Llais y Lle 2024: New projects supporting Welsh language creativity announced

Llais y Lle is a scheme to support creative individuals in developing use and ownership of the Welsh Language by working with communities, and the latest projects set to take part have been announced today.

Last year’s Llais y Lle projects were varied, including a festival to celebrate wild ponies in Carneddau, to a study of the language’s role in Butetown, to creative workshops for young people in Montgomeryshire.

More applications than ever were received this year, and Cyngor y Celfyddydau have announced that the individuals taking part in Llais y Lle 2024 are Bridie Doyle-Roberts, Rhiannon Mair, Paul Eastwood, Elin Mannion, Marc Roberts, Hedydd Ioan, Angharad Owen, Colin Daimond, Richard Huw Morgan, Frances Higginson, Myfanwy Alexander, Rufus Mufasa, Kirsti Davies, Sian Parri, Mymuna Solemon, Ciaran Fitzgerald and Eadyth Crawford.

“Perfect platform”

Einir Sion, Welsh Language Enabler for Arts Council of Wales, said: “The Llais y Lle 2023 projects were wonderful, and have had a substantial effect on the Welsh language in communities across all of Wales.

“These stories deserved to be heard, and AM is the perfect platform to do this.”

Upon today’s announcement, Einir said: “It’s a pleasure to welcome 17 special individuals to the Llais y Lle 2024 family.

“The first year was extraordinary, but we’ve also learned from it and ensured that its second year targets different communities and artforms, and provides more opportunities to develop Welsh language creative practice, whilst continuing to work in a supportive and collaborative way.

“It’s all available to enjoy on AM this year, right from the very start. I’m very excited for what’s to come.”

There will be a chance to get a taste of Llais y Lle in a special event during the Eisteddfod Genedlaethol in Pontypridd. We extend a warm welcome for all to join in in YMa, Pontypridd between 10 – 1, Wednesday August 7.

2024 Projects

1. Bridie Doyle-Roberts (Rêf Celf ) Rhondda Cynon Taf

Partners– Valleys Kids, Theatrau RhCT, Soar, Artis Cymuned

Rêf Celf is a creative laboratory for artists which embraces Pop, Rave and Festival culture to explore contemporary Welsh identity whilst creating new work.

South Wales srtists from all artistic disciplines, especially ones who identify as deaf, disabled or neurodiverse, are invited to play, experiment, create and collaborate in social and participatory experiences. 

2. Rhiannon Mair Pontyates, Carmarthenshire

Partners –Llangyndeyrn community council and Nazareth Chapel.

A project based in the village of Pontyates, Carmarthenshire, which will use the fabled path of the Twrch Trwyth through the village, as well as the train track path that used to carry the coal from the pit to the port, as a basis for the Welsh language creative activity there.

3. Paul Eastwood Flint, Wrexham and Dinbych

Partners – Menter Iaith Fflint a Wrecsam, Oriel Mostyn, StudioMade and Perilco

Siarad i greu, creu i siarad is a project that focuses on developing community creativity via the medium of the Welsh language.

The project will include a number of activities and events that explore different techniques and applications, and support discussion and learning in the Welsh language. Inspiring people from all backgrounds to become part of an artistic experience. 

4. Elin Mannion Swansea

Partners- NHS Swansea Bay Health Board, Welsh Learners (staff)

Cornel Cymraeg: An opportunity for the dedicated staff of the NHS Swansea Bay Health Board who currently speak or are learning the Welsh language to wade into the arts and learning, use and live the Welsh language beyond just medical terminology and Courtesy Welsh, but in creative, inspiring and exciting situations and workshops with various Welsh language artists.

5. Marc Roberts Pontyberem, Gwendraeth Valley

Partners – Pontyberem Rugby Club, the Valley’s local paper, Gwendraeth Valley Library, Fforwm Iaith Cwm Gwendraeth

The Y Draenen Wen project offers an opportunity for the community to establish a network of Welsh and Welsh language activity in the village of Pontyberem and the Cwm Gwendraeth area by hosting various sessions/workshops/activities.

The emphasis will be on creating opportunities on a grassroots level which are accessible to all, and will include folk/community singing/dance/film/creative writing and visual arts.

6. Hedydd Ioan Penygroes

Partners – Yr Orsaf. Penygroes

Heydydd said: “Byw ‘Ma is a project in which I, Hedydd Ioan, will develop my relationship as an individual and as an artist with my community, the Dyffryn Nantlle area.

“My main aim is to understand the daily creative needs of individuals within my community.”

7. Angharad Owen Dyffryn Peris

Partners – GwyrddNi, Dyffryn Peris Climate Assembly 

Historical/artistic and linguistic study of the identity of Dyffryn Peris, working with the Stori’r Tir group to build on an experiment to bring people together in the valley to collaborate and recreate our lost and anonymous tales.

They will work with discussion and grief methods, in order to make sense of loss and rewrite our narrative towards the future. 

8. Colin Daimond Anglesey

Partners – The EHE community network, Wispy Willow Creations, Plas Llwynnon

Cwtch is an intergenerational Music, Dance, Carnival and community-led Welsh Language arts project. Cwtch will empower individuals and create community cohesion through a broad and flexible participatory program for people with all levels of Welsh fluency.

All ages will co-create a contemporary Carnival performance choosing themes from the legends, images, landscapes and folk music of Wales. There will also be creative opportunities to work with digital media and recycled modelling materials. 

9. Richard Huw Morgan Trefforest, Pontypridd

Partners – Citrus Arts 

Exploring the Welsh language knowledge, attitudes and confidence of a temporal community – bus passengers in south Wales coalfield communities through one-to-one conversations.

Encouraging confidence in whatever ability participants have, and acknowledging that we are all on a spectrum of ability in whatever languages we speak. Documented as audio recordings for possible future sound art assemblage. 

10. Frances Higginson Y Fenni, Powys

Partners – Dance Blast

Welsh language/ floorwork laboratory with community dancers to develop vocabulary, unearth metaphor and create a shared poetry of material kinetic connection between our moving bodies and the ground. Taking this onto the land where we live and work. 

Making a film of the process in Welsh with non-Welsh speaking neurodiverse artist-film-maker. Welsh becomes an active tool for understanding and intimacy.

11. Myfanwy Alexander Sir Drefaldwyn

Partners – Young Farmers

Cae/Agor: Ambitious film with YFC. Using field maps, members will create performances filmed by Robbie Meade, discovering hidden Welsh in the landscapes. Codi Cân: Identify & engage local musicians, exploring barriers to using Welsh, leading to encounter sessions and co-creation. 

12. Rufus Mufasa Blaenau Gwent

Partners – Celf ar Y Blaen

A mixed-media multidisciplinary programme giving marginalised voices the opportunity to reimagine language & the arts, making visible the dexterity & diversity of our nation, making our nation arms wide open to all.

Making the tongue of the territory accessible to all in ways that will strengthen every framework, every policy, for all of our people, today & for future generations.

13. Kirsti Davies Machynlleth, Powys

Partners – Ennyn, Eco Dyfi

Gwreiddio is an artist-led project, that aims to amplify the Welsh voice in the Dyfi Valley by celebrating its long-standing relationship and advocacy of the natural world.

The project will initiate a peer-supported creative enquiry, to foster linguistic pride and ownership within the nature narrative. This process will also produce new artistic work, collaborative workshops, culminating in a celebration event.

14. Sian Parri, Penrhyn Llŷn

Partners – Cymdeithas Pen-y-graig, Cyfeillion Llŷn, Cynghorau Cymuned Llŷn a thu hwnt, Menter Iaith Gwynedd and Cymunedoli.cyf.

The project’s aim is to increase the use of the Welsh language in Llangwnnadl by sharing and celebrating the language and its culture, increasing Welsh opportunities and co-discovering art and creative ways to welcome everyone into the Welsh language. 

Llangwnnadl is based in the north of Llŷn, and inspiring and increasing use of the Welsh language as an active language in this stronghold is vital to its continued use in the future.

15. Mymuna Solemon Cardiff and Caernarfon

Celebrating Cofi Welsh through a Somali lens via creative writing workshops in Caernarfon. These creative sessions will focus on the intersectionality of Welshness and race, with support by Mudiad Meithrin and the excellent resources they have prepared on anti-racism.

16. Ciaran Fitzgerald Castell Nedd, Port Talbot

He shared: “The intention of this project is to bring together two groups of young people who would normally have limited contact with each other despite living in the same geographical area. I intend to work with two schools, Ysgol Gyfun Bro Dur, a mainstream Welsh school in Port Talbot, and Ysgol Maes y Coed, a Special School in Neath, which has pupils with a variety of learning and communication difficulties as well as physical disabilities.

“My intention is to make a piece of street theater that reflects the community these young people are a part of, and display it at the Eisteddfod yr Urdd in Margam 2025. This project gives young people from different backgrounds, but from the same community, the chance to work together, and develop mutual understanding between them.”

17. Eadyth Crawford Merthyr

Partners – Canolfan a Menter Iaith Merthyr Tudful

“Y KandE Collective” is a year-long project engaging Merthyr through music, arts, and performance to promote Welsh language learning.

Workshops, collaborative music creation, live performances, and a public art installation are planned to help foster a vibrant language experience.

Meet the Llais y Lle 2024 cohort on AM’s homepage.