With it being Welsh rights day (7 December 2022), the Arts Council of Wales has released details of an initiative it set up in April, which is now coming to fruition. The initiative is called the Welsh Consortium.

Speaking today, Einir Siôn, Welsh Language Enabler, Arts Council of Wales, said:

"When I took up my post as The Arts Council of Wales' Welsh Language Enabler in November 2021 it was clear that it would be extremely beneficial to have a group of people to advise and support my work within the Arts sector in Wales. 12 people have therefore been appointed as arts associates who all have experience of using language creatively within their work – 2 artistic consultants for each art form.

"A "consortium" was subsequently established in April 2022 to plan the developments of the Welsh language in the arts. The consortium has identified four areas of work:

  1. Placing the Welsh language at the centre of creativity
  2. Llais y Lle – a new fund for individuals to work creatively with communities to develop the Welsh language through the arts.
  3. Translating / Interpreting our Identity – exploring the needs and opportunities of developing the creative translation/interpreting field
  4. Sensing the language – creating/augmenting language learning packages through the arts with a focus on access to and confidence in the language.

"The results of the work will be shared over the coming months and the first round of the new Llais y Lle grant fund will open in early 2023.

"On an important day like this, it's fair to say that the Arts Council of Wales is committed to developing the Welsh language within the arts by mainstreaming the Welsh language and ensuring that all organizations and individuals receiving sponsorship take responsibility and ownership of it."

Here are some recent actions:

  1. Consultation and drafting of a new strategy for the Welsh language and the arts – to be released during 2023
  2. Ensuring that Welsh is a necessary principle for the Council's investment review – A new agreement with the National Centre for Learning Welsh with the  appointment of Rhodri Trefor as Learning Welsh Coordinator for the arts. Rhodri started work at the end of August
  3. Conducting research to discover the needs and nature of Welsh language development pathways within the arts
  4. Implementing the recommendations of the Welsh language mapping report
  5. Advising individual organizations on their Welsh language developments
  6. Working closely with Welsh Government and key partners within the language sector

The members of the Consortium are Steffan Donnelly, Rufus Mufasa, Iestyn Tyne, Laura Drane, Jên Angharad, Jeremy Turner, Diop Lewis, Vivian Rhule, Jonathan Milo Taylor, Iwan Williams, Eddie Ladd, Mererid Hopwood (who has an advisory role).

ENDS                                       7 December, 2022