383,796	-	22,537	(327,714)	33,545
Diverse Actions (Live Art UK)	1,206	-	-	-	1,206
Capsule 2119	880	-	-	-	880
Wellcome Trust (Health & Science Producer)	53,005	19,714	61,746	-	10,973
Curiosity Fund	3,438	10,430	9,162	-	4,706
Steel foundation	-	15,000	10,798	-	4,202
GMCDP	-	6,970	1,880	-	5,090
GMCVO - Trauma responsive communities	-	10,000	-	-	10,000
RTYDS Regional Theatre Young Directors Scheme	-	22,743	18,781	-	3,962
Ironmongers	-	4,304	1,650	-	2,654
NW Youth People's Development Trust	9,324	-	9,324	-	-
The House is on Fire (Young Manchester)	8,484	-	8,484	-	-
Here & Now (Arts Council England / Future Arts Centres)	2,000	-	2,000	-	-
Manchester City Council Health & Care Commissioning	16,863	-	-	-	16,863
Young Manchester Holiday Club	-	10,000	10,000	-	-
Youth & Play (YM) Creative Connections	14,040	44,957	46,153	-	12,844
Creative Protagonists (Reclaim)	4,959	3,440	8,399	-	-
MCEP Youth Voice Pilot	1,750	-	1,750	-	-
Future Fires	7,186	-	7,186	-	-
Studio School	4,428	800	5,228	-	-
C Change project	2,850	6,000	8,258	-	592
People's Palace Far Apart	7,464	18,600	16,758	-	9,306
Time stamp	-	2,900	-	-	2,900
Covid impact fund	-	24,885	10,174	-	14,711
First 1000 days	-	50,000	35,408	-	14,592

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Notes to the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022

ACE Culture Recovery Fund Weston Culture Fund Total	57,656 96,555 96,555 (57,656) - 178,090 - 68,745 (43,142) 66,203
	8,118,990 522,644 937,080 (196,492) 7,508,062

Name of restricted fund	Description, nature and purposes of the fund
Building Fund	The building fund was established to rebuild and extend the existing theatre and
	was funded by the Arts Council of England. Expenditure represents the annual
	depreciation charge. Capital Redevelopment costs are transferred to Building
	Fund.
TFGM active travel	Transport for Greater Manchester are funding measures to encourage active
	travel to and from Contact by staff and audiences.
The Agency (The National	Reaching Communities funded the continuation of The Agency Project.
Lottery Community Fund
- Reaching Communities)
Media Drop 2.0	Youth Music funded the Media Drop 2.0 music project and the continuation and
	expansion of the music programme.
Esmée Fairbairn	Esmeé Fairbairn Foundation funded the continuation of the Future Fires
Foundation	programme and has also supported Contact Produces to commission new work
	with a social mission.
Wellcome Trust (Health &	The Wellcome Trust funded the post of Health & Science Producer.
Science Producer)
Diverse Actions (Live Art	Contact is a partner in the Live Art UK Diverse Actions project which commissions
UK)	BAME live art artists to make new work.
Capsule 2119 (PRS	The PRS Foundation is supporting the creation and performance of 16 new songs
Foundation)	that would subsequently become a time capsule for the year 2119 placed within
	Contact’s refurbished building.
Curiosity Fund	Curiosity, a partnership between BBC Children in Need and Wellcome, is funding
	a new arts project for children aged 15-16 within an area of high deprivation who
	may be disabled or experience mental health.
North West Young	The North West Young People’s Development Trust is funding Arts for Mental
People’s Development	Health, a six month programme of free participatory arts activities for young
Trust	people, delivered by young people.
The House is on Fire	Young Manchester is funding a youth social change symposium to be delivered in
(Young Manchester)	Manchester in 2020.
Here & Now (Arts Council	Contact is a partner venue on the Future Arts Centres Here & Now project, a
England / Future Arts	national programme of commissions to celebrate the National Lottery’s 25th
Centres)	anniversary.
Manchester City Council	Manchester City Council are funding a Community Arts Intervention with young
Health & Care	parents in Wythenshawe.
Commissioning
Capital Redevelopment	This fund consists of grants and donations to support the capital redevelopment
Project	project

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Notes to the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022

Young Manchester-Youth	Young Manchester is funding a programme for youth workers and arts
& Play Creative	professionals to share best practice and build new partnerships.
Connections
Creative Protagonists	Young Manchester is funding a grant to co-deliver a 12 month pilot project that
	will young people from working class backgrounds in Manchester to exploring art
	and activism .
MCEP Youth Voice Pilot	Grant to deliver workshops for the Creative Influencers two youth boards
	supporting the work of Manchester Cultural Education Partnership.
Future Fires	Education and Skills Funding Agency is funding a leadership programme
	supporting young people to run their own socially engaged arts projects.
Studio School	The National Lottery Community Fund is funding a music project for young
	people in alternative education or at risk of exclusion.
C Change Project	Manchester City Council is funding a production of a show on climate change.
Far Apart	People’s Palace Projects is funding a research project to look beyond lockdown to
	understand how UK Arts organisations can continue to support young people’s
	wellbeing during Covid-19.
Cultural Recovery Fund	Arts Council England funded financial support to cultural organisations impacted
	by Covid.
Weston Culture Fund	Garfield Weston Foundation funded cultural organisations to restart their work
	after Covid and to re-engage audiences it supported and outdoor programme of
	activities and events.
Steel foundation	Steel Foundation are funding music workshops for young people
GMCDP	GMCDP funded a creative development programme for neurodivergent, Deaf and
	disabled young people. The outcome was a performance focused on disability
	history called DIS:Play.
GMCVO - Trauma	GMCVO funded The Arts and Trauma network. A monthly meeting exploring best
responsive communities	practice for trauma informed work. The network includes 16 network members
	from across Greater Manchester.
RTYDS Regional Theatre	The Regional Theatre Young Directors Scheme is funding a residency for an
Young Directors Scheme	assistant director at Contact for 18 months.
Ironmongers	The Ironmongers Foundation has awarded funding to encourage young people to
	get more involved in the arts and theatre.
Young Manchester	Young Manchester is funding a programme to provide arts workshops for young
Holiday Club	people during school term breaks.
Time stamp	Manchester City Council is funding a production of a show on young people's
	experiences of lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Covid impact fund	One Manchester is funding a report into the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on
	the mental health of staff and participants at Contact.
First 1000 days	One Manchester is funding a creative development project for parents in
	Harphurhey and Moston. The outcome was a week long of activities called Kids
	Fun Zone at Harphurhey Neighbourhood Project.

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Notes to the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022

22. Analysis of net assets between funds

Tangible fixed assets Cash at bank and in hand Other current assets/(liabilities) Total Tangible fixed assets Cash at bank and in hand Other current assets/(liabilities) Total	Unrestricted Funds 2022 Designated Funds 2022 Restricted Funds 2022 Total 2022 £ £ £ £ 78,464 - 7,498,646 7,577,110 513,289 160,000 39,007 712,296 (56,538) - (29,591) (86,129)
	535,215 160,000 7,508,062 8,203,277
	Unrestricted Funds 2021 Designated Funds 2021 Restricted Funds 2021 Total 2021 £ £ £ £ 59,472 7,466,932 7,526,404 443,047 160,000 269,088 872,135 (73,326) 382,969 309,643
	429,193 160,000 8,118,989 8,708,182

23. Commitments under operating leases

The total future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases are as follows:

Not later than 1 year Later than 1 year and not later than 5 years	2022 2021 £ £ 802 1,249 186 988
	988 2,476

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Notes to the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022

24. Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash flow from operating activities

Net movement in funds Add back depreciation charge Deduct income from insurance claim Deduct interest (investing activities) Loss/(profit) on disposal of fixed assets Decrease in stock Increase in debtors Increase in creditors Net cash used in operating activities	2022 2021 £ £ (504,905) 885,956 353,587 294,438 (25,426) - (98) (372) - 238 - 239 516,965 (86,230) (95,740) (177,792)
	244,383 916,478

25. Net Debt Reconciliation

Cash & cash equivalents Loan from Manchester City Council	Balance 1 April 2021 Cash Flows Non Cash Changes Balance 31 March 2022 £ £ £ £ 872,135 (159,839) - 712,296 (200,000) 25,453 - (174,547)
	672,135 (134,386) - 537,749

26. Custodian Funds

Contact acted as a custodian trustee during the year for 4 independent projects run by participants of various Contact programmes. All funds are held as cash and are segregated from the charity’s cash holdings.

Hate Crime Awareness Uniquely Us Miray Sidhom commission Resourcing Racial Justice	Balances Held at 1 April 2021 Funds Received Funds Paid Balances Held at 31 March 2022 £ £ £ £ 40 - - 40 626 - - 626 - 9,310 5,537 3,773 - 2,550 - 2,550
	666 11,860 5,537 6,989

Manchester Young People’s Theatre Limited (Contact Theatre)

Notes to the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022

27. Post Balance Sheet Events

On 1 June 2022 the Board de-designated £93,855 of the designated capital fund, which was no longer necessary having secured additional capital funding in previous periods. On 13 June 2022 the Trustees appointed Keisha Thompson as Artistic Director/Chief Executive.

28. Capital Commitments

The capital refurbishment project was concluded in 2021 and there were no future capital commitments in place at 31 March 2022.

	2022			2021
	£			£
Capital expenditure that has been contracted but has not been
provided for in the financial statements		-			57,767
Capital expenditure that has been authorised by the Trustees but
has not yet been contracted		-			189,914
			-		247,681