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Governance and policies

The Watergate Theatre Company Limited is a company limited by guarantee (CLG).Company Registration Office Number 199375.Registered address: Watergate Theatre, Parliament Street, Kilkenny R95 D320The Watergate Theatre Company Limited is a registered charity.Registered Charity Number: 20030179

Governance


The Watergate Theatre Company Limited is continuously working to put effective internal codes of governance in place to ensure compliance with laws and regulations. The Watergate Theatre is reviewing all governance and policies to achieve full compliance with the Governance Code.

The Watergate Theatre Company Limited aim to implement the approaches and practices set out in the Statement of Guiding Principles for Fundraising.

The Watergate Board meets regularly and reviews finances. Cash flow projections are completed and updated on a monthly basis. Regular contact and updates to CFO of KCC who underwrite our reserves policy: Where our debts outweigh our reserves the council have committed to stepping in.

Control and safeguarding of funds from misuse, misappropriation and fraud - Annual Audited Accounts are prepared and filed with CRO by our Accountant/Auditor. Regular contact between Accountant and relevant theatre staff. All finances are routed through a Bank of Ireland current account and on-line banking provides up to the minute info on our position.

Real time financial information and data in relation to performances - attendances, box office income, performance fees, business arrangements with visiting artists is readily available.

Policies

The Watergate Theatre maintains detailed financial records annually. Audited financial statements are available to view publicly.

Watergate Theatre 2022 Audited Accounts

Watergate Theatre 2021 Audited Accounts

Watergate Theatre 2020 Audited Accounts

Watergate Theatre 2019 Audited Accounts

Constitution

The Watergate Theatre operates in accordance with their constitution.

Artistic Policy

The Watergate Theatre aims to ensure that Kilkenny is in line with an Ireland which believes that each citizen’s life should be enriched by arts and culture.

  • The Watergate Theatre aims to present cross disciplinary arts experiences of excellence by local, national and international arts practitioners all year round
  • We aim to create opportunities for our local community to engage in high quality arts experiences
  • We aim to work with artists to create these opportunities
  • We strive to do this affordably and accessibly for maximum inclusivity
  • We aim to support the development of local arts and to build partnerships through which we work alongside members of Kilkenny’s artistic and non-artistic communities
  • We aim to increase the depth of engagement by all community sectors with a particular focus on children and young people.
  • We also aim to diversify our audience via outreach. Our target groups are new Irish communities, people of all abilities, children and youth. Part of the strategy to achieving this diversification will be to offer a diverse range of high quality arts experiences.

Paying the Artist Policy

The Watergate Theatre aims to ensure that Kilkenny is in line with an Ireland which believes that each citizen’s life should be enriched by arts and culture.

  • The Watergate Theatre aims to present cross disciplinary arts experiences of excellence by local, national and international arts practitioners all year round
  • We aim to create opportunities for our local community to engage in high quality arts experiences
  • We aim to work with artists to create these opportunities
  • We strive to do this affordably and accessibly for maximum inclusivity
  • We aim to support the development of local arts and to build partnerships through which we work alongside members of Kilkenny’s artistic and non-artistic communities
  • We aim to increase the depth of engagement by all community sectors with a particular focus on children and young people.
  • We also aim to diversify our audience via outreach. Our target groups are new Irish communities, people of all abilities, children and youth. Part of the strategy to achieving this diversification will be to offer a diverse range of high quality arts experiences.

Equalty Diversity and Inclusion Policy

The values outlined below are applied in all areas of running the Watergate including:

  • Governance
  • Programming
  • Recruitment
  • Availability of resources (artist supports, residencies)

In line with the Watergate’s Company Constitution the Company and Members commit to and recognise the following:

  1. As the only funded performing arts space in Kilkenny City and County the Watergate has a duty to serve the artistic and creative interests and needs of all the citizens of the city and county
  2. The Watergate is funded by the tax payer and the ticket buyer and therefore must behave and respond in a way that listens to their direction and feedback
  3. Those that are not employed and therefore are not tax payers are not excluded as owners and stewards of the Watergate – the voices and needs of those that fall outside of the definition of ‘tax payer’ are also ones we want to hear and respond to.
  4. KCC provides crucial demographic breakdown of those that live in Kilkenny City and County and the Watergate sees it at its responsibility to find links to as many of these people as possible via:
    1. Diverse programming
    2. Outreach
    3. Openness
    4. Good communication
    5. A culture of warmth and welcome
    6. Response to feedback on the culture of management of the theatre
    7. Partnerships with groups who have established links to cohorts that we are struggling to reach
  5. Governance which reflects a true picture of Ireland and Kilkenny in 2024-2028. In the recruitment of members to replace retiring members we will conduct searches for new people with an openness to and representing all:
    1. Genders
    2. Sexual orientation
    3. Ability
    4. Age
    5. Race
    6. Religion
    7. Membership of the Traveller Community
    8. Socio-economic status
    9. Family Status

As part of our policy document and the practice and understanding of it as a set of guiding principles for the Watergate we are considering:

  1. An organisation-wide and deep awareness and understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) issues (e.g. identified inequalities, under-representation, lack of accessibility) as they relate to our organisation and its work
  2. On-going commitment by all board members, staff and those who engage with us to a culture of inclusivity
  3. The right to dignity for all: those working for and engaging the Watergate from all points of access – audiences, performers, staff members, board members.
  4. The appropriate allocation of budget to resourcing the elements of the Watergate’s strategy which supports EDI in development and practice
  5. Engagement with KCC to make the Watergate building accessible for people of all physical abilities
  6. To contribute to leadership to the wider artistic and non-artistic communities to role model best practice for inclusivity and fairness