Review 2014/15

inspiring creativity, enriching lives

PHOENIX BY NUMBERS 2014/15

10,321participants in our education programme

167,251people engaged with our cultural programme

102people at our Halloween horror marathon

56,218cups of tea and coffee served

7major exhibitions curated

411business and community events attended by 10,647 people

90people at Hidden Stories book launch

6,500HOURS

contributed to Community Cinema screenings

360+VOLUNTEERS

6,313

Film & Dine customers

13free creative workshops for children and families

WELCOME TO PHOENIXLocated in the heart of Leicester’s Cultural Quarter, Phoenix is the city’s centre for independent cinema, art and digital culture. A registered charity, we aim to bring inspirational film and art to all and are supported by funding from our major stakeholders – Leicester City Council, De Montfort University and Arts Council England – as well as from income generated through ticket sales, our Café Bar, business events and hires, and donations from customers and members. We work hard to ensure Phoenix is a place where everyone can feel welcome and inspired. Our diverse programme provides opportunities for all ages to explore, engage and create with film, art and digital technology, offering new ways of looking at the world around us and challenging us to think differently.

A FEW WORDS FROM OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Welcome to our second annual review and our continuing effort to involve our customers, supporters and stakeholders much more in our charitable activities.

According to our annual survey customer satisfaction continues to increase, with over 96% rating us as good or excellent in 2015. Growth in our cultural programme continued in 2014/15, with cinema audiences increasing by 10% to over 100,000, and Café Bar trade by over 13%. Of course the survey also tells us about things we need to improve; the positive and constructive feedback of our customers is always greatly appreciated.

Over the last three years, recognition of Phoenix as a charity has increased from 47% to over 70%, and recently we launched MyPhoenix to reward customer loyalty and provide opportunities for people to be more involved and informed about our work. Over 700 people joined MyPhoenix in the first three months, and it’s growing every day.

Less evident in this review, perhaps, is our ‘behind-the-scenes’ contribution to the development of Leicester and the surrounding area. The role of the cultural sector in making the city a great place to live, work and study is clearly articulated in economic and area development plans, and Phoenix is actively supporting strategic partnerships and initiatives to develop the Cultural Quarter, promote Leicester as a visitor destination and stimulate the creative industries within our local economy.

John Rance

...AND OUR CHAIR OF TRUSTEES

As you can see from this review, Phoenix has completed another very successful year with even more people coming here to engage in world cinema, arts and creative activities.

Like all charities, Phoenix relies on support to achieve its goals – the support of our customers and staff, and also the support of our key stakeholders; I want to warmly thank you all for your vital contribution to our continuing success.

I would also like to acknowledge the Board members, all of whom are volunteers and are leaders drawn from local arts, business, education, and stakeholder organisations. Their role is to imagine what more Phoenix can be, and to develop the goals and plans that ensure that Phoenix continues to grow and contribute to the local area.

Phoenix is clearly firmly established as Leicester’s independent cinema and creative media centre. We have now been based at the purpose-built venue at Phoenix Square for six years and happily we are bursting at the seams. The challenge now facing us is to find ways of meeting sustained and rising demand, while offering the richest possible programme. Our new strategic plan seeks to address that challenge, identifying the investment needed to sustain and improve the customer experience, reach more people and increase our economic and social contribution to the city, whilst recognising the continuing pressures on public funding.

In closing, though, I want to thank John Rance and the wonderful staff who continue to do so much to make Phoenix a welcoming and stimulating place.

Professor Alan Tuckett OBE

INVENTIV

ESplinter by Esther Rolinson Cube Gallery, Oct 2014 – Jan 2015

LEADING THE WAYPhoenix was awarded Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) status in 2012, joining a select group of organisations – including the RSC, the Barbican and Newcastle’s Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art – recognised for exemplary arts practice. Our focus on experimentation, innovation, and audience development, bolstered by a strong partnership with De Montfort University, has put Phoenix at the forefront of the digital arts, with a growing national reputation. In 2014/15 we curated seven major exhibitions in our Cube Gallery and other local venues, with a curatorial emphasis on work by international artists and new commissions.

EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTS

Phoenix supported the development of Esther Rolinson’s works Splinter, Thread and Melt, three exquisite animated sculptural light works made from acrylic, fibre optics and programmed LEDs, inspired by patterns of movement found in nature. Rolinson is known nationally for her large-scale installations in public spaces, such as Stream on Hastings promenade, and Flow at Taunton’s Musgrove Park hospital.

In November 2014 we unveiled Hidden Stories and Sounds of the Cultural Quarter, two new apps commissioned by Phoenix as part of a major cultural heritage project led by the University of Leicester and funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. Inspired by the history of Leicester’s Cultural Quarter, the apps utilise the latest smartphone technology to deliver soundscapes, original creative writing and artwork in an innovative way, creating an immersive experience for visitors exploring the Cultural Quarter. This led to us publishing the Hidden Stories book, which was launched in March 2015 at a public event attended by over 90 people. The project was one of 30 chosen for the V&A’s prestigious Digital Design Weekend in September 2015.

Our New Incunable Print Shop exhibition ran in partnership with artist collective Juneau Projects in autumn 2014 at Leicester’s Lightbox Gallery. Taking the form of a working print shop, members of the public were invited to design 3D printed woodblocks then use them to create an organic collection of original artwork and prints. Juneau Projects’ work ranges from painting and sculpture to major collaborative projects involving robotics, 3D printing and music, and has appeared at venues including Tate Modern, Somerset House and the Latitude Festival.

The Crystal Line, by Berlin-based artist Julian Oliver, was co-commissioned by Phoenix and exhibited in March 2015. This ground-breaking digital artwork reconstructed a World War One crystal radio as a means of hearing about the future of warfare. Passing through a text-to-speech engine, information sourced from the internet was delivered audibly via the radio’s headphones complete with all the audio properties and textures unique to crystal radio, linking past, present and future in a startlingly original work. Oliver has exhibited internationally at electronic art events, and in museums and galleries including Tate Modern.

SUPPORTING ARTISTS

Support for emerging and established artists is a core part of our mission. In September 2014 we launched our Phoenix Interact Labs bursary scheme, to provide funding and practical support for emerging artists and designers in Leicester and Leicestershire who are interested in experimenting with technology and digital culture in their practice. We received applications from 17 local artists and awarded four bursaries for the year.

PHOENIX AS A CHARITY

A registered charity for over a quarter of a century, our ethos has been creative innovation and support for emerging artists, firmly anchored in the local community. Continued investment and support from our stakeholders, funders, sponsors and members enables us to develop our cultural programme, commission and create new work, and engage an ever wider audience.

DEVELOPING TALENT

CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS

Creative partnerships allow us to extend our involvement in local arts and digital culture. We collaborate with local technology company Cuttlefish Multimedia on our Phoenix Interact Labs initiative, which offers people opportunities to experiment, develop and collaborate using the latest creative technology.

In 2014/15 we awarded the first of our Phoenix Interact Labs bursaries to four artists – Jack Squires, Khush Nubian, Dave Briggs and Heather Forknell – who developed their projects in the Interact Labs space, working with us to consider new ways of engaging the public beyond the traditional exhibition format.

Phoenix hosted The Short Cinema for the fourth time, in August 2014. This annual festival of short film showcases new and established talent from across the East Midlands, alongside a growing number of international entries. Over 200 people attended the festival, with 25 films screened across the course of the weekend.

We work in partnership with filmmaking collective Seven/Five Productions to offer local filmmakers opportunities to network, develop their skills and exhibit work. The group meets regularly at Phoenix and this partnership has enabled the growth of a vibrant local filmmaking community.

Our partnerships also extend to learners engaged in our education programme, who work with our tutors to develop their knowledge and skills, and gain inspiration for their own creative practice.

CELEBRATING ACHIEVEMENT

Leicester’s prestigious annual Open Exhibition draws entries from artists across the region, and in April 2014 Phoenix supported the Open 25 exhibition, taking a role on the judging panel and sponsoring the People’s Prize.

Phoenix is a popular venue for school celebration events, and in 2014/15 we welcomed 14 city schools who rewarded their pupils’ achievements through special screenings, including some films made by the pupils themselves.

In November 2014 we were thrilled to host the premiere of A Dozen Summers, a new feature film made here in Leicester by members of Seven/Five Productions which has since been accepted onto the international film festival circuit.

Phoenix supports the local arts and creative media community, providing a hub and facilities for people to meet, develop, create and celebrate, stimulating the production of new work here in Leicester.

CASE STUDY

I was awarded a Phoenix Interact Labs bursary in September 2014, which enabled me to take some time off work to develop my practice and be part of a ‘mini collective’. I went to Berlin for the annual Transmediale symposium, a week-long series of seminars and lectures exploring connections between art, culture and technology. I took a lot from that week; it gave me more of an insight into where art currently sits in Western society and it influenced, albeit indirectly, the exhibition I later curated at Phoenix. It also helped me to develop ideas that resulted in me learning how to use 3D modelling software, something I never thought I’d have the time or confidence to do. It’s essentially provided me with a new tool to use in the future.

Jack Squires, artist and bursary recipient

Photo: Pamela Raith Photography

SUPPORTIV

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CREATING OPPORTUNITIESPhoenix is a thriving artistic and creative centre and we aim to inspire, stimulate and support creativity for all age groups, with opportunities to engage across our programme – and also behind the scenes – that actively enrich people’s lives.

OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE

Creative workshops throughout the year and events like The Spark Festival give adults and children the chance to get involved. Highlights from 2014/15 included Our Fun Palace, part of a weekend of locally-curated events across the UK; Hidden Stories and Sounds of the Cultural Quarter, where we invited the public to share their memories and recollections in our video booth; and Into The Woods, a unique interactive installation by Swiss artist Camille Scherrer that used cutting-edge technology to immerse people in an enchanted world where their own shadows transformed into magical woodland creatures.

OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN

Our education programme gives adults, children and young people the chance to explore film and creative digital technology, learning new skills and meeting people who share their interests. We ran over 20 courses and workshops – all taught by experienced tutors and industry professionals – from Shakespeare on Screen and Ten Great British Directors to Phoenix Film Camp and 3D Modelling for 3D Printing. Over 10,300 people participated in our education programme, an increase of 25% on the previous year.

In September 2014 we introduced Silverscreen Primary Education, a new initiative for schools that links film with literacy and topic studies to bring the curriculum to life. We connected with almost 3000 children at 57 city schools and colleges this year.

Our strong links with DMU continue to develop. Lectures are held at Phoenix, with over 100 film studies students taught in our cinema spaces each day. In April 2015 we worked in partnership with DMU students to stage the four-day Rebellion film festival, giving them valuable practical experience in

curating and producing a film festival for a public audience, here in Leicester.

OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP

We work in partnership with filmmakers, artists and technologists, supporting the local creative community through our bursary scheme, creative networks and events that showcase new work. We also provide work experience, through paid internships in marketing, film programming and accounting via DMU’s Frontrunner scheme, and a range of volunteering opportunities, from which people have transitioned into paid employment at other organisations: in 2014/15, we offered 56 internships and volunteering roles across Phoenix.

CASE STUDY

In my second year at DMU, I applied for a role in Phoenix’s marketing team through the Frontrunner scheme. During my placement I produced marketing materials; wrote copy for the website, monthly brochure and weekly e-news; and worked on digital marketing using social media and search engine optimisation.

One of my favourite projects was the redesign of Phoenix’s garden area. I co-ordinated the entire project, researched sponsors and suppliers, and liaised with the management team to ensure everything ran smoothly. As a result of this work, Phoenix was recognised in the Royal Horticulture Society’s 2014 ‘Britain in Bloom’ awards.

Like most students, I am aware there is intense competition for graduate jobs and a good qualification is only half the battle. I feel confident that my placement at Phoenix has improved my chances of securing a job after I graduate.

Beth Ratheram, DMU Frontrunner 2014/15

INFO

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Spark Festival: Into the W

oods

Photo: Pamela Raith Photog

raphy

WELC

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Community screening in SystonPhoto: Pamela Raith Photography

WIDENING ENGAGEMENT

FOCUSING ON COMMUNITY

Phoenix Community Cinema, with its team of 360 volunteers, supported over 300 events across 60 community venues, reaching 14,500 people across rural Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire. In February 2015 we piloted a new strand to this initiative, screening films in six community centres across the city to take our world cinema programme to communities that that have not yet found Phoenix.

Inspired by Leicester is another new aspect of our programme, launched in February 2015, with specially selected films that reflect the city’s rich cultural diversity.

The Hidden Stories and Sounds of the Cultural Quarter project explored the cultural heritage of Leicester’s St George’s area, formerly home to numerous factories and warehouses and now transformed into the Cultural Quarter. Public participation was a vital element of this project, through the collection of oral histories, written materials and photos from people who lived and worked in the area. This work continues to be accessible through the smartphone apps and our website.

We play host to numerous festivals throughout the year, each reaching different audiences. Phoenix is one of the main venues for The Spark Festival, Leicester’s annual arts festival for children and families, and in May 2014 we transformed Phoenix into a digital playground with workshops, interactive art installations, and free creative activities for children and families, attended by 2000 people.

An Indian Summer is a yearly celebration of Indian culture and heritage that takes place in June across the Cultural Quarter; our 2014 festival programme was filled with South Asian inspired art, films, talks, music, dance and theatre.

For October’s Black History Month, we worked in partnership with local arts organisation Serendipity to programme a season of films exploring Black history and culture in Britain and beyond, which were seen by 149 people.

The Phoenix community obviously includes our audience, and as part of our Phoenix at 5 celebration we gave them the chance to get involved with programming; we asked people for their top five films screened at Phoenix in the past five years. Hundreds of people responded to the poll and all the winning movies were shown in 2014/15 as part of our main film programme.

ACCESS FOR ALL

Every month we screen films in a range of specialised environments to suit people who may usually find it difficult to enjoy cinema. Our Access Cinema programme includes regular subtitled and audio-described screenings, and supportive environment screenings with partially raised lighting and reduced sound levels for people on the autistic and Asperger’s spectrum; we held 65 Access Cinema screenings in 2014/15, attended by 942 people.

Assistance dogs are welcome at Phoenix. We provide spaces for the comfort of owners and their dogs and are pleased with the growing numbers who are making use of our facilities.

Free events are a cornerstone of our provision for children, families and young people. In 2014/15 we ran 13 free workshops and events at weekends and during school holidays, to ensure the widest possible access to our creative programme and inspire the next generation.

We are committed to making film and art open and accessible to everyone and actively reach out to people beyond the boundaries of our building, not only as a way to engage new audiences, but to inspire creativity and widen access to all that Phoenix has to offer.

ENRICHING LIVESCultural activities and learning opportunities enrich people’s lives, impacting directly on their wellbeing. But there is also a wider benefit at a community level, through access to creative networking and employment opportunities.

FILMS TO MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD

We offer a unique cultural experience in the city, with independent and world cinema, live stage shows via satellite, innovative digital art, creative learning opportunities and a bustling Café Bar under one roof. Over 98% of our customers would recommend us, and 97% rate our film programme as good or excellent.

Phoenix’s impact extends beyond the boundaries of our building. Phoenix Community Cinema takes world film to community venues, bringing people of all ages together to share and enjoy film in areas otherwise underserved by cultural services. Launched in February 2015 in partnership with Leicestershire Public Health and the city council, our Films To Make You Feel Good season screens popular films at community venues across the city, including Belgrave, Tudor Road, and Fosse Neighbourhood Centre, bringing the joy of film to a wider audience.

BUILDING COMMUNITIES

Phoenix is a hub for creative interactions; creative businesses, volunteers, staff, students and professionals come together to support and undertake collaborative projects, contributing directly to Leicester’s cultural, social and economic prosperity. Local community interest groups, including StarBase sci-fi club and Phoenix Writers, also meet here regularly.

Our support for local filmmakers, through our partnership with Seven/Five Productions, has fostered the growth of a vibrant filmmaking community in Leicester.

From screenwriters and directors, to costume designers and grips, this creative community benefits from networking opportunities, skills development workshops and the chance to screen their work here at Phoenix.

CASE STUDY

Shahid Sidikhan and Sohail ‘Kreed’ Yaqub, two young aspiring entrepreneurs from Leicester, got their first experience of feature filmmaking through A Dozen Summers, produced at Phoenix by director Kenton Hall and producer Alexzandra Jackson. They are now working together on a project called UKVIBE.TV, ‘launched by the youth, to inspire the youth’ through social media.

Sohail: We met at Phoenix when we enrolled on the Creative Media Production course with [director and producer] Kenton Hall, which gave us the opportunity to get qualifications while working as film crew on A Dozen Summers. I heard about the course from a college friend. I wasn’t enjoying college, so when I found out I could get qualifications while working on a film set, I decided to sign up.

Shahid: The course was recommended to me by Keith Allott [from Leicester’s filmmaking group Seven/Five Productions] who I’d worked with on other projects before A Dozen Summers. It was a great experience. I learnt a lot, not just about working behind the camera, but about the other pro cesses involved in the production of a film.

Sohail: It was amazing, definitely an experience I will never forget. We didn’t have specific roles, and we got to do many different things: we were very hands-on, helping with the script, sound work, filming, and also the post-production that took place at Phoenix.

Sohail: Since finishing A Dozen Summers we’ve been working on UKVIBE.TV, a project created by young people to help inspire others through social media. We’ve been exploring different ways of growing the organisation. So far it’s going well and we’ve got plenty of projects in the pipeline.

EXCELLE

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THE PHOENIX TEAM

OUR VISION: TO ENRICH LIVES AND CELEBRATE DIVERSITY AND AMBITION IN FILM AND ART

SUPPORTED BY

Phoenix is run by a dedicated and passionate team who take immense pride in their work. Our board of Trustees, all of whom are volunteers, are leaders drawn from local business, education, arts, finance and legal practice organisations. Our management and creative teams work behind the scenes to develop our programme and steer us towards our goal of becoming a world class centre for digital art, while our front-of-house staff provide the excellent friendly and informed service that so many customers appreciate.

RICHARD DAVISChief Finance Officer

DAN FARMERHead Chef

JAKE HARVEYCinema Programme Manager

ROS HILLOperations and Customer Services Manager

ALEXZANDRA JACKSONEducation Manager

JOHN RANCEChief Executive Officer

RICHARD SMITHCatering Manager

CHRIS TYRERDigital Arts Manager

PATRICK WELSHMarketing Manager

ALAN TUCKETTChair of Trustees

ALISON SINCLAIR

Vice Chair

Trustees

BIPIN ANAND

PAWLET BROOKES

TIMOTHY HILLIER

FRANK JORDAN

KEVIN LACEY

MARY MACKINTOSH

WARREN MANNING

BARBARA MATTHEWS

SUZANNE OVERTON-EDWARDS

CAROLINE PICK

BILL SHELTON

Phoenix is the trading name of the charity, which is called and registered as Leicester Arts Centre Ltd

FINANCIAL SUMMARY 2014/15Phoenix is a registered charity that invests 100% of its resources and earnings in its mission to enrich lives and celebrate diversity through film and art. Investment and support from our stakeholders – in particular our founding partners, Leicester City Council and De Montfort University (DMU) – has enabled us to become an established part of Leicester’s cultural life. Arts Council England (ACE) and the British Film Institute (BFI) are regular funders of our cultural programme; their support helps us commission and create new work, and reach out to more people. Many other organisations and individuals also support us, by sponsoring our programme, collaborating on events, or working with us to engage an ever wider audience.

Throughout 2014/15 we continued to make good progress in all parts of our financial plan:

GROWTH AND INCOME DIVERSIFICATIONTotal income increased by over 13% to nearly £2 million, despite a reduction in our core grant funding. Growth in income earned directly from our cultural programme (+12%), our café (+14%), and conferencing and hires (+59%) accounted for more than 60% of the total. We continue to develop our offer, as many more people choose to enjoy the Phoenix experience.

STAKEHOLDER SUPPORTOur relationship with DMU deepened with the expansion of Film Studies undergraduate teaching at Phoenix. Leicester City Council renewed the grant support that is vital to the continuation of our cultural, educational and community activities for the city. In July, we received the excellent news that our application to continue as a member of ACE’s strategic portfolio of organisations was successful, securing arts funding for a further three years.

FUNDRAISINGFundraising continued well with the support of the ACE Catalyst programme. A major project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, led by the University of Leicester, enabled new artistic work to be commissioned by Phoenix and contributed to the growth in grant income.

FUTURE PLANNINGThe surplus generated in the year improved the unrestricted reserve funds of the charity to £193k which is another important step in securing the future of Phoenix, as we look towards investing in the up-keep of the venue as well as our staff and some new capabilities that Phoenix will need in future.

Cinema, Education and Festivals

Community Cinema income

Local Authority grant

Arts Council England grant

BFI grants

Other grants

Café Bar income

Other operating income

Membership & donations

Phoenix Square, 4 Midland Street, Leicester LE1 1TGBox office 0116 242 2800 Enquiries 0116 242 2821www.phoenix.org.uk

Leicester Arts Centre Ltd Company Registration No. 2276987Charity Registration No. 701078Vat No. 485739687Registered Office - 4 Midland Street, Leicester, LE1 1TG