Imagining our Future: Conversations on the Arts in Wales is an on-line festival bringing together a wide range of speakers, performers, and panellists to fire our imaginations and spark conversations around the themes of People, Planet, and Purpose & Practice discussing issues such as climate emergency, the Welsh language, equality and diversity, and transformation of the arts in the face of increasing global challenges.  It will be held on-line September 20 - 22

Commenting today, Lleucu Siencyn, Director Arts Development, Arts Council of Wales said:

“As the philosopher, Raymond Williams said, ‘To be truly radical is to make hope possible rather than despair convincing’ and this is the spirit we hope to have in these conversations. We want the event to be accessible to as many people as possible, across Wales and beyond, and so will be delivered entirely online.

“A broad range of events spans 3 days, with events running throughout the day and into the early evening. Select as many – or as few – events as you like to create your own virtual festival.

“It is a fully inclusive and bilingual virtual festival with BSL interpretation, closed captions and simultaneous translation.”

If you have additional accessibility needs to participate in this event, please call 03301 242733 (all calls charged at local rates) or text 07797 800504 (standard text message rates apply).

Imagining our Future: Conversations on the Arts in Wales launches at 12pm on Tuesday 20 September with a specially commissioned poem by National Poet for Wales Hanan Issa. Hanan, the fifth person to be appointed to the role (2022-25), is a Welsh-Iraqi poet, filmmaker, and artist from Cardiff.

This on-line festival, with include everything from open discussions to guided meditation walks. As sessions are confirmed, they will be added to the website: https://arts.wales

Speakers and discussion facilitators will include the writer, teacher & researcher Darren Chetty; Gwennan Mair, Creative Engagement Director, Theatr Clwyd; Sarah Hopkins, Director, Cynnal Cymru | Sustain Wales; Creator and Curator of Installation and Performance, Marc Rees; Stephanie Back, Deaf artist, actress and creator; and Lisa Heledd Jones, Creative Director, StoryWorks.

Imagining our Future: Conversations on the Arts in Wales is open to everyone. From artists to producers, audiences to organisers – let’s come together to talk, listen, learn, and shape the future of the arts in Wales.

Further details of the programme and an opportunity to sign up will be released during the coming week.

END                                        31 August 2022