MAIDEN VOYAGE (NI) LTD DIRECTORS. REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 The Directors presenttheir report and accounts forthe year ended 31 Match 2024. Results The directors are pleased to present the resuts for 2023-24. There was a net surplus for the year of £5,119 attributable to unrestricted reserves. Unrestrtcted reserves now stand at £43.438. The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the accounting polic$ set out in note 1 to the accounts and comply with the chartys Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Companies Act 2006 and "Accounts"ng and Reporting by Charitie5" Statement of Recommended Prath"¢e applicable to charrties preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland {FRS102}" las amended for accounting periods commencing from 1 January 20161. Structure, Governance and Management Maiden Voyage INI) Limrted is a company limited by guarantee. registration number N1041616_ The company is recognised by HM Revenue and Customs as having charitable status, reference number XR63074. Maiden Voyage (Nll Limlted's conduct is governed by its Mernoréndum and Articles otAssociation. The Board of Directors are responsible for the policy and $tegY of the company along with the financial and legal probty of the organisation and the appointrnent of directors. The Board of Directors meet on a quarterfy ba515 and receive management and financial reports from the Management. The Management implement policy and strategy, vthich have been approved by the directors. progressing organi5ational objecttves and ensuring the long-temi sustainabilty of the organisation. The Management consists of Arb"stic Director Nicola Curry and Company Manager Nuala McGreevy. Directors are recruited to ensure that representstive skills and experiences are in place to deliver the company's vision and that the mission and objectives are achieved. The Board considers potential directors of the company. Applicants considered suitable are then invited by the Chair to join the Board. Primarily this review considers whether. in the opinion ofthe board. the prospectThie memberwill help the company meet its aims and objectives. Directors undertake govemance training wf(h appropriate training organisations. Objectives and activities The Companls objects are specifically restricted to the adVanMent, improvement production, performance and promotion of dance. arts and culture. the advancement of education and training in dance and related subjects and the promotion of the benefft of the inhabitants of Northern Ireland in particular. (al to foster, promote and advance the educatron of the public in the knowledge, understanding and practice of dance. music and the visual arts in all their aspects and the training of dancers and choreographers through the management of a dance theatre produ(*on company for public performance and the showcasing of dance and visual arts. (b) to advance the education and training of young artists, and in particular but not exclusively, dancers, choreographers, musicians, composers. designe15 and visual artists through the performance ot dance and the production of professional stage shows. (c} to foster, promote and advance the education of the public in the art of dance and to encourage appreci8tior¢ for 8nd participation in dance by the provision of educational dance projects, information and training, classes, workshops, arts facilities and equipment. support and instruction and the organisation of exhibitions of works and events as the directors shall in their absolute discretion determine. (dl to promote and foster learning about the creatNe processes invofved in dance and in this respect, to promote mentoring and work experience tor school pupils, graduates and postgraduate artists for the benefit of their education. lel to advance and raise the profile of dance as an art form through the promotion of artisttc collaborations and the fostering of partnerships with similar artistic organisations.
MAIDEN VOYAGE {NI) LTD DIRECTORS. REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Achievements and perforniance Maiden Voyage offer5 discoveries in dance wtth by and for artists, audiences and parbcipants through commissioning and touring new dance work. providing professional development and training opportunthes for performers and opportunrttes for partÉcipats"on and learning across the cultural. educational and heah sectors. The focus of 2023-24 vias live performances. both on stage and outdoors" maximising showcasing opportunities nationally and inremationally. and creab.ng opporbjnrties for artist development and continued participatory engagementfor all ages. Maiden Voyage is immensely proud of our stsff team, freelance artist collaborators, dan sector, partner organisations, board of director5 and fvnders in the management planning and delNery of our programmes. Contracts - 26 artists on 46 pa"Kl contracts across the arttstic programme. Commissions & Performances - Good Times Never Seemed at 8elPd5t Intemational Arts Festival {12 perfonnances) - Haiku {1 performance) Gell To Mnd at Belfast Children's Festwal (6 performances) Homegrown Belfast Children's FestÉval Professional Development 240 artist development hours Reached 1510 Itve audiences - 96 workshop sessions delivered with 373 direct participants totalling 2776 contact hours. Commissions Good Times Never Soemed was an initial SEED commission from 2021r22 for dancelvisual artist Vasiliki Stasinaki and wtrterlperformer Sarah Gordon. R was developed into a durational installat.on in 2023. The partnership originated from Maiden Voyage's 2020 Match Make short film collaborations during Covid and we viere delighted to support the further working partnership and artistic collaboration of the arb"sts. Good fimes Never Seemed was perfoTmed as a 5-hour durab.on installation each day for 4 days at QSS Gallery in Belfast during Belfast Intemational Arts Festival in November 2023. Gall to Mind was created by London-based choreographer Sarah Golding and Nl musician Steve Davis for teenage audiences_ Inibal creation was supported by ACNI Commission Fund allowing the collaborators to work for four weeks in MaylJune 2023 wtth three dancers and three Itve musicians. Cdl to Mind prÈrnred at Belfast Children's Festival 2024 with 6 performances_ Haiku is a short dance for public space work commissioned from Erik Kaiel {NL) which premiered at Belfast Children's Festival in March 2023 and was adapted for invttational perfom*nce from Newry Mourne and Down District Council for opening of a light instsllation outside Newry Town Hall in February 2024. We combined this opportunty with mentoring and skill building in making dance for public spaces wrth the Ha-ku performers. Show¢asTng Call to Mind was part of the homegrown showcase at Beffast Children's FestNal. Homegrown is a welk established industry showcase for theatre and dance for young audiences during Belfast Children's Festwal. Thirty national and intemational delegates attended the showcase in Belfast during the first weekend of the festival. This showcase is an important point of connection to national and intemational colleagues, producers, programmer and festwals.
MAIDEN VOYAGE (NI) LTD DIRECTORS, REPORT {CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Professional Development We offered a focused programme of professional development end arbst support during 2023124 wtth mentoring for Nl artists in making work for public spaces. open class when the company was in production and masterclasses with vistttng artists. Outreach A series of repertoire-based workshops were delNered in schools and colleges from Armagh to Bangor and across Belfast Funding for this was through our annual fijnding from ACNI end Belfast Cty Council. Workshops were based on Call to Mind themes of memory and seeing others, perspectives and were delwered by the cast and supporting artists_ Multiple workshops were delNered to various classes in each school in the hall followed by a sharing ofthe show. This was. for some. a fir5t-time experience and for others r( was closely linked to their college studies {BTEC. HND in SERC. NRC, SRCI or dance studies (High Points). Belfast Movement Group is the continuation of the original Belfast Movement Choir project. The April-June 2023 term was supported by Bank of Ireknd Begin Together funding for a women's grDUP in south Belfast and young gid's group in East 8etfast This term concluded that part of the project. September 2023 - March 2024 saw a furthertwo terms offered forwomen aged 50-85 and, as fijnding had come to an end. participants now pay on a temily basis towards the cost of Spa hire and tutor fees. April - June 2023 saw the nclusIon of Move Fit a mUttyear dance and Y[[being programmé in Lowwood and Holy Cross Boys. Prirrrary Schools in North Belfast The program was successful in encouraging better attrtudes to tsking part in physical actsvtty amongst stsff. pupils and parents, the beneffts and enjoyment inherent in physical actsvity and in skill building "through bespoke training for staff to be able to continue legacy sessions in school. We completed a third year of Seasonal Somatics regular outdoor workshops themed on our relationship wrf(h the natural WOF1d. Sessions were delivered across a range of parks in greater Belfast by Sandy Cuthbert. A group of 24 people from dtverse backgrounds signed up during the year. Some came wrth no dance expenence discovering the benefits of this collectsve experience and some have been taking part regularly since the programme ¢Larted three years ago. Audiences are made up of passers-by in each of the parks in the duration of the sessions. Conclusion In keeping our strategic plan. we delNered in three key areas.. new work commissions. artist development and parkncipatory actNtty. Resourcing each of these aspects of the programme in fvll has become increasingly challenging due to over ten years of standstill funding and the ongoing threat of further cuts to arts funding. 2023-24 was a year of beginnings and endings. We saw the conclusron of longstanding parttcipatory programmes Move Frt and Belfast Movement Choir and the beginnings of new and old partnerships and approaches to ongoing and )lJture programme development An opportunty arose in year to conknbute to a bid proce55 for a new dance company with an all-island remit initiated by Arts Council Ireland. The bid. led by Liz Roche Company Dublin with Maiden Voyage as foundational and strategic partner. was successful following the competrtNe bid and intetview process. 2024 will see the estsblishment of this new company and, in 2025 the delNery of an ambitious programme of work Maiden Voyage's partnership with Luail will open opporbjnrties for measured and careful growth of our repertoire, of new co-commissions and co-productions. of touring within Northem Ireland. and arknst development here in Northern Ireland. In 2023-24 we continued Invoernent in BLUEPRIW the Arts & Business Nl initiative to support research and development of new avenues for income generats-on. This supported full-time working for Company Manager in year. We are gratefvl to our annual funders and programme funder5 for Iheir generous assistance throughout the year.
MAIDEN VOYAGE (NI) LTD DIRECTORS. REPORT {CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 FINANCIAL REVIEW In 202>24 we were fortunate to maintain annual fijnding from principal funder Arts Council of Northem Ireland and other fijndets forcore and projed< costs as below. The Directors would like to thankthe compan5 principal funder5- Arts Council of Northem Ireland Belfast Cty Council Move Fit funder5: Garfield Weston Foundation Victoria Homes Belfast Movement Group".- Bank of Ireland Begin Together Blueprint.- Arts & Business Nl FUNDS HELD AS CUSTODIAN TRUSTEE ON BEHALF OF OTHERS The charity does not hold any funds as custodian for any other trustee body. RESERVES POLICY The company's policy is to maintain reserves at a level which ensures that the company's core administrative activities are able to continue in the immediate future, for a period deemed appropriate by the Board.. currently minimum of 3 months. The directors will however consider on an ongoing basis the level of reserves that is prudent for the charity to have in line wrth known fijture developments, liabilrties and uncertainties. STATEMENT OF DIRECTORS. RESPONSIBILITIES The directors are responsible for prepartng the Directors. Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations. Company law requires the director5 to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that the directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (Untted Kingdom Accounting Stsndards and applicable law). Under company law the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they gwe a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the trust and of the surplus or defictt of the trust for that period. In preparing these financial statements the directors are required to: _ select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistenty. makejudgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent prepare the financial ststements on the going concem basis unless rt is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.
MAIDEN VOYAGE (NI) LTD DIRECTORS. REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company's transactions and disclose wrth reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position ofthe company and enable themto ensure thatthe financial ststements comply with the CompaniesAct 2006. Th& directors are also responsible for safeguarding the assets ofthe company and hence for taking reasonable steps to prevent and detect fraud and other irregulartties_ The above report has been prepared in accordanTr with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime within Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 and the Statement of Recommended Practice (Accounting and Reporting by Chartties) 2015. By order of the Board JD Sec rke etary