The Arts Council of Wales has published its response to a report it commissioned in February 2020 on Welsh language marketing activities and methods across the arts sector in Wales.

Catrin Llwyd and Lowri Johnston were commissioned by Art Council of Wales in February 2020 to look at how best to engage more effectively and efficiently with Welsh-speaking audiences, artists and participants.
 

Among the report’s recommendations are:

  • Cooperate with other organisations in Wales to lobby Google to recognise Welsh as an official language thus enabling more effectively targeted Google ads
  • create opportunities to network and raise awareness of Welsh language arts in Wales through the medium of English and encourage more attention to Welsh language arts productions amongst non-Welsh speakers;
  • To look at ways of strategic planning between the Arts Council, production companies, venues and Welsh language community networks to stage more events across Wales so that everyone has an opportunity to participate and enjoy Welsh language arts.

Commenting today, Chair of the Arts Council of Wales’ Welsh Language Committee, Professor Tudur Hallam said:

“This is an important report that has both succeeded in rising above, and also incorporating, some of the challenges raised by the Covid-19 pandemic. The authors of this report consulted with both community representatives and a variety of voices from across the country.

“This latest report supplements a recent Welsh Language Mapping Report commissioned by the Arts Council in 2019. With both these reports now providing live snapshots of the possible, we have a robust and comprehensive overview of the needs and opportunities that lie before us that we must progress.

“The Arts Council have also created the new post of Welsh Language Enabler. This is the first step in realising and responding to a key need that both reports have identified. Einir Siôn, formerly Director Menter Iaith Rhondda Cynon Taf, begins in this new role on 1st November.”

END                                                                             27 October 2021

Notes to editors:

  • As intimated above, the response to the 2020 report on Welsh Language Marketing can be found here and the original report by Catrin Llwyd and Lowri Johnston here.
  • Elen ap Robert’s 2019 Welsh Language Mapping report and the Arts Council of Wales’ response to it can be found here.
  • For further information, please contact the Arts Council of Wales press office on 029 2044 1344/1307.