Wales

The Arts Council of Wales has announced the continuation of Cynefin: culturally and ethnically diverse Wales, a programme organised in partnership with the Welsh government.

The programme will expand to support a wider network of schools across Wales in devising and delivering creative collaborative projects.

Projects supported by the programme focus on areas including exploring identity in relation to growing up in Wales and understanding the history and development of the country as a culturally diverse society.

Other areas of focus include gaining awareness of the people, cultures and communities that make up contemporary Wales and exploring the past and present experiences and contributions of culturally and ethnic diverse people to the country.

The programme facilitates working directly with teachers to enhance the quality of teaching and learning. 

Arts Council Wales has put out a call for creative professionals from culturally and ethnically diverse backgrounds who want to work on the creative learning offer for schools within the network in either English or Welsh.

Professionals working in the arts, culture, heritage or creative industries are invited to apply until September 2 for an opportunity to develop their practices through the delivery of collaborative, creative projects in schools.

Arts Council of Wales (ACW) has opened a consultation into the way it allocates its funding to arts organisations.

Known as The Investment Review, ACW has traditionally reviewed its funding process every five years. This review was originally scheduled for 2020 but was postponed by the pandemic.

The funder is proposing a simplified application process and a move away from funding a portfolio of companies towards a mix of multi-year revenue and project funding agreements. It is also suggesting three-year funding arrangements, rather than the existing five years, with the option of an additional three years based on performance.

The new funding model would sit alongside ACW’s other programmes that are funded by The National Lottery.

ACW says it is “seeking as many views on the new proposals as possible”. Eight online consultations will be take place on Zoom through August and September, with booking available on the funder’s website. An online survey is already open and email responses are welcomed.

The consultation period runs until 10 October, with final details of the new process expected to be released on 21 November. 

Funding applications will then open in January 2023, with decisions delivered in September 2023 ahead of the release of funds beginning in April 2024.

Wrexham will make another bid for the title of City of Culture in 2029 after recently losing out to Bradford for the 2025 title.

Members of Wrexham Council's executive board approved launching another attempt to win the title at a meeting this week. They also supported a number of other recommendations including inviting the National Eisteddfod to Wrexham in 2025.

Hugh Jones, the arts portfolio holder, said he was confident about the council’s chances of success in 2029.

He said: “If you look at the facts with Bradford and the size of their team, they had eight full time staff and a PR agency that had been working on the project for two and a half years.

“In just over six months, we came so close to winning this and that gives an indication of the achievement that we had in Wrexham.

“Clearly, we want to bid for 2029 and why wouldn’t we because 2025 is probably worth somewhere in the region of £300m."

The Welsh Government is investing £1m over the next five years to support the relaunch of the Urdd’s national youth theatre.

Urdd is Wales’ largest national youth organisation and its theatre, Cwmni Theatr Ieuenctid Cymru, was set up in the 1970s to provide 14 to 19-year olds creative opportunities in Welsh.

The theatre ceased to operate in 2019 but will return to coincide with Urdd’s centenary celebrations this year.

The Urdd Eisteddfod, a national music competition and festival, also returns this year after a three-year hiatus, with free entry after the Welsh Government provided ringfenced funding.

Director of the Urdd Eisteddfod and the Arts Siân Eirian said the youth theatre has offered unique opportunities to thousands of Wales’ youngsters interested in theatre.

“We see the need today more than ever, due to the impact of Covid, to provide equal opportunities and invaluable training for our young adults who want to pursue a career in the arts, and the re-establishment of our youth theatre will offer that at a national level.”
 

More than £750,000 of funding will be provided to help local libraries and museums develop their facilities and services, the Welsh Government has announced.

The funding, which will be delivered as part of the Transformation Capital Grant Scheme, will support Wales’ local libraries and museums to "develop and revitalise" their facilities.

There will be a particular focus on widening access, partnership working, decarbonisation, and developing sustainable services.

The fund will be used to refurbish and modernise six libraries: Penygroes Library, Dyffryn Ogwen Library in Gwynedd, Rhymney Library in Caerphilly, Pencoed Library in Bridgend, Port Talbot Library and Barry Library.

Funding will also be provided towards and Newport Museum and Art Gallery’s decarbonisation project, and to enable Monmouthshire County Council to ensure the preservation of, and future access to, their collections through work at the Shire Hall.

Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, Dawn Bowden said: “The Welsh Government remains committed to supporting these important services that fulfil a valuable role at the heart of community life. 

"This fund will widen access for our communities, promote cultural engagement, provide learning opportunities and support community cohesion, sustainability and prosperity.

“I encourage everyone to see what their local museum, archive or library has to offer.”

Cardiff Council Leader Huw Thomas says he will bring a new music festival to the city if he is reelected in May.

The Labour councillor says Cardiff's music strategy includes developing a music event to “do through music for Cardiff what drama has done for Edinburgh”.

Cardiff's live music scene has experienced mixed fortunes over the course of the pandemic. Several music venues close down, including Gwdihw, Buffalo and Dempseys, while Cardiff Castle was used as a live venue for the first time last summer. The city also recently hosted BBC’s Six Music Festival for the first time.

Thomas said: “It’s still in part under wraps for now but I think those gigs in the Castle and the Six Music Festival are exactly the foretaste of what [the festival] could be like."