We are proud to announce the launch of a series of new codesigned projects that place community voices at centre stage. Following 6 months of creative conversations, these projects mark the start of an exciting chapter for SPAN as we embark upon a new cocreation process in collaboration with the community.
Chwedlau’r Normal Newydd / Tales from the New Normal:
With support from the Arts Council of Wales and Comic Relief, we are working with Actor and playwright Ceri Ashe (Bipolar Me, Lockdown Tales: Making Bread and Babies) and Producer and Director Anna Sherratt (Rholiwch am Wellhad / Roll for Remission) to create Chwedlau’r Normal Newydd / Tales from the New Normal: a community-led, bilingual, online theatre piece that looks at the realities of life in a post-lockdown world. Performances will be live streamed online in December.
Unlimited Partner Awards commission:
Alongside National Theatre Wales and the National Dance Company of Wales, we are proud to join the Unlimited partner commission for the first time. Unlimited commission extraordinary work by disabled artists that is rebellious, radical, adventurous, inspiring, and playful. We are seeking to work with a socially engaged disabled artist to create new work that has local resonance within West Wales, and global relevance. Click here for details on how to apply.
We would like to thank the following organisations for their continued support that has enabled us to launch this programme:
The Arts Council of Wales, Pembrokeshire County Council, The Moondance Foundation, Scops Arts Trust, the Postcode Community Trust, WCVA, Comic Relief, and Unlimited UK.
To find out more, partner or get involved contact info@span-arts-dev.co.uk or call 01834 869 323.
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Pererin Wyf / Is oilithreach mé / I am a Pilgrim:
Pererin Wyf / Is oilithreach mé / I am a Pilgrim is a new cross border participatory arts project connecting the Welsh and Irish diasporas communities of North Pembrokeshire and North Wexford. Delivered in person and online, this project seeks to connect a local and global audience through song and storytelling. As part of the European Regional Development Fund’s Ancient Connections partnership between Pembrokeshire County Council and Wexford County,we are working with artist Rowan O’Neill and Irish co-facilitators Rachel Uí Fhaoláin and John Ó Faoláin of Ceol moi Chroí, to deliver the Pererin Wyf project.
Love Stories to Nature / Straeon Cariad at Natur:
We are inviting the local community to cocreate an open artist brief for a new round of Love Stories to Nature / Straeon Cariad at Natur commissions. With an aim to spark conversation, action, and engagement with the environment (be that the built, or rural environment we live in or the climate emergency we are experiencing) the new artist commissions and the work they create will be shaped by the community.
Supporting all of this work is our new creative volunteering programme, SPAN Cyrraedd. The programme is supported by WCVA’s volunteering fund and structured to support the engagement of those who are currently underrepresented within the arts in the region. The intersecting communities of people of colour, Welsh speakers, young people, LGBTQ+ people, and disabled and/or neurodivergent people are a vital part of our community, but they are not currently visible, championed or celebrated as they should be within the wider community identity. To start to tackle this, we hope to support the creation of visible volunteer role models from these intersecting community of identity.
