OPEN ARTS
TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS. REPORT)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, present their report and the unaudited
financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2023.
Structure, Governance and Management
Governlng document
The organisation is a charitable company limited by guarantee. The company was established under
Memorandum of Association which established the objects and powers of the company and is governed under its
Articles ofAssociation. In the event of the company being wound up members are required to contribute an amount
not exceeding £1
Recrultment and Appolntment ot Dlrectors
The trustees of the company are also charity trustees for the purposes of charity law. Under the requirements of the
Memorandum and Articles of Association the directors are elected to serve for a period of three years after which
they must be re-elected at the nextAnnual General Meetlng.
The trustees of the company have a mix of business and artistic skills. In the event of particular skills being lost due
to retirement or resignation, suitable individuals are approached to offer themselves for appointment as trustees.
Trustee Inductlon and training
Most new trustees are familiar with the work of the charty. New trustees are encouraged to attend suitable training
courses to familiarise themselves with both the work of the charity and their responsibilities as trustees. They are
also made familiar wilh the Open Arts, Governance handbook.
Rlsk management
The trustees have carried out a review of the major risks to which the charity is exposed, and were appropriate have
put in place systems and controls to mitigate the effect of those risks.
Objectlves and actlvltles
The principal activity of the company is to promote and co-ordinate arts activities of all kinds by and with disabled
people in the area of benefit, in accordance with the principles as laid down in the Memorandum and Articles of
Association of Open Arts.
Achlevements and performance
From April 2022 untll March 2023, we delivared 413 creative workshop sessions that engaged 554 indivlduals.
In April 2022, we re-inststed our core programme to pre-pandemie levels. This included increased In person
capacity by removing social distancing and allowing more movement around rooms e.g., for drama where
participants had mainly remained seated. Where classes were kept shorter be￿een September 2021 and April
2022, we increased the length of time back to the pre-covid times.
On a weekly basis, throughout the year we delivered..
3 x visual classes including one for blind and visually impaired
Monday Players drama
Open Arts Community Choir
Creative writing
Gamelan Group
Luminous Soul dance
On Thursday 16th June we launched Words Out, a new anthology of poetrylcr8ative writing, which featured work
from participants across our core programme. The event was part of the Belfast Book Festival and featured
readings, music, and dance from Luminous Soul.
The Open Arts Community Choir have been perfomiing again. In April 2022 they competed in Bangor International
Choral Festival where they won 2 awards.
On 25th August they performed at the Belfast Mix Tape event in the Vwdterfront Hall with Ferna. They perfomied the
song 'At Home, that was written during sessions with our participants and Ferna in early 2022.

OPEN ARTS
TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS. REPORT) (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
Achlevements and performance (continued)
On 29th September they also performed with local band Blackjack at the Arts & Business Awards. .
Throughout April to June, we delivered workshops in partnership with Belfast Abbeyfield Society, funded by ACNI
Arts & Older People. Dan￿rS and musicians worked with residents of 5 residential homes in mindful nK*vement and
dance. The project culminated with outdoor perfomiances at each of the houses, the creation of lyric books and
movement prop packs that were left with residents.
Over July and August 2022, delivered nearly 20 sessions as part of the Solas Summer Schemes for children with
autism and additional complex needs.
We conts'nued to deliver our In Tune project (funded by Children in Need).
There were regular sessions for both partner organlsations..
Angel Eyes- Tiny Tots, Primary age group, Teen Hub and 1..1 sessions for children with additional complex needs.
Autism Initiatives - group and 1..1 sessions.
'Thls programme has b88n invaluable for K's mental well-b8ing and personal growth. It has provlded him with an
opportunity to socialise and learn important skills, h8lping to build his confidence in a s8f8 8nd understanding
setting. K always leaves the music programme chatting and happy (this is usually a very raTr occurrence when he
has been in a social setting).
Take Away Theatre, funded by Bank of Ireland Begin Together, is our interactive, fun performance that happens at
home for disabled people and their families. We delivered mults'ple visits throughout the year from Belfast to
Bessbrook, Ballynahinch to Bangor.
.1 cannot thank you, and your team, enough for the amazing time we had today,. Jessic8 8nd St8phen 8r& wonderful
and brt)ught so much joy into our home. I must say I was 8 little concemed as A had been in a bit of a 'twist' all
moming and it was hard to know how engaging he would be.
Howevar, Ihe p8ir were 8ble to tum him around and their palience and cr88tive Imaginations weTr amazing. We 811
h8d a really great time.
Thank you all so much 8g8in, best wish8S.'
In October 2022, we produced Weaving Threads, a performance as part of Bounce Festival. We facilitated 3 of our
participants, who had developed their own work with funding from IDA, to collaborate and perform. The feedback
from the emerging artists involved in this process demonstrates how Open Arts nurtures and supports artistic talent..
"I never thought my disability could be something Ihal made me unique and enabled me to create art in a new and
Inte￿stIng way. This new confidence and accgptance of myself empowered me to think about myself as a
performer."
°Open Arts is my creative and social lifeline and being part of the organisation has helped me 8nom70usly over the
past couple of years, the Open Arts team has also helped me to access my own funding. I now have mentors who
are helping me to create my own woth that explores my feelings about my diagnosis of autism later in life..
As part of the opening of Bounce Festival 2022, we performed a flashmob in Castle Court with Open Arts
Community Choir and Luminous Soul dancers. This was written in The Neurodiverse Review, a UK wide, thdicated
review site for neurodiverse, autlstic, and disabled-led work.
.1 dont know if flashmobs afp usually reviewed, but I feel in this c8.Sè, it .%hniJld be. It was gr8at to see disabled
dan￿rS taking up space unapologetically, perfomiing without permission, not caring if anyone was watching or not.
It was empowering and beautifully done."

OPEN ARTS
TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS. REPORT) (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
Flnancial revlew
The company is a noTrprofit making organisation. The results are set OLrt in detail on page 5. The company had net
expenditure for the year of £26,539.
The principal funding SoUr￿S of the charity are by way of grant, principally from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland,
and by way of charging fees to various groups for services render8d.
Reserves pollcy
The trustees have axamined the charty's requirements for reserves in light of the. main risks to the funding of the
organisation. Unrestricted free reserves are currently £82,340, as detailed in note 14, and this level of resetves
would be sufficient to fund the organisation's running costs for a period of six months at current levels of spending
and cover redundancy payments for the current staff. The trustees consider this level of reserves to be adequate to
meet the needs of the charlty.
Statement of trustees, responslbllltles
The Trustees, who are also the directors of Open Arts for the purpose of company law, are responsl ble for preparing
the Trustees, Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdjm
Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company Law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which gwe a true and
fair view of the state of affairs of the and of the incoming resourc88 and application of resources. including the
income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year,
In preparing these finanaal statements, the Trustees are required to:
select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
obs@￿e the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent.,
state whether applicable UK Accountlng Stsndards have been followed, subject to any material departures
dlsclosed and explained in the financial statements- and
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the will
Continue in operation.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at
any lime the financial position of the and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the
Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the and hence for taking reasonable
steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The trustees, report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
l H Lindsay
Trustee
S Finnegan
Trustee
Date..