South Wales charities supporting creative industries celebrate £44k in grants

Two south Wales charities have been awarded £44,000 in grants to expand and evolve programmes that help create career opportunities in the creative industries for local people.

Pathfinders Cymru and Citrus Arts were awarded the grants by the Regional Creatives Fund, launched by Amazon, and plan to use the funding to support underserved communities in Wales.

Citrus Arts received £30,000 and Pathfinders Cymru secured a £14,400 as part of the Regional Creatives Fund.

The Regional Creatives Fund aims to increase access to careers in the creative industries for communities proven to be under-represented in the sector.

Citrus Arts, which uses the travelling circus model to build creative community life in Rhondda Cynon Taf, has been awarded the support for its Artworkers training programme.

The charity creates outdoor arts spectacles that help communities address pressing issues, runs circus classes for all ages at Hopkinstown Community Hall, and delivers ‘Rage Rage | Oes Oes’ — a programme of creative rebellion for over-50s.

Artworkers is a full-time, paid outdoor arts training programme for young adults not in education, employment, or training. Led by tutors from across the UK’s outdoor arts and circus scene, the annual programme equips young people for viable arts careers while nurturing Wales’ next generation of outdoor arts practitioners.

With Rhondda Cynon Taf having one of the highest proportions of economically inactive young people in Wales, Artworkers also boosts the local economy by providing crews and creative workers for outdoor events and festivals.

The Regional Creatives Fund will support their 2026 Spring programme, working with 24 young people over eight weeks. The grant will cover top-class tutors, essential materials, and equipment hire to teach young people how to stage, manage, and deliver outdoor events.

Beth House, Executive Director at Citrus Arts added: “Artworkers is a fantastic opportunity for young people in Rhondda Cynon Taf who have perhaps not yet found their pathway, to work alongside their peers, guided by inspiring creative professionals, and gain practical, transferrable creative skills.

“More importantly, through the process of participating in the graft of outdoor arts life, they create work they can be proud of, en route increasing their confidence, self-esteem open their imaginations and make new friends.”

Pathfinders Cymru, a south Wales charity supporting young people with learning disabilities and neurodiversity, has been awarded a Regional Creatives Fund grant to expand its ‘Pathways Through Pixels – Digital Storytelling and Creative Future’ programme.

The programme will provide inclusive training in storytelling, digital design, and multimedia production, helping young people build confidence, explore identity, and discover career pathways in the creative industries.

Building on the success of its recent STEM in Film project, which equipped young people with industry-standard skills in narrative storytelling and music production, the charity will use the Regional Creatives Fund grant to fund essential equipment, voice actor training and performances. It will also fund SEN tools, printed visual aids, alternative formats, flexible resources and more.

Bethan Knight from Pathfinders Cymru said: “It’s fantastic to receive this grant from the Regional Creatives Fund and everyone at Pathfinders Cymru is over the moon to get this brilliant support from Amazon.

“The Regional Creatives Fund grant will help our Pathways Through Pixels project to reach more people in our community, helping to create pathways to creative industry careers where they don’t currently exist.”

Joedi Langley, Head of Creative Wales said: “It was a pleasure to be a part of this important judging panel for the Regional Creatives Fund, that will allocate much needed funding across the UK, creating new opportunities for underrepresented groups to develop their creative skills.

“I’d like to extend my congratulations to all of the recipients and the two Welsh recipients in particular: Pathfinders Cymru, a charity based in the Swansea Valley offering fun and inclusive activities for young people with learning disabilities, and Citrus Arts, a community-focused charity in Rhondda Cynon Taff that uses circus, theatre and dance to bring people together. Llongyfarchiadau!”

Paul Firth, Regional Creatives Fund judge, added: “Pathfinders Cymru and Citrus Arts do incredible work in the community, and we were blown away by their commitment to upskilling people in underserved communities for careers in creative industries.

“Amazon is passionate about creating opportunities for people in Wales to have access to creative industry careers and we’re excited to support these brilliant charities as they expand their programmes to have an even greater impact on the local community.”

Grants were awarded by an independent judging panel. The panel included senior leaders from Amazon, The National Theatre, Creative Wales, Arts Council England, the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, Help Musicians and Music Minds Matter.

Funding applications were assessed across five key areas. Strong proposals reflected the fund’s spirit with energy, optimism, and a clear creative purpose; delivered real impact through skills, access, and industry links; showed a smart, achievable plan with confident delivery; centred inclusion by amplifying underrepresented voices; and built on existing programmes to grow what’s already working.