Northern Lights Project Ltd Company liniited by guarantee Directors, report for the year ended 31 May 2023 The directors present their report and the financial statemenis for tlie year ended 31 May 2023. Principal activity The principal activity of the charitable company include tlie promotion and development of coliesive and confident communities in Northern Erelaiid as well as empowered and creatively engaged iiidividuals. Dlrectors The directors who served during the year are as stated below: Amanda Koser-Gillespie Kevin Peter O'Doherty Purpose and ainis Nortliem Lights Project is a Derry-based inusic Orgailisation and charity. It was founded in 2016 with the purpose of creatiiig, producing, and promoting cutting-edge new music and adventurous interdiscipliiiary arts events. Tlie organisation develops iniiovative approaches to presentation with performances. workshops, and concerts in a raiige ofpublic arenas. Its main aims arc to: Creale, produce and promote new and innovative new Inusic/sound-based and multi-media events" Proinotes and pr¢seiit perforjnances. concerts and otlier events. Use music as a tool for community engagement and d¢velopinent: Eiicoui'age and facilitate participation, particularly by young people, in Iiiusic and the arts; Develop partnerships that cross boundarics b¢tween music, tli¢ arts and beyond. Actlvlties Higliliglits in the season 2022-23, funded by PRS Open Fund for Organisations and the Arts Council of Nortliem Ireland, includcd: November 2022 - Pitch Sliifting: Coinmission and workshops for the preparation of an immersive sound iiislallation that will premiere at Outburst Queer Arts Festival in 2023 before touring. February 2023 Tlie Language & Shapes of Synthesisers & Electronic Sound // The Art & Science of Interference Pattems: Two workshop/ talkl perforn]ances at NI Science Festival. March 2023 - Michel Cliion: Requiem: To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first perfonnance, we einbarked on an ambitious project to perforn] this ivork live in a number of locations in 2023, starting with Derry's Guildhall cxactly 50 years after the first perfonnance. April 2023 re:sonance: Performance Art & Sound Event, in partnership with Beyond Belfast. An eclecti mix of conteinporary perfomiance and souiid works. In 2022-23 ive also continued with our regular series of Derry Sound factory events presenting new and cip¢riin¢iital music by local practitioners with regular events. Page 2
Northern Lights Project Ltd Company limited by guarantee Dircctors, report for the year ended 31 May 2023 ontinued Bencficiaries Ediication aiid Outreach M05t of our concerts liave included ali education or outreach component with opportunities for various groups to activcly take part in crcativc music-making. These have included school children and young people. Our concert series provides a platforni for new and experimental music and sound art, allowing participating artists to road-test new ideas and develop existing pieces. Tlie series provides a space for creative exploration and risk-taking with a view to developing and presenting high-quality imaginative and innovative work. We liave attempted to prograinme a diverse series of Inusic and sound-based events, each with a distinct identity and appealing to a slightly different audience segment. Tlie intention is to attract a broad audience witli overlapping Interests ranging from contemporary art. iinprovisation, new music and electronica. Conleinporary music is rather Inore establislied in Belfast and we believe ihat much is to bc gained from developing links between Deny and Belfast to help strengthen both the sector, by catering for a small but curious audience, as well as providing these artists with mucli-needcd exposure and perforinance opportunities. Plans for the future We plan to present a furtlier s¢ri¢s of ¢oii¢erts in Derry and Belfast in late 2023 and early 2024. They will feature Nortliern Irisli and visiting artists froin a range of disciplines, including improvised music, sound art, live art and electronic music. These artists have been chosen for their unique aesthetic voice, the high standard of their artistic abilities and tlie liigli quality of the work they produce. Each concert in the series for¢grounds risk, expcrimcntation and iillagiiiation and seeks to present inspiring work tliat would not otlierwise be available for local audiences to experience. The success of tliis series of events, highliglits the iieed for and level of public interest in experiinental niusic iii Nortliern Ireland, particularly in the north west region. We are gradually building a dedicated audience aiid plan to continue to support experimental music artists, locally, regionally and nationally. We liave applied for substantial project funding froin tlie Arts Council of Northem Ireland to allow us to continue presenting music projects and to allow us to grow the reacli of our activities in Derry and further afield. Directors responsibilities The directors of Nortliern Lights Project Ltd for the purposes of company law are responsible for preparing the Directors, Annual Report and the financial statements In accordance with applicable law and United Kingdoin Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Company lalv requires tlie directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a tru¢ and fair view of the state of affairs of the cliarilable compaiiy and of tlie incoming resources and application of resources, iiicluding the income and expenditure, of the cliaritable Company for that period. In preparing tlies¢ financial statements, the directors are required to: Page 3
Northern Lights Project Ltd Company limited by guarantee Dircctors, report for the year ended 31 May 2023 continued Select Suitable accounting policies and then apply ihem consistently; observe tlie metl)ods and principles in the Charities SORP 2019 (fRS 102). make judgeiiieiils and estimate5 tl)at are reasonable and prudent; state whetlier applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial stateinents prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the cliaritable coinpany will contiiiue in operation. The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the cliaritable coinpany and enable tliem to ensure that the financial statements comply with ilie Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other Irregularities. Iii so far as the directors arc aware: there is no relevant infom]ation of wliich the charitable company's iiidependent examiner is unaware; and the directors liave taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant informalioii and to establisli Iliat the independent examiner is awarc of tliat inforInation. This report is prepared in accordance with the special provisions of part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relaling to sinall coixpanies. Tliis report was approved and authorised for issue by the Board on 27 February 2024 and signed on its behalf by Dlrector Director Page 4