Welsh language digital platform celebrates continued growth

Stephen Price

Am, the first-of-its-kind digital platform for discovering and celebrating Welsh arts and culture, is celebrating it 500th profile, representing everything from national cultural institutions and community ventures to individuals creating culture in Wales.

Am recently celebrated its sixth anniversary, building upon a renewed vision, a major website relaunch, and the launch of AmCam, its first ever digital film festival.

Designed to reflect the creativity and diversity of modern Wales, Am has become a central force for cultural discovery and community storytelling and now, it’s setting its sights even higher.

Launched in 2020, Am was created in Wales for Wales – a bilingual, inclusive, and open-access space to explore the nation’s creative industries, from music and theatre to literature and film.

What began with 75 creative organisations has now grown into a thriving online home for more than 500 partners, hosting over 8,000 pieces of content and becoming a vital tool for discovery, connection and creative collaboration.

Throughout its growth, Am has stayed true to its founding mission: to create a platform that reflects the inclusivity and innovation of modern Wales. This includes a landmark 2022 partnership with Disability Arts Cymru to break down barriers for deaf and disabled creatives.

Gwenlli Evans from Brocast Ffestiniog, who has a profile on Am, said: “We strongly believe that content on platforms is essential for promoting the Welsh language, and we consider Am to be an excellent partner for this purpose. Am and Brocast are a great fit, sharing the same vision of creating local media content. Brocast has benefited from being a channel on Am, gaining greater visibility on a different platform, promoting our content, and attracting new audiences”

Deborah Keyser from Tŷ Cerdd added: “We’ve been on board Am since just after launch, and we’re proud to have a presence on this important resource for Cymru.

“Amplifying the music of Welsh artists and communities is central to our role, and Am is an ideal platform to support this work – we can use it to share work nationally and internationally while demonstrating our commitment to Wales-led organisations and the Welsh language.

“A great example of our use of Am is the recent Tapestri project: a colourful and inspiring series of short films about the music being made by 15 community groups across Wales”.

Cerys Knighton from Disability Arts Cymru noted: “It is wonderful to see that there are now 500 profiles on Am!

“We have been in a strategic partnership with Am for four years now, and during that time we have collaborated on sharing and promoting a number of our projects digitally.

“We are delighted to have a profile on Am to share the work of DAC members on a platform that supports Welsh artists across all art forms and is accessible to everyone.”

To mark the milestone, Emily Roberts, the Chair of PYST Cyf (which is responsible for Am), said: “It is fantastic news that Am has reached 500 profiles. It demonstrates the need for a platform like this—one that is accessible and open to everyone.

“In an industry that is traditionally difficult to enter and can tend to focus on the same familiar faces, the fact that Am has been able to grow and support a diverse range of new ideas, individuals, and companies in the sector is remarkable.

“As a Board, we are proud to see this work continue, inspired daily by the creativity and talent of the people of Wales, and deeply grateful to Creative Wales and the Arts Council for their support.”

A spokesperson for Am added: “A huge diolch to all of the profiles for their contribution and support over the years. You can read further comments by the Am team in a special blog post here.

“Am continues to develop and expand, and if you would like to join our community, you can create a free profile here – everyone is welcome”

For more information about Am, which is funded by Welsh Government agency, Creative Wales, the relaunch, or the AmCam festival, visit ambobdim.cymru.

For more information visit the Am website and follow on socials:

• Instagram @ambobdim 
• Facebook AMAM
• Bluesky @ambobdim.bsky.social
• Threads @ambobdim