2024-03-31-annual-report - Creative Exchange Artist Studios

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				Trustees' Annual Report	Trustees' Annual Report	Trustees' Annual Report	Trustees' Annual Report	Trustees' Annual Report	Trustees' Annual Report	Trustees' Annual Report	Trustees' Annual Report	for theperiod	for theperiod	for theperiod	for theperiod
				From		Period start date					T o	Period end date
						01	April			2023		31	March		Year 2024

	Section A				Reference and administration details

			Charity name					Creative Exchange Artists Studios

Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any)
								NIC101590
								NIC101590

		Charity's principal address							Unit B4 Portview Trade Centre,
									310 Newtownards Road, Belfast,
									Northern Ireland
									Postcode					BT4 1HE

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any)
	Caragh O’Donnell- Delaney	Chair
	Zara Lyness	Secretary
	Chris Armstrong
	Patricia Kingston

Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees) Name Dates acted if not for whole year

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of adviser Name Address

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Memorandum Type of governing document

(eg. trust deed, constitution)

Company limited by guarantee registered as a charity How the charity is constituted

(eg. trust, association, company)

Appointed and voted in by the existing board of directors (Trustees) Trustee selection methods subject to criteria (eg. appointed by, elected by)

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:

The roles of Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer are evaluated annually in the
additional information, where relevant, about: AGM and voted in by Board members and studio artists ● policies and procedures As part of the board growth all Board members have taken part in Governance
adopted for the induction and and good practice training.
training of trustees;
● the charity’s organisational Our Studio manager who is employed on a freelance basis works in conjunction
structure and any wider with the Chairman, Treasurer, other directors, funders, accountant, and artist
network with which the representatives to oversee the daily running of the organisation.
charity works;
● relationship with any related Creative Exchange is part of a wider network of artists’ organisations in Belfast
parties; & Northern Ireland; these include Visual Artists Ireland, the Belfast Visual Artist
● trustees’ consideration of Workers Forum and Belfast Open Studios.
major risks and the system Creative Exchange has many local partners such as Eastside Arts who have
and procedures to manage supported many of our events and exhibitions.
them. Our governance and good practice continue to change and improve as the company develops. We continue to enhance our internal communication strategy, which enables a flow of communication. Potential risks or issues are dealt with at monthly board meetings

Section C Objectives and activities

Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)	To promote the production of art in Northern Ireland through the establishment of affordable artist studio space for visual artists. To foster and advance participation in the arts in Belfast by the provision of a centre for artists to meet, work and have the opportunity to exhibit their work to the public. To advance education in the arts by providing supportive opportunities for professional development for artists and to also encourage appreciation of the arts in the local community of east Belfast through the provision of outreach events.
	Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit Provide essential workspace for visual artists. To work with a common effort to foster, promote and advance the education of visual art in all its aspects, and to encourage appreciation of and participation in the arts through cross-cultural community-based arts activities. These benefits are demonstrated through the provision of facilities and the organisation of exhibitions and events that increase public awareness of contemporary art. The trustees provide strategic guidance to raise awareness of the benefits of visual art engagement. The charity's beneficiaries are its artist studio members; these include painters, illustrators, photographers, printmakers, digital media artists and ceramicists. The benefits to the beneficiaries are the provision of affordable studio space in terms appropriate to their means. There is no private benefit as trustees (directors) are not studio members and therefore do not benefit from the use of the artist studios. Additional support is provided to the studio member beneficiaries through opportunities to partake in exhibitions, public talks, and community engaged projects in the locality throughout the year. The benefits that flow from these activities are the opportunities for artists to develop their professional artistic practice, gain publicity about their work and reach new audiences. The members of the public (especially in east Belfast) who attend these free events are also beneficiaries of the charity.

Summary of the objects of the
charity set out in its governing
document
Summary of the main activities
undertaken for the public
benefit in relation to these
objects (include within this
section the statutory
declaration that trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public benefit)

To promote the production of art in Northern Ireland through the
establishment of affordable artist studio space for visual artists.
To foster and advance participation in the arts in Belfast by the provision
of a centre for artists to meet, work and have the opportunity to exhibit
their work to the public.
To advance education in the arts by providing supportive opportunities
for professional development for artists and to also encourage
appreciation of the arts in the local community of east Belfast through the
provision of outreach events.

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit
Provide essential workspace for visual artists.
To work with a common effort to foster, promote and advance the
education of visual art in all its aspects, and to encourage appreciation of
and participation in the arts through cross-cultural community-based arts
activities.
These benefits are demonstrated through the provision of facilities and
the organisation of exhibitions and events that increase public
awareness of contemporary art. The trustees provide strategic guidance
to raise awareness of the benefits of visual art engagement.
The charity's beneficiaries are its artist studio members; these include
painters, illustrators, photographers, printmakers, digital media artists
and ceramicists.
The benefits to the beneficiaries are the provision of affordable studio
space in terms appropriate to their means.
There is no private benefit as trustees (directors) are not studio members
and therefore do not benefit from the use of the artist studios.
Additional support is provided to the studio member beneficiaries
through opportunities to partake in exhibitions, public talks, and
community engaged projects in the locality throughout the year.
The benefits that flow from these activities are the opportunities for
artists to develop their professional artistic practice, gain publicity about
their work and reach new audiences. The members of the public
(especially in east Belfast) who attend these free events are also
beneficiaries of the charity.

Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

Additional details of objectives and activities Creative exchange currently provides studio space to 11 artists. The organisation works to develop engagement and increase accessibility to the visual arts. It creates a platform for the advancement of artistic diversity and representation in Northern Ireland and beyond.

You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:

policy on grantmaking;
policy programme related investment;

Volunteer contribution

Apart from the contribution of the part time studio manager (who works 15 hours per week partially funded by ACNI) , Creative Exchange is run on a voluntary basis, all trustees are unpaid and give their time voluntarily.

Trustees voluntarily assist and support the administrator and artists on any public facing Creative Exchange events throughout the year.

contribution made by volunteers.

Section D Achievements and performance

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year

Main Achievements

Provision of artists workspace (ongoing) Ensuring the workspace provided is fit for purpose and affordable for visual artists working in Belfast Many of our studio members participate in exhibitions throughout Northern Ireland and internationally. This included such galleries as Engine Room Gallery, The Mac, and the Black Box Belfast, and as far as Los Angeles, London, France and Tokyo. Members Exhibition Member’s exhibitions were unable to be run as normal covid restrictions were in place for a large part of the year. Participation in Belfast Open Studios Postponed due to Covid pandemic

Local Engagement Projects Artists participated with local artist studios Vault, and peer reviews with QSS and Platform. Artists also showcased works in Canvas Gallery, Ards Art Centre. Many of our studio members teach and facilitate workshops around the city e.g., Crescent Arts Centre, schools, University of Ulster

Section E Financial review

Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves

All studio members deposits are securely held in a separate reserves account

Contingency reserves are built into the yearly financial forecast to cover any unforeseen expenses or maintenance issues. These are minimal, approx £300. We are working to increase the reserves available to the organisation to deal with unforeseen circumstances

Details of any funds materially in deficit

Further financial review details (Optional information)

You may choose to include Creative Exchange’s main source of income is from monthly studio fees additional information, where received from the artists. relevant about:

To date we receive yearly core funding from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Annual Funding Programme. In 2022/23 financial year we received funding from Belfast City Council to increase the number of hours

the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);
how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;

worked by the Studio Manager, in 2023/24 we amended this to create an audience development pilot role alongside the Studio Manager.

of the charity; Any additional funding is related to specific artistic projects, and this
● investment policy and changes year to year. objectives including any Expenditure is carefully managed in relation to income. The main sources ethical investment policy of expenditure are the rent of our premises and the upkeep and adopted. maintenance of the premises to provide the best possible working conditions for artists.

Section F Other optional information

Section G Declaration

[The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. ] Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s)

Chris Armstrong Full name(s) Caragh O’Donnell-Delaney Position (eg Secretary, Chair, Chair Trustee etc)

Date 20/12/24