belfasttrad annual report 2014 - artscouncil-ni.org

BelfastTrad Annual Report 2014

!!BelfastTrad Annual Report 2014

!!!History of BelfastTradBelfastTrad was originally founded as “Belfast & District Set Dancing and Traditional Music Society” in 1990. Organised by a small cohort led by set dancer and teacher Mary Fox, it was formally constituted in 1991. The goal and ethos of the Society from the beginning has been to ensure that the shared traditions of Irish music and dance are available to all sections of the community in a neutral setting. With the Crescent Arts Centre as our home since the early days, we have been a vital force in maintaining that tradition in Belfast.!In our 21st year in 2012, we changed our name to something a bit more manageable. Now called BelfastTrad-Traditional Music and Dance Society, our goal is still to celebrate and pass on traditional arts. Our annual programme supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland consists of 35 weekly classes, a series of over 16 workshops in music and dance, a lecture series and two End-of-Term concerts and ceilis as well as a program of outreach at the Camphill Community Glencreagh, Belfast Castle Ceilis and the St Bride’s Parish School of Traditional Music.

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Contents !Chair’s Report 3Secretary’s Report 4!Events 5!Minutes 2013 AGM 6!Accounts 8!Committee 9 !


Chair’s Report Arts Council Funding BelfastTrad is currently in year 3 of our 3-year grant of £19,400.00 per annum from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Lottery funds. This will provide support funding for our programme through March 31, 2015. Three-year funding has been of benefit to us because of the economic stability it provides. Next year all clients will be only be able to apply for one-year funding with a hope to returning to the 3-year model the following year.!We received an outstanding report by the Arts Council’s outside assessor which highlighted the strength of our program and the quality of our tutors.!We continue to press BelfastTrad’s case to the Arts Council for funding for a paid administrative post and will be pursuing this in our grant application in the autumn.!Committee BelfastTrad was supported this year by an excellent committee of dedicated volunteers. We have attracted people with skills and enthusiasm and they have brought their energy and talents to the organisation. BelfastTrad would not exist without the hard work they freely provide. I would like to thank them for the support they have given me and BelfastTrad this year.!Partners & Outreach We continue to strengthen our ties with other organisations. This year we have worked with or been supported by not only the Arts Council, but Na Píobairí Uilleann, An Droichead, The Crescent Arts Centre, The Camphill Community at Glencreagh, QUB School of Creative Arts, The Belfast Castle Ceilis, Parkinson’s UK-Northern Ireland, the Girl Guides Northern Ireland and St Bride’s Parish Traditional Music School.!I have enjoyed my first year as Chair of BelfastTrad. It is an honour to head up such an organisation. We are justifiably proud of all we do to further our core mission of enabling all sections of the community to come together in appreciation of our shared traditions of music , song and dance. !Martin DowlingJune 18th, 2014

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Secretary’s Report !The committee of BelfastTrad held ten regular meetings in the past year, as well as the AGM, tutor meeting and various subcommittee meetings. !We faced special challenges this year after the long-anticipated move to online booking through the Crescent Arts Centre did not work for us as intended. After a trial of two terms we decided that we did not have enough control using their system and ended the trial period early. We then shifted to using We Got Tickets which takes a bit more work from the committee but gives us much more control of our membership.!We had 544 students enrolled in music classes this year, which was the largest enrolment in our history. This was despite our shifting enrolment procedures so that is encouraging. We had an average of 48 students per week at set dancing and 28 per week at solo dancing. Last year the average was 55 for sets and 19 for solo. Our workshops were very well attended with the harp, fiddle, bodhrán and banjo all selling out in advance. The lectures also are becoming well established with excellent attendance becoming the norm.!We are currently in the process of submitting our application to the new NI Charities Commission and we continue to work hard in the areas of child protection and safeguarding, reviewing and updating all policies and training to best comply with recommendations.!I would like to thank all the committee members for their hard work and support.!Christine DowlingSecretaryJune 18, 2014!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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!!Events 2013-2014 Music Workshops

Dance Workshops

Other Events Outreach

Cailtlín ní Gabhain-Concertina

Michael Tubridy- Solo

Lecture- Fin Moore & Caroline Reagh Scottish Music & Dance

Parkinson’s-Set Dance

Daithí Sproule-Singing

Patrick O’Dea (L)-Sets

Lecture- Orflaith ní Bhriain-History of Set Dancing

Parkinson’s- Set Dance

Emer Mayock-Whistle

Pat O’Dea (R)-Sets

Lecture- Maurice Leyden-Songs of the Weavers

Girl Guides-set dancing

Gary Hastings-Flute

Caroline Reagh -Scottish Step

Christmas Ceili Brownies-set dancing

Gerry O’Connor-Fiddle

Alison Meredith-Solo

Spring Ceili St George’s Markets-set dancing

Grainne Hambley-Harp

City Dance-Community Centres

Martin Quinn-Accordion

St Patrick’s Day Ceili-Ulster Hall

Brian Kelly-Banjo

Seamus O’Kane-Bodhrán

Fin Moore-Scottish Small Pipes

Adrian Scahill-Button Accordion

Piping Tionól-Síle Friel

Piping Tionól-Emer Mayock

Piping Tionól-John Touhy

Piping Tionól-Jim Wenham

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Minutes 2013 AGM June 12th, 2013 Crescent Arts Centre

!1. Apologies from Helen Mark, Cornelia McGarry, Carrie McAleer, Conor Caldwell, Robert Hunter, Ann Godfrey, Kevin McCullagh !2. Chair’s welcome,opening remarks and introduction of committee-‐Peter Woods. !3. Minutes of the last AGM. Proposed adoption by Fionnuala Carson-‐Williams and seconded by Davy Maguire. No matters arising or discussion. !4. Reports !a) Chair’s Report – Peter Woods. 1. Peter spoke to his written statement and signalled his

intention to retire from the Chair. His reference to Arts Council “terms and conditions” was discussed by members and the committee.

b) Treasurer’s Report – Fióna ní Mhearáin gave a brief report and its adoption was moved by Christine Dowling and seconded by Tom Clarke. Issue of selection of new auditing accountants discussed. Present accountants based in Derry, inconvenient and expensive to deal with. Deirdre moved that the committee consider continuing with the accountant be considered and that the committee shop for a more advantage service.

c) Secretary’s Report – Christine Dowling. Written report circulated and Christine spoke to new online enrolment system, and overview of classes and workshops. Christine thanked Peter for his long service and expressed her expectation that he would remain actively involved on the committee. Discussion of the lecture series and support expressed by a number of committee members for its continued development. Christine’s report adopted. !

5. Nominations and Elections !Fionnuala nominated Tom Clarke, Ann Walker and Ann Godfrey to join as members of the committee. Christine nominated Conor Caldwell to join the committee as a music tutor liaison. Christine nominated Declan Plummer, Fearghal Mulligan, and Patrick McLaughlin. Martin, Christine, Deirdre, Fionnuala, Fiona, and Peter also nominated. !All nominations approved. !Proposal from the floor that the present committee stand until officers are re-‐elected by the new committee at its next meeting. !!6. AOB. !Deirdre reported on recent developments with respect to the child protection policies relevant to the Society’s work, and information from Access Ni, ACNI, and Volunteer NI presented.

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Regulations have relaxed somewhat. Further discussion postponed until the next committee meeting. !Fionnuala proposed that we reduce the cost of the dancing classes because they are so popular. Some discussion but the consensus is the price should stay. !Christine proposed a weekly music group or “grupa ceoil” class to be facilitated by a rotation of tutors for advanced student players of different instruments, based on the success of the performers at the 21st gala. Also to facilitate students playing for dancers. !A letter was sent to Helen Mark to thank her for her work on the committee. !7. Next meeting of the committee : Tuesday 25 June 2013 TBC. !The meeting was concluded. !Christine Dowling, Secretary !

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Accounts

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Belfast TradFinancial Report 31st March 2014 (End of Financial Year)

Income March Figures Adjustments EOY FiguresMusic Classes 28,876.91£ 599.00£ 29,475.91£ Dance Classes 6,360.80£ 1,100.17£ 7,460.97£ Workshops /Masterclasses 2,034.95£ 349.00£ 2,383.95£ Membership Fees 325.00£ -£ 325.00£ Ceili's and Concerts 852.00£ -£ 852.00£ Other Events 190.00£ 1,500.00£ 1,690.00£ St. Bride's Renumeration 2,762.50£ -£ 2,762.50£ Arts Council Grant 18,430.00£ 970.00£ 19,400.00£ Other Sponsership 401.64£ -£ 401.64£ TOTAL 60,233.80£ 4,518.17£ 64,751.97£

PaymentsCeilis & concerts 565.80£ 930.80£ 1,496.60£ W'shops & Mclasses 5,512.60£ 681.80£ 6,194.40£ Dance tutors 1,975.00£ 495.00£ 2,470.00£ Music Tutors 15,427.50£ -£ 15,427.50£ Venue Rentals 12,842.05£ 1,125.00£ 13,967.05£ Music Tutors (St.Bride's) 2,012.50£ -£ 2,012.50£ Camphill /Glencraig -£ -£ -£ Belfast Castle 275.00£ -£ 275.00£ Other Events -£ 1,590.00£ 1,590.00£ Catering -£ -£ -£ Travel/Subsistence -£ -£ -£ Marketing/PR 508.00£ 275.00£ 783.00£ Administration 511.48£ 171.58£ 683.06£ Volunteer Expenses -£ -£ -£ Instruments/ Equipment 176.50£ -£ 176.50£ Insurances 339.50£ -£ 339.50£ Accountants Fees 504.00£ -£ 504.00£ Bank Fees 55.00£ 5.00£ 60.00£ Membership Fees 234.00£ 68.50£ 302.50£ Misc 415.30£ 511.41£ 926.71£ Refunds 140.00£ -£ 140.00£ TOTAL 41,494.23£ 5,854.09£ 47,348.32£

Excess of Income over Expenditure = 18,739.57£ 17,403.65£

Bank Balance on 12th Mar:: 32,312.97£ on 31st Mar: 38,807.55£


!!!!!Committee The current committee is as follows:!Chair Martin DowlingSecretary Christine Dowling Treasurer Fióna ní MhearaínAsst. Treasurer Fearghal O’MaolagainMusic Coordinators: Tom Clark, Declan PlummerDance Coordinators: Peter Woods, Bernie GrahamSafeguarding: Ann Godfrey, Deirdre KearnsMembers: Leanne O’Connor Fionnuala Carson-Williams Maurice Leyden Patrick McLaughlin !

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