A Y R A R T S G U I L D
Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts for the Year ended 31 March 2025 Scottish Charity Number: SC005562
Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees: The Guild’s Trustees are either nominated by affiliated groups or appointed/reappointed by the members at the Annual General Meeting.
Governing Document: The Guild is an association and its purposes and administration arrangements are set out in its Constitution.
Charitable Purposes: The Guild’s purposes as recorded in its Constitution are: to promote, encourage and foster public interest in the study, practice and knowledge of the Arts within the area and other dramatic, literary, musical, educational and cultural purposes connected therewith.
Activities and Achievements:
On 17 May, the Guild welcomed
for An evening of music, songs and laughter . It was a very happy
occasion which attracted 89 and more than broke even.
In October the Guild with Ayr Film Society welcomed Aaron Hawthorne to accompany the silent film classic Nosferatu on the Lewis pipe organ in Ayr Town Hall. It was a great success attracting an audience of c.150, some dressing up.
The Guild arranged and promoted the 36th Joint Ayr Concert Series of four orchestral concerts in Ayr Town Hall for South Ayrshire Council with Destination South Ayrshire funding support, residue of grant from the Scottish Children’s Lottery Trust, several individual sponsors, and a grant from Ayr Arts Guild, to enable the concerts to go ahead. The Christmas Classics concert by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra attracted a full house and the New Year Gala concert by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra 84% capacity.
The residue grant from the Scottish Children’s Lottery Trust enabled the Guild, through the SAC Instrumental Music Service once more, to offer 100 free seats to disadvantaged young musicians and hard-pressed parents to attend the concerts by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra on Wednesday 9 October 2024, and by the Orchestra of Scottish Opera on Friday 14 February 2025. The free tickets were accompanied by postcards for feedback. Some members of the orchestras chatted with the young audience members during the interval, a much appreciated feature.
There were 1,396 listeners, including 311 young people and parents (237 free). They came from South Ayrshire (82%), East Ayrshire (7%), North Ayrshire (3%), Scotland (7%), and UK (1%).
Feedback from children: , I love the majestic sounds of the brass. The horn melody was stunning. Thank you for the opportunity to come along tonight. I loved it! The second piece was my favourite. , I really enjoyed it! It was a unique opportunity to see and hear a live orchestra. , I thoroughly enjoyed the concert especially the Wagner. I love getting the opportunity to listen to great music in South Ayrshire. , I really, really enjoyed seeing this and it was amazing seeing all the different instruments. Good! Keep it up! really enjoyed it and it has made me want to continue playing my baritone and maybe look at playing other instruments. , Truly fab! It was really tuneful and entertaining to listen to. It was absolutely amazing and very impressive. When I close my eyes I go to a different world in my head! I enjoyed hearing all the different instruments – the music tells a story and can make you calm or excited. , It was fantastic. I loved it. Wow that was amazing – I was blown away from the pitch and how fast and slow it was, truly very good. 10/10.
Feedback from parents: A fantastic performance from the Scottish Opera, a great experience for my 11 year old to see this orchestra and how the music comes to life. , Thoroughly enjoying escaping into another world as I listen to the wonderful collective sound of the Orchestra of Scottish Opera. Thank you for providing the opportunity for the young people of South Ayrshire and their parents! , This was a great opportunity for to see the potential of practice and hard work – thank you. , Again a wonderful experience of being part of the audience here today. Very interesting second piece. Thank you for a lovely Valentine’s evening.
The Organist Entertains 14th Series: An estimated 1,524 listeners attended the 34 recitals held between April and November. There were 1,165 from South Ayrshire (76.5%), 213 from East Ayrshire (14%), 30 from North Ayrshire (2%), 99 from Scotland (6.5%), and 15 from other parts of the UK (1%).
Membership fell from 138 to 120 individual members (plus 2 honorary members), and there were 50 groups (affiliated groups and subscribing groups for advertising).
Two Bill Grierson Awards were made in 2024. received £500 towards an ‘A’ clarinet before going to study at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS), and £280 was to support to attend the West of Scotland Schools String Orchestra (WSSSO) Autumn residential short course. It perpetuates the memory of the first chairman of Ayr Arts Guild and is to assist a young person (14 – 21) from Ayrshire towards paying for a short course or specific item. The Bill Grierson Award is a Permanent Endowment Fund.
There are two Reserve Funds. One is a Restricted Fund ring-fenced and specifically dedicated to Ayr Concert Series. The other Reserve Fund is an Unrestricted Fund. The AAG Arts Centre Fund is an Unrestricted Fund.
The Guild has planned the 37th Joint Ayr Concert Series 2025/26 in Ayr Town Hall on behalf of South Ayrshire Council, dates having been agreed by May 2025. The 36th Series made a loss of £10,432 in line with expectations.
Ayr Arts Guild is willing to provide its event management expertise to continue to arrange and promote the Joint Ayr Concert Series on behalf of South Ayrshire Council but does require financial support to the flagship event in Ayr Town Hall, flagship building of Ayr Common Good Fund.
The Guild continued to rent the store at 1 Craigie Road, Ayr, KA8 0HB.
Trustee Remuneration and Expenses: The Trustees did not receive any remuneration. Officers who are also Trustees received reimbursement for expenses incurred.
Volunteers: The Guild estimated that the Ayr Concert Series and other Concerts involved Donated Services of more than 1,800 hours.
Reserves: The AAG Reserve Fund was reduced by the transfer of £4,000 towards funding the 35th Ayr Concert Series, matching the Destination South Ayrshire funding contribution, and £280 towards attendance at WSSSO training for a scholar not qualifying for a Bill Grierson Award.
The AAG General Fund benefited from the subscription rates agreed by the Trustees.
The AAG Arts Centre Fund benefited from income earned, but necessary roof repairs have yet to be paid (£1,400), and a moving frame for the Guild’s Steinway grand piano (£990).
Restricted Funds: The Ayr Concert Series Restricted Fund received donations from three members and friends towards encouraging young listeners, but the Series made a loss and £1,361.97 had to be allocated after grants and income received. The Organist Entertains (14th Season) benefited from a successful season in 2024 but a repair had to be funded because the council couldn’t find the money (£274.89), and the Window Box Fund benefited from donations of £10 per box.
Approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf:
AYR ARTS GUILD FOR SOUTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL
36th JOINT AYR CONCERT SERIES 2024/25 Receipts and Payments Account
Scottish Chamber Orchestra (9 October, 3 January) BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (19 December) The Orchestra of Scottish Opera (14 February)
| PAYMENTS Fees: Scottish Chamber Orchestra BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra The Orchestra of Scottish Opera Fees Insurance South Ayrshire Council: Town Hall Rent Technical Floral Displays (Oasis) Stationery Programmes Postage Subsistence 9 Feb VDS sub and Charities Act Training Bouquets Travel Gift for Independent Examiner Leaflets and Posters Credit Card Charges RECEIPTS Box Office: SCO 9 Oct supported 48% BBC SSO 19 Dec full house SCO 3 Jan supported 83.5% TOSO 14 Feb supported 52% Loss Grants received 2023/24* DSA Grant 4000-00 Ayr Arts Guild 4000-00 Sponsorship/Donations 1070-69 Lossfrom ACS Restricted Fund |
15000-00 7320-00 8190-00 30510-00 291-16 2736-00 72-00 110-83 Nil Nil Nil 28-80 Nil 69-57 Nil - 772-00 451-30 4531-66 4531-66 35041-66 2430-00 10300-00 8401-00 3478-00 24609-00 (10432-66) 9070-69 1361-97 |
|---|---|
* Christmas Classics programmes kindly sponsored by The McKinstry Company.
Scottish Charity Number: SC005562
AYR ARTS GUILD
P R O M O T I O N S 2 0 2 4
An Evening with
| Ayr Town Hall, Friday 17 May 2024 | Ayr Town Hall, Friday 17 May 2024 | Ayr Town Hall, Friday 17 May 2024 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts | No. 89 | ||||
| Door Ticket Sales | 89 x £20 | 1780-00 | |||
| Payments | |||||
| Fees | 1100.00 | ||||
| Venue Hire | 220.00 | ||||
| Posters | 53.71 | ||||
| Stationery | 11.50 | ||||
| Refreshments | 22.29 | ||||
| Positive credit balance | 372.50 | ||||
| 1780.00 | 1780.00 | ||||
| Joint Promotion with Ayr Film Society | |||||
| with live | Silent Film:Nosferatu(1924) organ accompaniment played by |
||||
| Ayr Town Hall, Thursday 31 October 2024 | |||||
| Receipts | No.75 | ||||
| Door Ticket Sales | 600.00 | ||||
| Donation | 7.00 | ||||
| Payments | |||||
| Fees | 400.00 | ||||
| Positive credit balance | _____ | 207.00 | |||
| 607.00 | 607.00 | ||||
| Total attendance: 150. Appreciation | Rating: 95%. | ||||
| Ayr Film Society paid Venue Hire | and miscellaneous expenses from their Advance Ticket Sales. |
Scottish Charity Number: SC005562 Confidential
THE ORGANIST ENTERTAINS
Ayr Town Hall, April – November 2024 Interim Summary Report
We were pleased to promote the 14th Series of The Organist Entertains on Mondays between April and November. As in recent years, the Series began in St Nicholas Parish Church Prestwick and continued in Holy Trinity Episcopal Church and St Columba Parish Church to showcase other organs, before reaching Ayr Town Hall and the fine Lewis pipe organ. The fourteenth season of 34 Monday lunchtime concerts attracted over 1,444 listeners. At short notice, an organ repair was required to ‘keep the show on the road’ as the Council couldn’t find the money! As in the previous year, records were kept detailing origin of patrons, resulting in the Table:
| 2023 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin of listeners recorded at 34 concerts | (%) | (%) |
| South Ayrshire | 78 | 76.5 |
| East Ayrshire | 11 | 14 |
| North Ayrshire | 3 | 2 |
| Scotland | 7 | 6.5 |
| Other countries | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 100 | 100 |
The series has continued to prove popular with a good average at each concert this year. There were some organists new to the series, each of whom remarked on the quality of the instrument. There were international organists from Germany, Italy and Canada. It is planned to continue to include new organists keen to play the fine pipe organ we have in Ayr Town Hall.
Maintenance of the instrument is important and we are pleased that Messrs Harrison & Harrison continue to maintain the organ. They were able to undertake some repair work at their Durham workshop during the winter 2023/24.
Receipts and Payments Account 2023 and 2024
| Receipts Transfer Brought Forward Admissions Payments Posters & Flyers Organists’ Fees Hire of Hall Travel Accommodation Subsistence Organ Repair Balance In Hand to Carry Forward |
2023 6006.18 7211.00 530.00 2390.00 745.00 253.10 522.69 431.58 |
13217.18 4872.37 8344.81 |
2024 8344.81 7270.00 582.00 2780.00 940.00 424.85 1064.80 402.94 274.89 |
15624.81 6469.48 9145.33 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Scottish Charity Number: SC005562
AYR ARTS GUILD
Receipts and Payments Account for the Year ending 31 March 2025
| Perm’t End’t Fund AAG BGA 1543.25 __ 1543.25 |
Restricted Funds | Restricted Funds | The Organist Entertains Fund 7270.00 ____ 7270.00 |
Total 2025 9439.00 1290.00 - 1870.96 11207.80 1780.00 607.00 9070.69 24609.00 ____ 59874.45 |
Total 2024 9180.00 1362.00 926.06 710.39 66506.81 1260.00 596.00 11252.00 27926.21 _ 119719.47 142.91 - 1729.45 1285.00 120.00 300.00 1967.52 400.00 410.00 44690.58 10000.00 _ 61045.46 __ 58674.01 217923.35 58674.01 276597.36 2020 28241.40 80839.88 138.61 109219.89 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ayr Concert Series 9070.69 24609.00 ____ 33679.69 |
______ | Window Boxes Fund 870.00 ____ 870.00 |
||||||
Payments Print/Stat 112.81 Post/Tel/Gen 10.80 Maint 291.16 Rent 87.50 ACF 120.00 Bill Grierson Award CF-GC 1407.50 Film 400.00 Donations 280.00 Concert 4000.00 Transfer* 40000.00 ______ Payments 46709.77 |
1209.82 450.00 __ 1659.82 |
780.00 __ 780.00 |
35041.66 ____ 35041.66 |
______ |
364.22 ____ 364.22 |
582.00 274.89 940.00 424.85 402.94 1064.80 2780.00 ____ 6469.48 |
694.81 10.80 2140.09 1477.50 120.00 780.00 1832.35 802.94 1344.80 41821.66 40000.00 ____ 91024.95 |
|
______ S/D 32213.77 |
__ 355.69 |
__ 763.45 |
____ 1361.97 |
______ | ____ 505.78 |
____ 800.52 |
____ 31150.50 |
|
| C&B 162922.40 S/D 32213.77 |
32422.45 355.69 |
Statement of Balances 21969.99 46967.18 3970.53 763.25 1361.97 505.78 |
8344.81 800.52 |
276597.36 31150.50 |
||||
| C&B 130708.63* |
32778.14 | 22733.24 45605.21 |
4476.31* |
9145.33* | 245446.86 | |||
| AAG General Fund AAG Reserve Fund WB + TOE *CA |
2025 62558.75 68149.88 13621.64 144330.27 |
2024 90492.52 72429.88 12315.34 175237.74 |
2023 33026.05 76839.88 9967.40 119833 33* |
2022 30626.52 80839.88 138.61 111605.01 |
2021 30475.14 78339.88 138.61 108953.63 |
Transfer* £40,000 to M&G Charifund to earn interest for BGA.
Scottish Charity Number: SC005562
Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Ayr Arts Guild
I report on the Receipts and Payments Accounts of the charity for the year 1 April 2023– 31 March 2024.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The charity trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1) (d) of the Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under section 44(1) (c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner’s report
My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeks explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
Independent examiner’s statement
In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention
- which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
a. to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 44(1) (a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations, and
b. to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations
have not been met, or
- to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
22 July 2025