Latest news with #ArtsCouncilWales
BBC News
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Welsh folk music could die within a generation, report warns
Wales' "fragile" folk music tradition could "die within a generation" without urgent action, a new report has commissioned by Arts Council Wales found fewer young people were learning or growing up with traditional music Iwan, who has brought Welsh folk music to millions through the success of his song Yma o Hyd, described the situation as "very worrying". Arts Council Wales said folk music had not "been supported as it should have been", but it had now tripled its investment in the art form. The review into the traditional music scene in Wales found traditional music sectors in England, Scotland and Ireland benefited from a "wide range of music industry support structures" that were "largely absent in Wales".It noted that Scotland's traditional folk scene received 4.8% of its arts council's overall pot of money, compared with the Welsh folk scene which - at the time of the review - received 0.66%. "People told us quite clearly, if we don't do something now, it's going to die within a generation," said the report author Angharad Wynne."There won't be any young people coming through the tradition. Things have been as serious as that."She said the traditional way in which folk music was handed down from generation to generation had changed."Certainly there are some amazing people all over Wales who give their time free of charge... but increasingly the ecosystem has changed," she said."Everybody's got a second job because not many people can make a full-time living from being musicians."She added: "That kind of handing down of traditional tunes and traditional style of playing just isn't happening anymore. "And so what we saw was interventions are really needed, some funding is really needed, to shore up and enable some of those really great practices." Iwan, whose 1983 song Yma o Hyd has been streamed more than three million times and has become a Wales football anthem, said the digital revolution had helped to take Welsh music "to all corners of the earth".But he said young people did not usually stay in the industry beyond a few years because there was not enough support to help them build a career. "At the moment, we're lagging well behind, and it's very worrying," he added."We must have government support to make sure that the young, especially the young people, have the backing to make the best of their talents and to make sure that their music is heard all over the world." One of Taylor Swift's best-selling and most critically acclaimed albums is her 2020 folk offering, Folklore. Mari Mathias, a songwriter from Preseli in west Wales, said there was an appetite for folk music from young people, adding: "We need to give them what they want."She said Welsh folk artists rarely took to big stages."There's a lot of bands that have started playing and performing in bigger shows, and traditional folk musicians... like Lankum and The Mary Wallopers [an Irish folk band]. They're performing on big stages like Glastonbury, and people really want to hear it."Does she think the folk scene gets enough attention in Wales? "I don't think so, no. If you look at Ireland, they've got so much support for young musicians, they've got schools and programmes with folk music. I don't think there's anything in Wales. "We want community, we want to come together with folk music so there should be lots more support in my opinion." David Grubb is a fiddle player with an emerging folk band from Cardiff called Taff Rapids. They fuse traditional Welsh folk music with the faster pace of American bluegrass. He said he initially struggled to find the folk scene when he moved to Wales' capital. "It's taken many years for me to find people," he said. He said it was evident Wales' folk scene had received less funding than Scotland, where he grew up. "Having come from Scotland and growing up in that scene, it was much more obvious where that funding was going. There were folk groups, there was a folk course in the Royal College in Glasgow and whatnot," he said."The money that's been put into the folk scene is much more visible up there. When I came down to Cardiff, from the outside looking in at it, it didn't feel like there was much." Dafydd Rhys, chief executive of Arts Council Wales, said the review's findings were "significant"."I think it's true to say that in the past this art form hasn't been supported as it should have been," he said."But what I'm delighted to see now having considered the review's findings and having discussed it in the council, we are now actually almost trebling our investment as core funding, and on top of that there are additional opportunities for musicians and organisations to get more support as well."We've done the review, we've looked at the implications, we've considered it and - in a period where everybody is under financial strains - we've managed to come out and trebled the investment in this art form."The Welsh government said supporting traditional music was one of its "ambitions"."We note the Arts Council of Wales' response and will consider the report in its entirety," a spokesperson added.
South Wales Argus
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
Newport play written and performed by homeless people
'The Visitor' was developed over 10 weeks as part of The Story Project, a two-year storytelling project funded by Arts Council Wales. This has developed as a collaborative effort between Welsh homelessness charity The Wallich, Owen Thomas, the Riverfront Theatre, Sherman Theatre, Grand Ambition in Swansea, Carmarthenshire Theatres, Theatr Clwyd, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Awen Cultural Trust, and National Theatre Wales. The performance aimed to challenge stereotypes by showcasing talent and creativity, offering new perspectives on homelessness. The heart of the story lies in the journey of the Visitor, portrayed by Osian Lloyd, an emerging actor who is also a participant in the Story Project. The Visitor's adventure in Newport begins after his bus breaks down. Initially, he holds certain prejudices against the city, known for violence and antisocial behaviour. But The Professor, a character in the play, guides him on a time-travelling adventure, revealing vital moments of Newport's history. These included the 1830s uprising led by John Frost and the Chartists, the symbolism of the transporter bridge in the 1900s, the lively music scene of the 1980s, and finally, a glimpse into modern-day Newport. The narrative then becomes a moving testament to shared experiences and creativity. The play was presented as a script-in-hand performance by a group supported by The Wallich through the Gwent BOOST Project, with the assistance of other project participants. Despite a tight six-week schedule, the cast, under the guidance of Newport practitioner Naomi Norman and Owen Thomas, managed to integrate their personal experiences and connections to Newport into an engaging story. The performance concluded on a hopeful note, with the Visitor deciding to extend his stay in Newport, changing his previously negative impression of the town. The Story Project has been transformative, paving the way for new partnerships, friendships, talents, and even careers. People homeless from Cardiff, Swansea, Aberystwyth, Wrexham, Ammanford, and Llanelli have all participated in the initiative. The project aims to introduce or reintroduce the enchantment of theatre and the arts, encouraging people homeless to share their stories and develop new creative and technical skills.
Wales Online
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Free music festival taking place in Cardiff as ticket details released
Free music festival taking place in Cardiff as ticket details released The music festival promises to be an 'unmissable celebration' of the city's grassroots music - and is even being supported by global star Ed Sheeran The free festival is being held at Clwb Ifor Bach (Image: John Myers ) Cardiff is hosting a music festival in June and tickets will be be completely free. Cardiff Music Conference (CMC) is returning for its sixth edition and it hopes to be the biggest one yet. CMC promises to be "an unmissable celebration of music, creativity, and community" in the Welsh capital. One of Cardiff's biggest grassroots music events, the festival will be hosted in Clwb Ifor Bach on Sunday, June 8 from 4pm to 10pm. There will be appearances from DJ AG, along with Grammy-award winning songwriter Amy Wadge, who is best known for penning songs such as Ed Sheeran's Shape of You. Attendees can expect a vibrant mix of hands-on workshops, expert panels, live performances, and community-led sessions designed to celebrate music not just as art, but as a vital tool for wellbeing, cultural expression, and social connection. CMC is expecting over 80 performers to take part. Sign up for free tickets to secure your place to the event here. Article continues below With support from Arts Council Wales and The Ed Sheeran Foundation, it is hoped that CMC 2025 will be the biggest one yet. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here The event is being organised by a collective from Ministry of Life Education and Ministry of Life Youth Services and is a collaboration between CMC and partners including Prestigious Pictures, New Era, Jukebox Collective, Silk Futures, Immersed, Sound Progression, Valley Events, SC Collectif, Native Radio and Diff Radio. Ministry of Life has its roots in youth-led music initiatives and has been organising events in the city since its creation in 2019. It hosted the Capital City Jam in 2013, a youth led festival in Bute Park. Article continues below Highlights of the programme of CMC 2025 include: On-site workshops delivered by partners such as Prestigious Pictures, who will host a live media workshop where young people contribute directly to CMC's digital strategy. Creative discussions from industry professionals like Amy Wadge, Elijah, and Osama Izevbigie covering everything from surviving in an evolving music industry to exploring both traditional and alternative approaches to creativity, marketing and songwriting. Grassroots Performances on the same stage as Cardiff legends and international icons - including DJ AG, Local, and Murkage.
Pembrokeshire Herald
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pembrokeshire Herald
SPAN Arts presents: An Autopsy of a Mother, a Bear and a Fridge
A contemporary dance-theatre experience by Deborah Light SPAN ARTS is proud to present Deborah Light — acclaimed choreographer, movement director, and mother — in her first solo show, An Autopsy of a Mother, a Bear and a Fridge. This bold and visceral work of contemporary dance-theatre delves into the complexities of motherhood through three seemingly unrelated objects. With a distinctive blend of clinical precision, raw vulnerability, feminist fury, and wicked humour, Deborah unpacks the symbolic connections between a mother, a bear, and a fridge. In doing so, she lays bare personal truths and the societal pressures that weigh on the female body, in a powerful critique of patriarchal systems. Known for her collaborative work across dance, theatre, film, and site-based performance, Deborah is also co-director of Light/Ladd/Emberton and lectures in movement at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. This new solo show is supported by Arts Council Wales, Chapter, NDCWales, YMa, SPAN Arts, and Taking Flight. The performance will take place at Canolfan Hermon on Thursday, May 16 at 7:00pm. After the show, audiences are invited to stay for an informal post-show conversation with Deborah over tea and cake, to reflect on the themes of the piece. Please note: The show is recommended for ages 14+ and contains references to death, motherhood/matrescence, surgery, violence against women, gender-based inequality, ageing, climate change, and may include strong language. Event Details Date: Thursday, 16 May 2025 Time: 7:00pm Venue: Canolfan Hermon, Hermon, Glogue, SA36 0DT Tickets: £12.00 (full price) / £8.00 (concessions) Box Office: or call 01834 869323 Access: Free companion/carer tickets are available. Please call 01834 869323 to arrange. Refreshments and snacks will be available at the venue.
