New bursary opens doors for underrepresented creatives across Wales

Nation Cymru staff

The winners of a new bursary that supports students from under-represented backgrounds to pursue Welsh-medium or bilingual courses in the creative industries have been announced this week.

This is the first year that the S4C Bursary has been offered by the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol and it was open to Black, Asian or minority ethnic students, disabled students, and students from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds who wish to study in the Creative Sector.

The four winners will receive financial support and professional development opportunities as they continue their university studies across Wales.

Cynir Hedd Davies, originally from Ceredigion, said: “I have learned to live with my autism throughout my life, and this bursary is going to be a great help to me at university. I hope the bursary will draw attention to the challenges faced by people like me who are underrepresented – challenges that are invisible to many people.”

The bursary will support Cynir while he studies Media and Communication at Swansea University.

Sarah Shehata, originally from Cardiff shared :“This bursary gives me hope. As an autistic person from an ethnic minority background, I hope to challenge the stereotype that only white people who speak Welsh can work in the media in Wales.”
Sarah studies English Literature, Journalism and Media at Cardiff University.

Reagan Porter, originally from Caerphilly said: “Winning this bursary means a great deal to me. I greatly admire my mother as a single parent, but money is tight, so I try to look after my two younger siblings as best I can, while also dealing with my own mental health challenges. This funding will make a huge difference to me.

“Winning the bursary has also encouraged me to gain as much experience as possible in the film and television industry, as I hope to become a bilingual film and television screenwriter in the future.”

Reagan studies Film and Television at Aberystwyth University.

Sam Burden (main image), originally from Gwynedd shared: “I have mental health problems that make it difficult for me to leave the house. I often worry about my financial situation, which then makes it hard to concentrate on my studies. This bursary takes some of that pressure off me.”

The bursary will support Sam as he continues his Creative Arts course at Bangor University.

According to Ffion Hughes, Higher Education Senior Manager at the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol: “The purpose of the bursary is to open doors for people who are underrepresented, enabling them to step confidently into the creative industries.

“It is vital that the workforce of the creative industries reflects the whole of Wales, and we are aware that there is work to be done to reach that goal.”

Sara Peacock, Head of Social Purpose at S4C, added: “S4C is for everyone, and it is essential that our industry is open to people from all backgrounds.

“S4C’s content is at its best when it reflects the whole of Wales. Through the S4C Bursary, we are proud to support the stars of the future on screen, as well as the talent behind it.”

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