Transforming the Cultural Landscape of Wales The Arts Council of Wales We are the country’s official funding and health to cultural tourism, public art to town development organisation for the arts. Our centre regeneration, the arts bring meaning, principal sponsor is the Welsh Government. authenticity and enjoyment to our everyday We also distribute funding from the National lives. They create and sustain jobs, enrich Lottery and raise additional money where we education, bring people together, improve our can from a variety of public and private sector quality of life. The arts matter. And it’s why our sources. vision is of a creative Wales where the arts are central to the well-being of the nation and its People in Wales enjoy and take part in the arts people. in large numbers. The arts are an essential part of national identity. The arts illuminate and bring substance to the wide range of activities that underpin public life. From arts and Arts Council of Wales is committed to making information available in large print, braille, audio and British Sign Language and will endeavour to provide information in languages other than Welsh or English on request. Arts Council of Wales operates an equal opportunities policy. Cover: Image courtesy of MOSTYN Right: Heatherwick Studios, Aberystwyth Arts Centre (image: James Morris) Transforming the Cultural Landscape of Wales We want people in Wales to be inspired by all that they do. But they are also inseparable the arts and excited by the opportunities they from the communities in which they’re located have to enjoy and take part in the arts. One and to which they relate. Promoting diverse of the ways we do this is by helping to create programmes of high quality activity, these arts buildings and facilities that are distinctive, organisations act as cultural entrepreneurs, intriguing and engaging. commissioning and curating new work, exploiting this work (through touring or co In Wales we have a network of leading arts commissioning), and providing the space, centres, galleries, venues, large and small opportunities and services that help artists to threaded around the country. For many people develop and grow their work. in Wales, their routine engagement with the arts is through one of these places. At their This publication offers just a flavour of some best, these organisations pursue excellence in of that activity. 1 Aberystwyth Arts Centre Aberystwyth Arts Centre is the primary venue businesses is an important issue. The mix of for live arts in mid West Wales. It is managed resident artists and businesses is a unique and operated by the University of Aberystwyth. feature of this development with both new and The Arts Centre is a vibrant focus for the arts established occupants interacting together presenting a regular programme of high in a stimulating environment to realise their quality music, theatre and dance (including economic and creative potential its highly popular summer musical that plays for 4-5 weeks) and an ongoing programme The Creative Studios Project cost £1.4 million of education, workshops, dance and other and was made possible by support from participatory activity. It also presents a regular Aberystwyth University, the Arts Council of programme of contemporary exhibitions in Wales Lottery Fund and the Welsh Assembly its two gallery spaces, runs a variety of dance Government. The Units were one of only 18 classes daily and its cafe with views out to sea buildings in the UK and Ireland to receive a is a popular campus meeting and social space. 2011 Civic Trust Award and the only building The Arts Centre is an important focus and to be chosen from Wales. The Creative Units support for artists and creative businesses in have also been awarded a RIBA Award for West Wales and a vital contributor to the visitor buildings that have high architectural standards economy of the area. and make a substantial contribution to the local environment. The Arts Council of Wales provided capital funding towards the Centre’s iconic creative The Arts Centre is now planning a further industries project that created 12 independent capital scheme to refurbish its main concert/ creative studios located in an elevated leafy theatre space and create new production location on the campus close to the main facilities to ensure that the Centre is able to arts centre building. Designed by nationally- maintain its position as a leading presenter renowned, award-winning architects and and producer of high quality live arts. The designers the Heatherwick Studio (famous for innovative studios attract considerable attention several works of national prominence including from other agencies and visitors from all over the London Olympic flame sculpture), the the UK and have helped to raise the profile buildings were designed in a strong metallic and reputation of the Arts Centre as a focus foil that reflects light across the site, and are for innovative contemporary art and design both functional and sculptural. practice nationally and internationally. The Creative Studios Project was designed to develop Aberystwyth Arts Centre’s role as a creative hub for arts businesses, arts development agencies, artists and craft workers. In providing workshop/studio space for creative businesses and arts practitioners the Arts Centre has created a focus for the creative industries in an area where the dispersal and isolation of artists and creative 2 Aberystwyth Arts Centre (images: Robert Williams) 3 Ballet Cymru Ballet Cymru was established in 1986 to be The purpose-built facility is used regularly by a beacon for quality classical ballet in Wales The Royal Academy of Dance and the Cecchetti and the UK. It is a classical dance company Ballet Society. Hirers now book the studio that is committed to innovation in dance and months in advance and the space has been classical ballet, working with the very best used to find talented young dancers for the choreographers, designers, composers and Cardiff production of Matthew Bourne’s ‘Lord musicians. Ballet Cymru has always strived to of the Flies’. produce new and exciting productions and to venues throughout Wales and beyond and Various organisations and independent artists engages in collaborative partnerships with a have hired the space generating new income variety of Welsh artists including Sinfonia Cymru, of over £10,000 in 2015. In addition, the Cerys Matthews, Catrin Finch and Llyr^ Williams. Company is now taking steps to create a more sustainable and eco-friendly building This is a company with well-connected that will reduce costs. It has signed up to the community roots. Its education work is Welsh Government’s Sustainable Development supported through the Paul Hamlyn Foundation Charter ensuring that the company continues to DUETS programme in collaboration with challenge itself to be an exemplar in this area. Rubicon Dance. It also runs an established Ballet Associate Programme and an international The Company won the Best Large Scale Dance summer school. Ballet Cymru has achieved Production for Romeo and Juliet at the Theatre national acclaim and since gaining revenue Critics of Wales Awards in 2014 and has been funding status from the Arts Council of Wales, nominated Best Independent Company 2015 by has begun to realise its potential as a national the Critics Circle National Dance Awards. Ballet company for Wales. Cymru is committed to developing diversity in the arts and for many years has worked For over 28 Years the Company dreamt of inclusively (e.g. the inspirational project ‘Stuck in having its own premises. It received Capital the Mud’ in collaboration with GDance). Ballet Lottery funding of £353,000 from the Arts Cymru receives financial support from Newport Council of Wales to assist with the purchase City Council, several trusts and The London and refurbishment of premises in the Rogerstone Ballet Circle. area of Newport and to create a suitable dance/ rehearsals studio both for its professional activity This project is helping Ballet Cymru to raise the and education programmes. The project, quality of its work; reduce its operating costs; costing £589,000, was also supported by a generate new income and funding; support number of successful funding applications to other dance companies and independent trusts and by numerous individual donors. practitioners; and develop a centre of excellence in dance, offering accessible quality training In March 2014 the Company started rehearsals programmes. Furthermore by its presence and in its new purpose-built and fully accessible activities in Newport it is contributing the cultural dance studio. It not only provided a much better regeneration of Newport and supporting the space in which to work but also reduced studio City’s regeneration. and other costs. 4 Ballet Cymru Studio Celtic Concerto Ballet Cymru, Catrin Finch & Sinfonia Cymru Traces Imprinted by Marc Brew Ballet Cymru (images: Sian Trenberth) 5 Chapter Chapter is one of the leading centres for new Chapter’s large, rambling former school and contemporary multi-artform arts practice building is demanding in terms of maintenance in the United Kingdom. It has a national and and operation. Capital funding of £2.1m from international profile and links to contemporary the Arts Council of Wales supported a £3.5m arts practice across Wales, the UK and capital scheme involving the re-design of the internationally. Based in a residential area foyer and cafe areas and modest works to in west Cardiff, Chapter is an arts laboratory improve the building’s facilities and operation. located in a living community. It presents and produces international art, performance The enlarged cafe and patio is the social and and film in a variety of spaces and is home operational heart of Chapter, seating in excess to a number of leading arts companies and of 120 people in a friendly and accessible practitioners.