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Clwb Digi Cares

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Clwb Digi Cares is a new intergenerational concept which seeks to connect children and young people with isolated older people through Artist and Musician led online creative technology activities to reduce loneliness, improve wellbeing, develop new skills and alleviate boredom and frustration.  The project aims to introduce older people to new technologies in an atmosphere of playfulness and experimentation through creative and uplifting experiences that will have tangible outcomes for both target beneficiaries.  Are you aged between 8-12 or over 60, and live in Pembrokeshire?  Do you like art, music, singing and/or technology?  Then get in touch with our new Clwb Digi Project Manager pip@span-arts-dev.co.uk to find out more!  Clwb Digi Cares is funded by West Wales Is Kind Fund from the West Wales Care Partnership and is part of a new Kindness Campaign for Pembrokeshire. Keep in touch to find out more. 

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Clwb Digi – Creative Technology Sessions for Young People

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Since February 2018 Span Arts have been running monthly arts and technology sessions for young people at our offices in Narberth. Clwb Digi was set up initially to cater for 8 – 12 year olds and has introduced young people to a number of different activities ranging from animation, app making, electric painting and live looping. The series kicked off with attendees taking part in the Span Arts animation competition to create an ident for Span Digidol.  The winning animations appear in this short film: The sessions have been held from 10am to 1pm on Saturday mornings. Participant feedback from recent sessions has stated: “It was fun and challenging to do.” “Very entertaining and easy to follow.” “Got to do what you wanted to do in the activity.” Clwb Digi was developed through Span Arts’ Digidol project funded by LEADER and the Arts Council of Wales which was set up to explore new ways in which digital technology can be used creatively to increase connectivity and reduce loneliness and social isolation. Clwb Digi is one of ten pilot projects that Span Digidol has been testing since the project began in May 2018 and has been exceptionally well received – 100% of

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Help us add to the Span ‘deep’ map – Map Digi Penfro!

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Map Digi Penfro is an online digital map that allows people to record information that is important to them about the places they live in and pass through.  Information can be recorded as text or image including photographs, drawings, audio recordings and even short films. The project was developed over the past year as part of Span Digidol starting with an intensive weekend at Garn Fawr in July 2019 followed by day workshops in Narberth, Broad Haven and Newport. There is much of interest to see and hear.  Equally you may have your own points of interest to add.  We’d love you to add to the map! View the map here. For more information about the project take a look at this film made after our first mapping weekend: For more information about previous workshops see our blog posts: Narberth: http://www.span-arts-dev.co.uk/news/map-digi-penfro-2-narberth/#.XnKlryOLR0c Broad Haven and St Brides Bay: http://www.span-arts-dev.co.uk/news/map-digi-penfro-3-broad-haven-and-st-brides-bay/#.XnKlJSOLR0c Newport: http://www.span-arts-dev.co.uk/news/map-digi-penfro-4-newport-and-carn-ingli/#.XnKlYCOLR0c Map Digi Penfro has been developed through Span Arts’ Digidol project funded by LEADER and the Arts Council of Wales which is exploring new ways in which digital technology can be used creatively to increase connectivity and reduce loneliness and social isolation.

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Map Digi Penfro #4 – Newport and Carn Ingli

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Saturday 29th February, Newport Memorial Hall, SA42 0TF, 10am – 4pm The Digidol project Map Digi Penfro heads to Newport Memorial Hall on Saturday 29th February with a day exploring a pioneering landscape with significance to issues of sustainability in agriculture and energy today. Span Digidol will be joined by Annie Sears who will share her own story of coming to Newport and the pioneering life of her parents who farmed at Fachongle.  There will also be a short film screening showing some of John Seymour’s work as a broadcaster and early advocate of sustainability. In the afternoon local guide and spoon carver Steve Jenkins will lead a short walk through Cwm Clydach and the day will conclude with a visit to Fachongle. The day will also be an opportunity to share stories and knowledge about Newport with the intention of recording the information collected onto the map in order to create a ‘deep map’ of Newport, rich in voice and content. Map Digi Penfro is an online digital map that allows people to record information that is important to them about the places they live in and pass through.  Information can be recorded as text or image including photographs, drawings, audio recordings

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Map Digi Penfro #3 – Broad Haven and St Brides Bay

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Saturday 1st February, Broad Haven Youth Hostel, Broad Haven, SA62 3JH 10am – 4pm The Digidol project Map Digi Penfro continues with a hands on workshop at Broad Haven Youth Hostel on Saturday February 1st.  Map Digi Penfro is an online digital map that allows people to record information that is important to them about the places they live in and pass through.  Information can be recorded as text or image including photographs, drawings, audio recordings and even short films. The day will be an opportunity to share stories and knowledge about Broad Haven with the intention of recording the information collected onto the map in order to create a ‘deep map’ of Broad Haven, rich in voice and content. Attendees to the Broad Haven Map Digi Penfro Day are encouraged to bring items such as documents, photographs and objects that might hold information about Broad Haven and the surrounding area as well as their own stories about the place. In preparation for the day Span Digidol have also enlisted the help of Broad Haven Primary School who are investigating their school archive to find materials to put on the map.  This follows on from an animation workshop Span Digidol

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Moon theme lantern parade given lift off with pedal powered cinema experience!

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In October 2018 Span Arts held a consultation event around the future of the Haverfordwest lantern parade at Haverhub.  The event provided an opportunity for local people to come and experience some alternative light solutions with a view to extending the possibilities of the traditional lantern parade. In 2019 with the experience and findings of that in mind Span Digidol set out to find a way of incorporating that spirit of innovation within this year’s lantern parade.  Several factors influenced the design of the event; the growing awareness of a climate emergency, the 50th anniversary of the moon landing and recent plans announced to bring a renewed focus of energy to Haverfordwest Castle and grounds. ‘Over the Moon – Haverfordwest Lantern Parade’ changed the route of the original lantern parade to take in the castle which had been dramatically lit to emphasize it’s features.  Rocket shaped lanterns designed by artist Di Ford processed up to the castle following a giant moon.  The moon was  then installed in the Castle grounds whilst the rockets continued their orbit. We worked with green energy artists Electric Pedals who bought their cinema screen and cycle powered cinema to Haverhub – 10 bikes and four children’s

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Span Digidol yn gweithio gyda Clwb Hyrwyddwyr Ifanc Llygoden yr Eira

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Ar nos Fawrth gaeafol aeth Span Digidol i weithio gyda Chlwb Hyrwyddwyr ifanc i drafod marchnata digidol ar gyfer sioe dymhorol Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru Llygoden yr Eira.  Mae’r Clwb yn cwrdd yn Ysgol y Preseli ac wedi dod at ei gilydd i gymryd cyfrifoldeb a phob agwedd o baratoi at ymweliad y sioe theatr yma at Ganolfan Hermon ym mis Rhagfyr. Dyma’r grŵp yn cyflwyno’u hunain: “Mae rhai o ddisgyblion blwyddyn 10 Ysgol Y Preseli yn cydweithio gyda Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru ar Gynllun Hyrwyddwyr Ifanc.  Mae’r merched Lilly, Chloe, Casey ac Elin yn dymuno hysbysebu perfformiadau o Lygoden Yr Eira, sef bypedau sy’n cael ei pherfformio yn Ganolfan Hermon. Sioe gyntaf am 1:30yp ail Sioe i ddechrau 4:30yp, ar ddydd Sadwrn 14eg o Ragfyr. Bydd y tocynnau mynediad yn costio £8 i oedolion a £7 i blentyn. Bydd yna raffl , siop a hefyd diodydd ar werth. Mae’r sioe i blant o dan 5 oed. Mae’r sioe am Lygoden Fach a’i dau ffrind sy’n cysgu, llithro, cwympo a chwerthin gyda’i gilydd wrth  archwilio’r ‘Winter Wonderland’.” Ymunodd Owen ar y grŵp neithiwr hefyd a wnaethon nhw fwrw ati i roi gwybodaeth am y perfformiadau ar dudalennau ‘listings’ ar-lein. Blas o’r gwaith

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Map Digi Penfro #2 – Narberth

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7th December, Span Arts, Town Moor, Narberth 10am – 4pm Map Digi Penfro, the Pembrokeshire ‘deep mapping’ project returns for another community mapping day in Narberth on December 7th.  The day is an opportunity to share stories and knowledge about Narberth with the intention of recording information to an online map in order to create a ‘deep map’ of the town and surrounding area. https://deep-map.azurewebsites.net/ The term ‘deep map’ relates to a practice that has special relevance to Pembrokeshire.  In the Spring of 2002 artist and theatre director Cliff McLucas (1945-2002) walked the whole of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path with the intention of creating a Deep Map, combining landscape picture with other media including text, diary, sound recording and moving image onto a multi-layered map. Attendees to the Narberth mapping day are encouraged to bring items such as documents, photographs and objects that might hold information about Narberth through time and space as well as their own stories about the town.  In preparation for the day Span Digidol have enlisted the help of their Clwb Digi members who have been trained in digital recording, photography and how to upload materials to the map. According to McLucas’ mapping manifesto, “Deep maps

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Map Digi Penfro Launched at Theatr Gwaun

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Map Digi Penfro is now available to view online and can be accessed at the following address: http://j.mp/mapdigipenfro. A successful film screening and launch of the digital community mapping project Map Digi Penfro was held at Theatr Gwaun in Fishguard on Friday 13th September and attended by some sixty people.  The project is part of our Span Digidol project funded by the Arts Council of Wales and the Arwain Sir Benfro Leader programme. The project seeks to fuse arts and technology to deal with issues such as rural isolation, loneliness and community well-being. Map Digi Penfro seeks to map the places of Pembrokeshire from many and diverse perspectives by means of an interactive online map which continues to be open to contributions.  The map has been developed by Span Digidol’s Digital Champion Alan Cameron Wills, a retired computer programmer who now lives in Moylegrove.  Following on from his work on the Moylegrove History Map Alan was invited by SPAN to develop a mapping tool for the whole of Pembrokeshire.  The map was then tested over an intensive weekend at the beginning of July at Garn Fawr, an iron age Hill fort on the Strumble Head peninsula.   A range of experts including

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Map Digi Penfro – prosiect mapio cymunedol

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Mae Map Digi Penfro erbyn hyn i’w weld ar-lein a gellir dod o hyd iddo yma: http://j.mp/mapdigipenfro Cynhaliwyd noson lwyddianus i ddangos ffilm ac i lansio’r prosiect mapio digidol cymunedol Map Digi Penfro yn Theatr Gwaun nos Wener Medi 13eg gyda thua 60 o bobl yn bresennol. Mae’r prosiect yn rhan o brosiect Span Digidol sy’n cael ei ariannu gan Gyngor Celfyddydau Cymru a Rhaglen Leader Arwain Sir Benfro.  Mae’r prosiect yn ceisio cyfuno’r celfyddydau a thechnoleg er mwyn mynd i’r afael â materion megis ynysu gwledig, unigrwydd a llesiant cymunedol. Bwriad Map Digi Penfro yw mapio lleoedd Sir Benfro o safbwyntiau niferus ac amrywiol trwy fap rhyngweithiol ar-lein sy’n parhau i fod yn agor i gyfraniadau. Datblygwyd y map gan Bencampwr Digidol Span Digidol, Alan Cameron Willis. Mae Alan wedi ymddeol o’i waith fel rhaglennydd cyfrifiaduron ac yn byw yn Nhrewyddel erbyn hyn. Yn dilyn ei waith ar Fap Hanes Trewyddel, gwahoddwyd Alan gan Span i ddatblygu offeryn mapio ar gyfer Sir Benfro gyfan. Cafodd y map ei brofi dros benwythnos llawn ar ddechrau Mis Gorffennaf yn ardal Garn Fawr, bryngaer o’r Oes Haearn,  ar benrhyn Pencaer. Daeth amrywiaeth o arbenigwyr, yn cynnwys y daearegwr Math Williams, yr archeolegwr

The Span Deep Map
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Span Digidol ‘deep map’ of Garn Fawr to be revealed at Theatr Gwaun

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In July 2019 Span held an innovative digital mapping day centred on Garn Fawr an Iron Age Hill Fort on the Strumble Head peninsula. On Friday 5th July Span welcomed the Prifardd (chaired poet) Mererid Hopwood, wildlife expert and Strumble Head resident Shani Lawrence, and geologist Math Williams to St Nicholas church hall.  There they were also joined by a group of year 5 pupils from Ysgol Wdig and from this base camp set out to climb Garn Fawr.  They spent time on the mountain and were introduced to the flora and fauna of the place as well as the geological processes that had led to the landscape’s formation.  The pupils were then able to write a poem with the help of Mererid Hopwood, reflecting on their experiences outdoors. On Saturday 6th July Span were joined by Ken Murphy from the Dyfed Archaeological Trust who gave an overview of the archaeological knowledge related to the site as well as the different imaging techniques that archaeologists use and produce in the course of their work.  With a base in the community hall at St Nicholas, weekend participants were shuttled back and forth to the site to experience some of the evidence

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Map Digi Penfro #1 Garn Fawr Collaborative Mapping Workshop

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Inspired by the words of the poet Dewi Emrys, who is remembered by a stone monument at Pwll Deri, the workshop will create a ‘deep map’ of the area by answering the question, ‘What are the thoughts that come to you when sitting above Pwll Deri?’  Garn Fawr was once an iron age hillfort, there are also many other sites of interest including a hermit’s cell, a holy well, a WW2 lookout shelter, fascinating geological features as well diverse wildlife. Workshop participants throughout the weekend will have access to the knowledge of specialists including: artist Rowan O’Neill, wildlife specialist Shani Lawrence, geologist Matthew Williams, archaeologist Ken Murphy, microbiologist John Ewart and poet Mererid Hopwood who will all engage in the collaborative mapping of this ancient landscape that continues to inspire residents and visitors alike. Images and recordings will be collected over the weekend and uploaded onto an ever-evolving digital map that will be available online beyond the weekend of the workshop. If you have a particular knowledge of this inspiring place then Span Digidol would love to hear from you.  Whether you’ve lived here for generations or it’s a place you come back to often which holds a special memory

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Remote Choir Project featured in NHS Case Study

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In March 2019 our project Remote Choir / Côr Pellenig, which took place in 2018, was highlighted as an example of how the arts can contribute to tackling a key priority of the NHS in a briefing paper for the Cross Party Group on Arts and Health for the Welsh NHS Confederation.  News of the project had reached Wales Arts and Health Network, who approached Span to commission a short film documenting the project, funded by the Arts Council of Wales. The briefing paper included three film case studies of how arts based initiatives are being used to tackle loneliness and isolation to improve people’s health and wellbeing.  Watch the newly commissioned film here: Remote Choir / Côr Pellenig combined the words and voices of older people who love singing but were isolated because they found it difficult to get out and about due to health or age-related issues. The project worked with 1o people over the age of 60 who live with poor mobility.  Some participants lived with early onset dementia, others with long term or chronic conditions such as diabetes, ME, Autism or MS.  From the comfort of their own homes and care homes, participants took part in a series

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Memortal/Cofio – Prototypes for a digital memorial app

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Span Arts is delighted to present the premiere of a new short film (12 mins) and unveil prototype apps produced as part of the recent Span Digidol project Memortal/Cofio. Memortal/Cofio is a pilot project to explore possibilities for a digital memorial app that could help people to record and share important memories, images, objects and sound recordings that tell the story of their lives. Span teamed up with Pembrokeshire based animation artist Gemma Green Hope, and Bristol based app maker Owen Davis to create prototypes for an app that is both simple to use, flexible enough to accommodate different user’s needs, and visually beautiful.   The Span Digidol team has been working with 6 older individuals across Pembrokeshire on a 1:2:1 basis and with groups such as Solva Care and Brynberian Compassionate Café, to research and discover what people would want this app to be able to do, and to design a unique look for the app, as well as create example content. Artist Gemma Green Hope was excited to be involved in this project, saying that “digital technology has great potential for helping people to tell their own stories creatively”. App maker Owen Davis described how many apps that

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DigiVeg – Where Vegetables Meet Digital Technology!

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At Span Arts we’ve recently started Span Digidol; a new and exciting 2-year project trialling innovative digital technology to get the people of Pembrokeshire’s creative juices flowing! When Narberth Food Festival approached us to see if we wanted to get involved we leapt at the chance to do something fun and bizarre.  After thinking long and hard about how food could meet the world of digital art, we came up with the DigiVeg concept. In essence: using vegetables to make sounds, recording them and programming them into a computer to make electronic music.  Have you ever wondered how to make a root-flute or carrot clarinet? Or play a digital vegetable keyboard? No? Well, this could be just the thing you never knew you needed to know!  Span Arts is teaming up with electronic musician Andy Wheddon for two 1-day workshops in vegetable instrument making, sound-sampling and simple programming using Raspberry Pis (mini computers) to create vegetable keyboards for electronic music making.  At the end of each day from 4-5 pm, we will be taking the vegetable keyboards outside into the carpark for public demonstration via our PA system. We’ll be sharing some of the best electronic music created by workshop participants and giving the public the opportunity to have a go!  Take a look at our promo video! Workshop details:   Sat 22 &

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Span Arts Is Delivering With Digidol

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Span Arts is thrilled to announce a funding boost of £92,000 for Span Digidol, an ambitious new digital arts project to develop a new way of delivering cultural services to rural communities across the whole of Pembrokeshire over the next two years. Sing Online Arwain Sir Benfro - the Local Action Group (LAG) for Pembrokeshire, administered by PLANED have provided funding of £62,000 to Span Arts. This is funded through the LEADER programme, which is part of the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020, Funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government. The funding from LEADER has also helped Span Arts to lever match funds of £30,000 from The Arts Council of Wales towards the project. Funding will go towards the recruitment of two highly motivated and exceptional individuals to become their Digital Engagement Officer and Creative Technologist to realise the ambitious plans of the project. Applications are been invited now at www.span-arts-dev.co.uk. Span Digidol will deliver a new Digital Engagement Policy and Plan, run a suite of creative and social activities that have been identified and adapted to deliver culture in Pembrokeshire through digital, and adopt a new set
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Drama Medal winner and translation app for pop-up theatre!

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We are delighted to announce that we will be bringing Estron (Alien) by Hefin Robinson to Maenclochog Village Hall on Friday 11th May as part of a national tour by Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru in co-operation with the National Eisteddfod of Wales and Carmarthenshire Theatres. This is a rare opportunity to see a Welsh language Drama Medal winner on a national tour in Pembrokeshire; plus it’s a chance to trial an exciting new audio translation app, making this a perfect piece for non-welsh speakers and learners too! A laptop, a tin of Quality Streets, and an author searching for his play in an infinite universe. Recent devastating events have turned Alun’s world upside down, but in the darkness he seeks solace in a visitor from another world. This mischievous and heart-rending welsh language play by Hefin Robinson won the Drama Medal at the 2016 National Eisteddfod, and was performed on stage for the first time in the Drama Hut at the 2017 Anglesey National Eisteddfod. The performances at the Drama Hut were enthusiastically received by reviewers and audiences alike. Lowri Cooke said that the play was “one that must be experienced” and “. . . fresh and funny, causing a veritable

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SPAN Arts Ltd, Town Moor, Narberth, Pembrokeshire, SA67 7AG
info@span-arts.org.uk
+44 (0) 1834 869323

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