Community Arts North West Annual Report 2005-06

COMMUNITY ARTS NORTHWEST MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

KEY FULL- AND PART-TIME STAFF 2005-6

DIRECTORS

Cilla Baynes – Director Mick Chesterfield – Technician Becky Dibben – Administrative Assistant Jay Farquharson – Apprentice Workshop Leader Calita Jawando – Apprentice Workshop Leader Dot McDonald – Cleaner Sara Maguire – Digital Arts Manager David Martin – General Manager Erin McNeaney – Exodus Coordinator Harriet Morgan – CDAG Coordinator Dave Morris – Finance Worker Adelle Robinson – Toolkit Information Worker Sue Robinson – Artsnet Coordinator Duncan Sackey – CDAG Arts Development Coordinator Faye Salisbury – Arts Development Manager Michelle Udogu – Youth Music Coordinator Paul Williams - Administrator Yasmin Yaqub – Artistic Manager Sherry De Wynter – Coordinating Editor dxn

Sue Fletcher (Chair) Rhonda Finlayson (Secretary) Martin Hazlehurst (Treasurer) Teresa Adesanya Sue Bowen Helen Caplan Angela Harris Mike Hood Joan Johnson Trupti Patel Dave Peters Judith Watson Patsy Williams

OBSERVERS

Zoe Higgens (Manchester City Council) Julie McCarthy (Arts Council England North West) Claire Pickard (Manchester City Council)

CAN GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES SUPPORT FROM THE FOLLOWING ORGANISATIONS DURING 2005-6: Arts Council England North West Manchester City Council The Association of Greater Manchester Authorities The Baring Foundation The Big Lottery Community Chest Community Network for Manchester Creative Industries Development Service The Lankelly Chase Foundation

Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales National Computing Centre MCC Neighbourhood Renewal Fund The Paul Hamlyn Foundation Refugee Action South Manchester Community Development Fund Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council Youth Music

0161 819 5140

photo credits: Karin Albinsson, Joel Chester Fildes, Jason Lock, & David Martin

Registered number: 277135

Designed by

COMMUNITY ARTS NORTHWEST Green Fish Resource Centre, 46-50 Oldham Street, Manchester, M4 1LE Tel: 0161 234 2975, Fax: 0161 234 2976, Email: info@can.uk.com Visit: www.can.uk.com

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ANNUAL REPORT 2005/2006

CHAIR’S INTRODUCTION

COMMUNITY ARTS NORTH WEST IS PASSIONATE ABOUT SUPPORTING DIVERSE COMMUNITIES AND ARTISTS IN GREATER MANCHESTER TO DEVELOP HIGH-QUALITY, MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATORY ARTS PROJECTS. Based in the Northern Quarter of Manchester City Centre, Community Arts North West (CAN) is an arts development organisation that works in partnership with communities, artists, cultural agencies and the voluntary sector to encourage, develop, produce and promote cultural programmes of work by people who are excluded or on the fringes of mainstream society.

A fuller description of CAN’s programme of work can be found at www.can.uk.com

THIS YEAR HAS BEEN AN EXCITING AND EVER-EVOLVING ONE FOR COMMUNITY ARTS NORTH WEST.

In total, CAN managed 527 sessions throughout Greater Manchester; commissioned 42 pieces of work; employed 100 freelancers, who, in turn, worked with a staggering 6,044 people; sharing work with audiences of nearly 9,705 people at 57 performances.

Highlights of the year must be the sheer exuberance and excitement of the In the Mix JAM sessions with young people at greenroom, the Exodus Festival and other Exodus activities during Refugee Week and beyond; and the on-going capacitybuilding and professional development for community groups and artists.

We were especially pleased to be nominated as a finalist for the art 06 award from Arts Council England North West because of the quality and innovation of this work.

This year sees CAN in an improved financial position. We have increased our reserves giving the organisation a much needed buffer against any future uncertainty.

Once again thank you to our revenue funders: Arts Council England North West and Manchester City Council, who have continued to demonstrate support for our work with communities, and to the many organisations and trusts that have supported specific programmes of work.

As the chair of CAN, I would like to pay tribute to the commitment of the staff team and talented freelance artists.

I would also like to thank the CAN management committee who give up their free time for the company.

We look forward to another productive and exciting year ahead.

Sue Fletcher – Chair

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‘IT BRINGS EVERYONE TOGETHER, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU BELONG, IT IS YOUR FESTIVAL – YOU AREN’T OUTSIDERS HERE.’

‘OUR REFUGEE COMMUNITIES BRING A SIGNIFICANT CULTURAL RICHNESS TO OUR REGION. EXODUS HELPS TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOME EXTRAORDINARY ARTISTS IN GREATER MANCHESTER WHO MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE GET THE PROFILE AND ATTENTION THEY DESERVE’ MICHAEL EAKIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND NORTH WEST.

DEVELOPED AND MANAGED BY COMMUNITY ARTS NORTHWEST EXODUS IS A VIBRANT THREE-YEAR CREATIVE PROGRAMME THAT AIMS TO DEVELOP AND CELEBRATE REFUGEE ARTS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS, AND PROMOTE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND CAPACITY-BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS FROM REFUGEE AND ASYLUM-SEEKER COMMUNITIES.

EXODUS Exodus facilitates the interaction of refugee artists with locally-based practitioners from diverse cultures, bringing a wealth of new talent, skills and fresh ideas to the creative life of the city.

Year 2 of the Exodus programme saw the following achievements: • A fantastic Exodus Festival was held in Hulme Park in June 2005 as part of Refugee Week celebrations • The Festival featured a Festival Radio Broadcast developed in partnership with Zion Radio, Radio Regen and ALL FM

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• The first Exodus Shorts film event held as part of Refugee Week celebrations, featuring the CAN and Basement Social Centre film The Right to Stay

• Two Exodus Live band nights played to sell-out audiences • The Exodus Outreach Programme in Greater Manchester piloted in Wigan and Bolton to great success • Funding was secured from The Lankelly Chase Foundation to run a two-year Exodus Traineeship for refugee artists to become workshop leaders • Afrocats developed a dance, drama and music production, Where is Home?

• Funding was secured from the Big Lottery Fund and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation to run a three year Exodus Refugee Arts Young People’s programme – the Urban Music Theatre programme

EXODUS FESTIVAL

THE EXODUS FESTIVAL TOOK PLACE ON 18TH JUNE IN HULME PARK, MANCHESTER ON A GLORIOUS SUNNY DAY. 17 TALENTED MUSIC, DANCE AND DRAMA PERFORMANCES WOWED AN AUDIENCE OF APPROXIMATELY 2,000 PEOPLE INCLUDING MANY FAMILIES, CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE.

THE FESTIVAL FEATURED: • Performers from 15 nationalities: Zimbabwe, South Africa, Pakistan, Bosnia, Somalia, Uganda, Afghanistan, Kurdistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Burundi, Sudan, Eritrea, Rwanda and India • 28 Market stalls • International Food from four refugee communities • Workshops and Children’s activities

FESTIVAL RADIO BROADCAST Developed in partnership with Zion Radio, Radio Regen and ALL FM; training was provided for participants from refugee communities, who ran a six-hour broadcast live from the festival site that went out on ALL FM: 96.9FM and is available as a download from www.ourvideo.org.

EXODUS SHORTS Refugee Week June 2005 also saw the premier of the Exodus Shorts, a diverse programme of short films that gives a fresh perspective on the lives of refugees and people seeking asylum.

The Exodus Greater Manchester Refugee Partnership is lead by Community Arts North West and also includes: Refugee Action, In Place of War (Manchester University Applied Theatre Department), Manchester Refugee Support Network and MARIM (Multi Agency for Refugee Integration in Manchester)

The event included the premiere of The Right to Stay – a film telling the story of four asylum seekers facing deportation which was made by participants of a workshop programme run by CAN and the Basement Social Centre and screened to a full audience of over 200 people at the Cornerhouse Cinema, Manchester.

Exodus Shorts films were also shown on the BBC Big Screen.

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EXODUS GREATER MANCHESTER Greater Manchester hosts more asylum-seekers than any other conurbation outside of London.

Those living in the outer boroughs are often very isolated, because there is not the same level of support available to them as there is in Manchester. In particular there are very few arts opportunities for refugees in these areas.

In August 2005 CAN received funding from AGMA to support a pilot refugee arts outreach programme within the Greater Manchester boroughs of Bolton and Wigan.

‘THE BEST NIGHT I’VE BEEN TO IN YEARS’ ‘WE NEED MORE OF THIS KIND OF THING TO GIVE PEOPLE THE CHANCE TO MEET IN RELAXED CIRCUMSTANCES’...‘BRILLIANT ATMOSPHERE’

In Wigan, this concentrated on touring refugee arts performances at the Wigan WOW festival in August 2005 and developing a dance and music project called Lyrical Moves with the Rafiki Group of young refugees.

‘MUSIC THAT BRINGS PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES TOGETHER’...‘AMAZING!’...‘DO IT ON A REGULAR BASIS, PLEASE – BRILLIANT DJ AND ATMOSPHERE’...‘I TOOK MY 23 YEAR OLD SON, WHO HAS NEVER BEEN TO A REFUGEE EVENT BEFORE, AND HE WAS ABSOLUTELY BOWLED OVER – LOVED IT, CAN’T WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE!’

In Bolton, work was largely concentrated on touring refugee arts performances to the Mela in August 2005, and working with the Octagon Theatre to build links with refugees in Bolton.

Assessing their creative needs and developing a short drama project.

EXODUS ARTS DEVELOPMENT ‘I AM VERY GLAD TO BE PART OF EXODUS. SINCE I GOT INVOLVED WITH THE PROJECT IT HAS REALLY RAISED MY PROFILE AS AN ARTIST AND I HAVE MADE LOTS OF NEW CONTACTS. IT IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS MYSELF.’ JAH ROCK, LIBERIAN SINGER.

EXODUS LIVE ‘WE NEED A VOICE OUT THERE FOR REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS, AND THAT’S ONE OF THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF EXODUS, TO SHOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEGATIVE VIEWS ABOUT US THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING TO CONTRIBUTE, AND THAT WE HAVE SOME SUCCESS STORIES IN THIS COUNTRY, RATHER THAN THE NEGATIVE VIEWS PORTRAYED BY THE PRESS.’

Two Exodus Live band nights featuring 22 sets from refugee musicians playing to a combined audience of over 1,000 people at Mint Lounge and Life Café in Manchester, highlighted the huge musical contribution made to the city’s cultural life by people from new migrant communities.

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JEAN AZIP BLANCHARD, BRITANNIA RUMBA. In 2005/06 Exodus offered arts development and capacity-building support through advice, signposting, access to information and opportunities, training, expertise, practical resources, and funding advice and support to many refugee groups including: the Bosnian Supplementary School, Tloh, the Women’s Integration Support Project, the George House Trust, Heritage Survival, Britannia Rumba, Silo, Izinyane Lesilo, Hohodza, Afrocats, Jah Rock and the Kurdish Creative Film Centre.

Musicians and Bands: Asian Music Talent – classical Indian music, Pakistani Ghazal and Bhangra; Britannia Rumba and Country Rumba – promoting the best of the fusion between British and Congolese Rumba; Heritage Survival – Zimbabwean musicians based in Manchester and Wigan; Izinyane Lesilo – traditional a capella Zimbabwean choir; Jah Rock from Liberia; Kurdish Creative Film Centre – traditional Kurdish Music; Jurij and Veronica Kozak – Ukrainian popular music; Silo – Zimbabwean dub poet; Tloh – duet from Afghanistan; Ya Freddy – Congolese singer songwriter.

Tropical sounds from DJ Hot Pepper.

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IN THE MIX IN THE MIX WAS AN AMBITIOUS AND HIGHLY CREATIVE MUSIC PROGRAMME FOR YOUNG PEOPLE FROM GREATER MANCHESTER. The programme ran from November 2004 to March 2006 and offered music-making opportunities across a wide range of genres. Participants undertook the following musical activities: vocal and instrumental training, arranging, composition, lyric-writing, dj-ing and mixing, and combined media digital production and studio recording training.

In the Mix ran 15 programmes of work across Greater Manchester for 495 young people, 64% of whom were of diverse cultural heritage and 32% of whom were refugees & asylum-seekers.

These programmes of work and development were: an African Music-making project; Bloco Novo Samba drumming group developed in partnership with East Feast in East Manchester; City Centre Project drop-in acoustic music-making project for young refugees; Hattersley Youth Centre’s Hatto Crew; Hebron Youth Group’s live instrumental work (Rochdale); Now We Talkin’ Jubo Shongo and Bennet Street (Hyde); Hip-Hop Narratives with Jubo Shongo and at Bennet Street (Hyde); Nryta Jyoti with the Indian Association Oldham; Voice Box Choir at Zion Arts Centre; Wai Yin Young Chinese people’s project; Goodfellas; Habonim Dror; and the Beat Box Orchestra.

In the Mix also ran comprehensive Apprenticeship and Traineeship programmes for eight musicians to develop the skills to become Music Workshop Leaders.

‘TONIGHT THE RICH SOUND OF SAMBA REGGAE, A BEATBOX ORCHESTRA, IRAQI HIP HOP AND AFRICAN HARMONIES FILL THE AIR. A BATTERY OF MBIRAS, KORA AND DJEMBE DRUMS PUNCTUATE THE SLICK RHYTHMS. AND A BLAZE OF NATIONALITIES STEP UP TO THE PLATE IN ONE OF MANCHESTER’S MOST VIBRANT JAM SESSIONS. CANTONESE, AFGHANS, SOMALIANS, IRAQIS, ERITREANS, ZIMBABWEANS AND ANGOLANS ARE AMONG THOSE PRESENT. THE MOOD IS DEFIANT, HAPPY AND POSITIVELY CELEBRATORY.’ THE BIG ISSUE IN THE NORTH

THE JAM A particular highlight of In the Mix was the four bimonthly JAM sessions where In the Mix participants were able to perform their work Each event had performance slots and open mic sessions, and was supported by a live band of professional musicians.

Young people from other programmes of work, such as artists from Afrocats and the International Crew spontaneously joined in the performances with their own dance adding to the very unique and special JAM vibe.

The JAM was a unique event; a forum for young people from a wide variety of backgrounds and cultures to get together in an arts venue, to share and showcase their musical skill, talent and progression.

It was a safe space which allowed the young people to explore new music, ideas and spoken word, as well as develop cross-cultural friendships.

There were approximately 800 attendances and 67 performances in total. The opportunity for live performance was identified by participants as a key factor in developing their self-confidence.

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‘IT WAS KICKIN’!’...‘IT WAS OFF DA HOOK!!!’

‘IT WAS HEAVY!’...‘FINALLY GOT TO PERFORM OUR SONG AND IT WAS THE BEST YET’...‘I THINK IT WAS THE BEST NIGHT I’VE HAD IN MY LIFE. BRILLIANT!’

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INTO: DIGITAL

CAN’s digital arts programme supported a wide range of artists and communities through: • Access to the Digital Lab, providing equipment and expertise • In association with partners provided resources and training for the Exodus Festival Radio Broadcast (page 5) • VJ workshops offering training in the use of video, graphics, animation and live video mixing • Offering training, production facilities and artistic management support to refugees & asylum-seekers to create a short film: The Right to Stay (page 5) • Video and scriptwriting workshops for young refugees to develop ideas and a script for a potential First Light Film project, which has now accessed funding

AFROCATS

‘PEOPLE IN AFROCATS, THEY’RE JUST LIKE FAMILY, WE’RE ALL LIKE SISTERS...YOU FEEL LIKE THEY CARE. TO ME IT’S A FAMILY BECAUSE IT’S THE ONLY FAMILY THAT I HAVE’

Developed with support from Community Arts North West and led by Magdalen Bartlett, Afrocats is comprised of young female refugees from Rwanda, Burundi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Uganda, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo; and young women from local Manchester Caribbean communities. A significant proportion of the young female refugees are unaccompanied asylum seekers.

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Afrocats’ main art form is contemporary African and Caribbean dance. Since 2003 they have become very popular, performing throughout Greater Manchester at festivals and live events.

Where is Home? was their first full-length theatre performance and was produced with support and direction from CAN, and performed to full audiences at greenroom and Zion Arts Centre in September and October 2005.

• Production, in association with the National Computing Centre, of Your Video – a toolkit and training course for aspiring video producers from community groups

INTERNATIONAL CREW

• Production of a promotional video for Congolese band Britannia Rumba, in association with Let’s Go Global – the community video project based in Old Trafford

The International Crew is a Hip-Hop dance collective made up of young people aged 13-26 from diverse youth communities including young refugees. The group has been developed by CAN since 2004 and is a highly energetic and talented ensemble of body poppers, street dancers and break dancers.

The project has worked with over 50 young people since April 2005, who have performed across Greater Manchester.

Where is Home? was devised by 14 young women, who shared the real experiences of a new generation of refugees and asylum-seekers.

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www.thetoolkit.net

THE TOOLKIT INFORMATION SERVICE The Toolkit website was developed in early 2003 by CAN, in partnership with Creative Industries Development Service (CIDS) and Manchester Libraries and Information Service. It was developed in response to the need for information resources that are accessible to local communities and artists developing creative projects and creative enterprises.

Following on from the huge success of the Toolkit website, CAN in partnership with Artsnet and CIDS expanded the service provided through the website to create the pilot Toolkit Information Service.

The expanded service has been available since March 2005 and includes a dedicated Toolkit Information Worker who offers an e-mail and telephone enquiry service, one-to-one surgeries and signposting to relevant cultural services and providers.

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ARTSNET Artsnet is a service hosted by CAN for people employed in, or interested in arts and culture to engage with the wider strategic issues which affect their work, play and quality of life in the City of Manchester. The network is part of the Community Network for Manchester (CN4M) which is the voice of the community and voluntary sector and links to the Manchester Cultural Partnership (MCP), on which CAN is also represented independently.

MCP advises the Local Strategic Partnership on the contribution

The service continues to provide access to the Toolkit website, which contains up-to-date information on organisations, networks, training and funding opportunities (also available in paper hard-copy), as well as the Artsnet website, e-mail group and newsletter (electronic and hard copy).

The service also offers an extensive and very popular capacity-building Toolkit Training programme which is free to attend.

This pilot service offers a joined-up service utilising the expertise of CAN, Artsnet and CIDS. It also fulfils an important role within Manchester’s cultural landscape, providing a gateway between people from grass-roots communities and mainstream cultural providers, as well as providing a comprehensive professional development package of support to new and emerging artists.

The free information service has had a real impact in helping socially excluded artists and communities in navigating and accessing opportunities for future cultural development.

The development of the Toolkit Information Service has also had a major impact on CAN as it makes best use of the information coming in and going out of CAN, CIDS and Artsnet for the target group.

The Information Worker gives CAN much-needed increased capacity by managing the information service, freeing up the Artistic Team and Management to concentrate on their specific areas of work and expertise, thus significantly improving the organisation’s overall service.

www.artsnetmanchester.co.uk of culture to Manchester’s Community Strategy and to the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy; informs priorities for the allocation of NRF for Culture; and monitors and supports the delivery of the City’s Cultural Strategy.

In addition to this role, Artsnet distributed a quarterly full-colour newsletter in 2005-6 with a total distribution of 2505, reporting on information and opportunities within creative arts within Manchester.

It also produced an e-mail listings service which signposts opportunities within the sector.

Artsnet also produced and distributed a deck of playing cards as an advocacy tool, that describes how the work of 52 arts and cultural organisations contribute towards regeneration.

The deck describes how these organisations promote improvements in economy and employment; promote sustainable, safer and stronger communities; how they negate health inequalities and how they support older people, children and young people.

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NEIGHBOURHOOD RENEWAL FUND The Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF) has been a valuable resource during the year, supporting both project work and the post of the Arts Development Manager at CAN. A key role of this post has been to identify and acquire additional resources to develop sustainable futures within the arts for both CAN and other cultural organisations and groups.

In 2005-6 the ADM attracted support in excess of £309,555 to resource CAN’s current and future work, and arts activities of specific community groups from a variety of funders; investment directly levered by seed funding from NRF to support the culturally diverse arts sector in Manchester

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2006 Unrestricted funds Donations and grants

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133,294

133,294

102,802

Activities for generating funds Other income

1,645

-

1,645

3,769

Bank interest

1,385

-

1,385

5

Capital grants

-

2,677

2,677

3,468

Other revenue, grants & fees

-

362,020

362,020

304,472

Other Income

-

2,000

2,000

-

136,324

366,697

503,021

414,516

110,241

397,194

507,435

369,013

2,132

-

2,132

2,306

Total Resources Expended

112,373

397,194

509,567

371,319

Net income for the year

23,951

(30,497)

(6,546)

43,197

Funds brought forward at 1st April 2005

28,562

85,998

114,560

71,363

Funds carried forward at 31st March 2006

52,513

55,501

108.014

114,560

Total Incoming Resources Resources Expended Charitable Activities

BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31ST MARCH 2006

2006 (£)

2005 (£)

19,427

33,183

97,223

70,730

Cash in bank

161,013

64,638

Cash in hand

23

41

258,259

135,409

169,672

54,032

88,587

81,377

108,014

114,560

Unrestricted funds

52,513

28,562

Restricted funds

55,501

85,998

108,014

114,560

Tangible Fixed Assets Current Assets Debtors

In 2005-6 CDAG: • Produced a second issue of dxn magazine – for the Diversity Exchange Network, which highlights the rich diversity and creativity of the Black Minority Ethnic (BME) arts sector

• Worked in partnership with the BBC and ITV-Granada at Move On Up North – an event organised by BECTU that facilitated contacts between industry executives and culturally-diverse professionals

2005

Incoming resources from charitable activities

CULTURAL DIVERSITY ADVISORY GROUP • Hosted workshops and advice surgeries and provided networking opportunities for artists interested in writing, or pursuing careers in publishing

2006

Incoming resources from generated funds

Governance costs

CDAG is hosted by CAN and is made up of representatives of organisations and individuals from arts and culture, minority ethnic communities, artists, independent and voluntary sector groups and key agencies involved in issues of race and equality. Its mission is to raise the profile of the sector; support information exchange and networking; support training and capacity-building; widen access; and harness the potential of the refugee arts community.

Restricted funds

Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year Net current assets Net Assets Represented by

• Worked with the Kurdish Creative Film Centre to support the delivery of the 2nd Kurdish Film Festival and fully evaluate the project • Worked with Arts About Manchester to audit writers’ groups, book groups and independent bookstores operated from within the BME community

The financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part VII of the Companies Act 1985 applicable to small companies, were approved by the board of directors on 13th December 2006.

In our opinion: the financial statements give a true and fair view in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice applicable to Small Entities of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at 31st March 2006 and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure in the year then ended. The financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 1985. The information given in the Directors’ Report is consistent with the financial statements.

DE LA WYCHE TRAVIS & CO. Registered Auditors, Chartered Accountants, 161 Slade Lane, Manchester, M19 2AF. 14th December 2006 A full copy of these accounts is available from Community Arts North West Ltd., Green Fish Resource Centre, 46 – 50 Oldham Street, Manchester, M4 1LE.

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