National Youth Arts Wales calls for public recognition that arts participation is vital to the mental wellbeing of all young people.

During Mental Health Week 2024, we are highlighting the crisis in teenage mental health in Wales, and the significant role that arts participation could play in addressing this.

Mental Health of Young People in Wales

24% of teenagers in Wales reported “very high” levels of mental health symptoms in the years following COVID-19 lockdowns, according to the latest report from the School Health Research Network (SHRN) at Cardiff University. Girls were almost twice as likely as boys to have reported very high levels of mental health symptoms.

Similarly, Mind Cymru published research showing that 34% of young people aged 16-24 experienced declining mental health during the past year. High numbers reported feeling more stressed (42%), more anxious (41%), more depressed (36%) and suffering worse sleep (39%), and around a third also reported developing feelings of loneliness (30%).

The Wonderful Effects of Arts Participation

Evidence published by the Social Biobehavioural Research Group at UCL shows that young people who engage regularly in the arts are at a lower risk of depression in adolescence. They also have higher self-esteem, which in turn affects lifelong development and wellbeing.

For the hundreds of young people taking part in the NYAW youth ensembles and projects, we have seen first-hand the important role the arts plays in their health and happiness:

An NYAW Residency Member said: “Being a member of NYAW was really valuable to my mental health over lockdown… Returning to an in-person residency in 2022 was an incredible experience, which definitely helped me regain a lot of the confidence that I had lost over lockdown.”

We have heard similarly positive news stories from our many partner organisations throughout Wales, including National Music Services Wales, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Urdd Gobaith Cymru, the Aloud Charity, National Dance Company Wales, Ballet Cymru, the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Theatr Clwyd and others. Wales has a rich and diverse ecology of arts opportunities for young people, from primary age, right up to higher education, and beyond. The introduction of the National Plan for Music Education in 2022 helped increase collaboration across all the national music organisations, and we are developing similar strategies across the theatre and dance sectors.

Public Investment in the Arts

In its budget for 2024-25, the Welsh Government made cuts across many sectors to address a significant shortfall in its £23bn budget. Support for culture, sport and tourism has dropped by £16m (including a 10.5% cut to the Arts Council of Wales) as the government reprioritises spending for health services. This will drop by a further £1.9m as local authority budgets are impacted.

As a result, arts provision for young people will inevitably be reduced. All the evidence above suggests that we will see a direct impact on the mental and physical health of young people throughout Wales, with knock-on impacts to the NHS and social services. Those consequential additional costs could be greater than the £18m that has been taken away from arts provision.

Evan Dawson, CEO of NYAW said: “The budget for arts education and participation in Wales delivers a huge return on that investment. We urgently need the government to understand that spending less on arts provision for young people will increase strain on the NHS. Conversely, if we invest more in targeted arts provision, we would support mental health for everyone, whilst building a confident, creative and generous Wales for future generations.”

David Jackson OBE, Chair of NYAW said: “The positive impact on mental health of participating in the arts is well established, and never has this effect been more needed than now. It is crucial that National Youth Arts Wales should continue to develop and expand its activities for the benefit of the young people of Wales.”

National Youth Arts Wales launches Change Makers.

National Youth Arts Wales (NYAW) empowers the next generation of musicians, actors, dancers and makers to build a creative, confident and generous future for Wales. 

On Earth Day 2024, we are excited to launch the Change Makers - a new youth collective that supports young creatives to influence the future of the arts throughout Wales. It will nurture the next generation of arts leaders, with a focus on environmental, cultural and social issues.  

We believe that all young people should have access to a wide range of artistic and cultural opportunities as part of a healthy, connected and fulfilled life. Bringing together young visionaries from across Wales, Change Makers will provide a platform to shape the strategic and artistic direction of NYAW, and influence change in the wider Welsh arts sector. The collective will help identify the barriers that prevent so many young people from participating in the arts, and how these could be overcome. It will empower young people to drive progress and ensure their voices are heard throughout the organisation. 

In addition to facilitating dialogue and action, Change Makers will serve as a hub for nurturing future leaders of the Welsh arts sector. Through masterclasses and skills training sessions led by influential professionals, members will have the opportunity to hone their leadership skills and broaden their own career horizons. 

Mason Edwards, Assistant Producer at NYAW said: "I'm delighted to see the Change Makers collective launching, as National Youth Arts Wales continues its work towards instilling Youth Voice in all areas of the organisation. As collective members not only will these young people have a seat at the NYAW table, but also the opportunity to come together as the next generation of arts leaders and help shape the future of Welsh arts for the better”. 

The Change Makers are ten young people, aged 18-25 from many walks of life throughout Wales - united by their passion for the arts and their commitment to positive change. They will meet throughout the year to collaborate on key initiatives such as environmental stewardship, community partnerships, social responsibility and diversity and inclusion measures. 

At the core of the project lies the Change Makers Report, an ambitious document crafted by its members to guide NYAW's work in the coming years. This will represent a collective vision of a more just, equitable and vibrant future, serving as a compass as NYAW navigates the road ahead. 

Rightkeysonly, NYAW Change Maker said: “Being physically disabled, neurodivergent, and part of the LGBT+ community myself, I am driven to improve access to the arts, as it wasn't always available to me growing up. I believe NYAW is making the arts more accessible for diverse individuals, and I'd like to contribute to that journey”. 

Karema Ahmed, another NYAW Change Maker said: “Joining NYAW as a Change Maker offers invaluable learning opportunities. I love the diverse perspectives within the project, enabling us to understand each other better. I hope that after this project, we are all able to get a better perspective on what needs changing to better the future”. 

To find out more about the project and to read the Change Makers individual stories, head over to the Change Makers webpage.  

National Youth Arts Wales is helping young people make their mark on the Welsh music scene.

At the end of March, extraordinary music filled the air as over 20 young musicians from throughout Wales came together at Rockfield Studios, Monmouth for the “Music Futures” residency week.  

The “Music Futures” project, led by National Youth Arts Wales (NYAW), is a contemporary music development programme for Wales’s music makers of the future. It enables young people aged 16-18, from diverse backgrounds, to find their potential as artists, and supports them to enter the current Welsh music scene. The project covers genres such as Grime, Indie, Electronica and RnB.  

Hosted in the iconic Rockfield Studios, where legends such as Queen, Led Zeppelin, Coldplay and Oasis have made iconic recordings, the Music Futures residency was an exhilarating journey of creativity, collaboration and discovery. Thanks to generous funding from the Welsh Government via Creative Wales, these aspiring musicians were selected to take part in the free week-long programme of songwriting workshops, industry discussions, recording and collaboration sessions and mentorship opportunities. 

Gerwyn Evans, Creative Wales Deputy Director, said: “Our Creative Skills Fund was set up to create opportunities for aspiring creatives from all backgrounds and promote inclusive practice across the sectors. It’s fantastic to see NYAW putting their funding to excellent use by providing practical, real-life experiences for the music artists of our next generation, and in such an iconic setting! Our Memorandum of Understanding with the Arts Council for Wales will also enable us to identify new ways of working together which will benefit young creatives and open new doors into the creative industries.”

Throughout the week, participants were guided by our industry professional Mentors and Future Mentors, honing their skills and exploring new horizons in music production, songwriting, and performance. From mastering the art of stage presence to delving into the intricacies of audio engineering, the residency provided a platform for young talents to shine and grow. For many participants, they had already developed skills in computer-based music production – but this was their first opportunity to learn how to collaborate in real time with other musicians. 

Lily Webbe, NYAW Music Futures Trainee Producer, said: “The Music Futures residency was such a positive and exhilarating experience for all involved. I hope that this experience has inspired them to explore their creativity and helped them discover the many different pathways and opportunities that the Welsh music scene has to offer. I’d like to say a huge thank you to all the fantastic mentors and future mentors that have been involved in this project, and the amazing team at Rockfield. Their support really helped to make the residency a truly magical experience for all.”  

Skye Dunning, a participant in this year Music Futures programme said: “This residency has helped everyone in terms of building our courage within recording original music and it has also provided us with useful information in relation to releasing, marketing and promoting our music too. Although we were only there for three days, the industry talks, the collectiveness of the project and being able to collaborate with new people of diverse genres and styles has definitely helped me build my own confidence too”.  

But the journey doesn't end there. As we bid farewell to the Music Futures residency week, we look forward to the next chapter in the young participant's musical journey. Soon, you’ll be able to hear the future of Welsh music yourself in an upcoming gig, where these extraordinary young artists will take centre stage, ready to put all they’ve learnt into practice.  

Join NYAW as we celebrate the boundless potential of the next generation at The Corn Exchange, Newport on April 28th and get ready to witness the future of music in all its glory. 

Book your tickets via Corn Exchange today! 

National Youth Arts Wales boosts its commitment to supporting Deaf and disabled young performers.

The National Youth Arts Wales (NYAW) staff team kicked off 2024 with a renewed approach to supporting Deaf and disabled young performers throughout Wales. Over four days, the whole staff team worked with inclusive arts specialists Taking Flight to develop their ability to support, connect and engage with Deaf and disabled young people. The training aimed to enable those across the organisation to provide a much higher level of bespoke support to each individual young performer, and ensure that NYAW’s ensembles and projects can be welcoming to all young people.

The series of innovative and interactive workshops enabled staff members to increase their understanding of inclusivity and access through hands-on training, supported by a fantastic team of Taking Flight facilitators with lived experience of disability. Specialisms such as blind awareness, Deaf awareness and sector-specific equality training were covered in detail, leading to thought-provoking discussions as a starting point for ongoing and embedded change.

Following the training, Evan Dawson, Chief Executive of NYAW said: “At National Youth Arts Wales, we know that creativity and cultural participation are vital ingredients of a healthy, happy and connected life. Every young person in Wales should have the opportunity to explore their own artistic potential. Talent does not discriminate - so this opportunity to work in-depth with Taking Flight has helped us understand the main barriers for young Deaf and disabled people to engage with us. We will continue to do everything we can to make National Youth Arts Wales a welcoming, supportive and truly creative community for everyone. It’s really exciting.”

With 17% of NYAW ensemble members identifying as Deaf or disabled in 2023, staff members are looking forward to applying this training directly to their work across ensembles, projects and beyond. This includes projects such as the “Assemble” partnership programme with National Youth Theatre GB, which is designed to support Deaf and disabled young people through long-term interventions in non-mainstream schools.

Hope Dowsett, Participation and Learning Producer at NYAW said: “We’d like to say a huge thank you to Taking Flight for running such a thought-provoking, insightful and interesting series of training sessions with us. Every staff member involved benefitted and improved their knowledge of working with disabled people, and we are now starting to apply this knowledge directly to our work. This will enable us to provide an even better experience to the amazing young people we work with each year.”

Steph Bailey-Scott, Participation, Access and Inclusion Officer at Taking Flight said: “It was an absolute pleasure to run our training sessions with the NYAW team, their passion for all things access and inclusion was so wonderful to see. I think this team are going to go very far, and I'm so excited for all the Deaf/ disabled and neurodivergent young people who will be involved in all their upcoming projects.”

NYAW will continue to review and renew its training provision in this area, as part of our ongoing commitment to bring more artistic opportunities to more young people across Wales from the widest range of backgrounds.

If you or your organisation could benefit from receiving disability awareness training from Taking Flight, please contact steph@takingflighttheatre.co.uk.

A new national collaboration to strengthen youth dance in Wales

Three leading dance organisations have marked a significant milestone in Welsh arts through the signing of a memorandum of understanding, in a bid to support the growth of dance in Wales.

National Youth Arts Wales, National Dance Company Wales, and Ballet Cymru have joined forces to enable strengthened youth dance engagement and participation across the country.

Representing a united effort, this strategic alliance will establish a comprehensive framework for youth dance provision across the nation. By combining their resources and expertise, the organisations will create a robust and inclusive infrastructure nurturing the growth of youth dance in Wales.

This will ensure that every aspect of their offerings focuses on accessibility, inclusion, quality, and further developmental and performance opportunities. This, in turn, positions youth dance as an integral component of Wales' cultural identity.

The signing of the memorandum of understanding marks a pivotal moment in the collaborative journey to support and strengthen the dance landscape in Wales. With a shared commitment to nurturing talent and fostering inclusivity, the alliance will lay the groundwork for sustainable growth and innovation in youth dance initiatives across the country.

National Youth Arts Wales Chief Executive, Evan Dawson said: “At National Youth Arts Wales, we are very excited about having an even closer relationship with Ballet Cymru and National Dance Company Wales.

“Working together and with the wider dance sector, we want to provide creative and world-leading opportunities for young dancers and choreographers. It’s a very challenging time for everyone working in the arts at the moment, but we are confident that this new strategic collaboration will help the next generation of dancers make the most of the resources we have whilst also supporting grassroots dance organisations throughout Wales.”

National Youth Dance Wales Producer, Jamie Jenkins said: "This new partnership will play a vital role in helping to shape the future of youth dance across Wales whilst at the same time supporting and celebrating already established youth dance provision.  NDCWales, Ballet Cymru and National Youth Arts Wales working closer together is a step in a positive direction."

NDCWales Artistic Director, Matthew Robinson said: “National Dance Company Wales seeks to inspire and propel the development of the artists of tomorrow through the work we do on and off stages. As we embark on this strategic collaboration with National Youth Arts Wales and Ballet Cymru our collective ambition for young people fills me with optimism for the future. We look forward to working with the incredible independent artists, teachers and organisations of Wales to ensure our interconnected work has the greatest impact for young people. A great artist can come from anywhere, and we are committed together to enabling young artists, wherever they may be in Wales, to shape the future of dance.”

Ballet Cymru Artistic Director, Darius James OBE and Assistant Artistic Director, Amy Doughty said: “Ballet Cymru is a national ballet company for Wales that challenges traditional boundaries and expectations. We are delighted to be working closely with National Youth Dance Wales and National Dance Company Wales to strategically forge new opportunities to inspire and support our next generation of dancers. This national collaborative effort to elevate dance, increase inclusion, and deliver more access for young dancers throughout Wales, is hugely exciting”

Laura Drane from Arts Council Wales said: “These plans to strengthen participation and access for youth dance are warmly welcomed. It is exciting to hear how the three national organisations plan to collaborate and share resources, bringing together their years of expertise. This partnership will help to develop the sector and impact the artistic journeys of young people of Wales."

Theatr Clwyd and National Youth Theatre of Wales offering Professional Pathways for young people across Wales this summer

Theatr Clwyd and National Youth Theatre of Wales have been working together for 6 years providing unique opportunities for young people across Wales and this year will be no exception.

This summer they will host their 2024 Professional Pathways Residency Programme at Theatr Clwyd. Professional Pathways is open to 16–22-year-olds, who want to gain performance skills and learn about the theatre industry including backstage roles. During the 3-day residency at Theatr Clwyd (28 June-1 July), 50 young people will go behind the scenes on the venue’s summer production of Rope by Patrick Hamilton. They will work with the professional creative teams on the show and see first-hand how it is made. There will also beworkshops on performance and audition skills, and an introduction to backstage including set and costume design, lighting and sound design and stage management. The residency will be bi-lingual and encourages anyone to apply who has an interest in theatre.

Evan Dawson, CEO of National Youth Arts Wales said: “Wales has such an exciting theatrical tradition, but it’s difficult for young people to understand the wide range of different on-stage and backstage careers they could follow. This partnership of National Youth Theatre Wales with Theatr Clwyd is a wonderful opportunity to inspire, support and connect our next generation of actors, stage managers, lighting designers, sound engineers, costume-makers, producers and more!”

Already this year National Youth Theatre Wales and Theatr Clwyd have gone into 8 schools across North and South Wales delivering workshops to give an insight into what to expect at the auditions and the Professional Pathways residency.

 Previous residency participants have said: “Professional Pathways is called that for a reason, you really do get taught by, and treated as a professional. You get taught the skills that you definitely will need to move forward within the arts.”

“There are so many different things I’ve learnt and I’ve realised that it isn't just a narrow one-way into the industry there's so many different paths and different journeys that people are on here”

(Professional Pathways Easter Residency 2023 at Wales Millennium Centre)

Gwennan Mair, Communities, Wellbeing and Education Director at Theatr Clwyd said of the partnership: “We are delighted to continue to grow opportunities for young people all over Wales with National Youth Theatre Wales. Together we will strive to open the opportunities to all parts of Wales and to ensure we grow all elements of theatre making!”

Bookings for the audition workshops for the residency and other NYTW member opportunities are open until February 27 with auditions taking place across Wales from 9 March – 25 March in multiple locations with an option for online sessions via zoom. For more information on how to apply and what to expect from the audition workshop visit: https://www.nyaw.org.uk/auditions

Members of National Youth Brass Band of Wales selected to represent Europe

National Youth Arts Wales is delighted to announce that three senior members of the National Youth Brass Band of Wales (NYBBW) have been selected to represent Wales in the annual European Youth Brass Band (EYBB) this year.  

Alice Tracey, Erin Maloney, and Patrick Miller (who have been members of the NYBBW since 2019) will be traveling to Palanga, Lithuania at the end of April. In addition to representing NYBBW, Alice and Patrick will also be representing Llwyncoed Brass Band and Erin representing Flowers Band.  

During the international residency, Alice, Erin and Patrick will collaborate with some of the best young brass band musicians from throughout Europe under the leadership of Philip Harper (former NYBBW conductor and Musical Director of the world-famous Cory Band).  

Their time with the European Youth Brass Band will conclude with a series of concerts taking place during the first week of May. The European Brass Band contest will also be held during that week, providing bands from throughout the continent an opportunity to compete for one of the most prestigious awards in the Brass Band calendar.  

Commenting on their success, NYBBW Senior Producer Matthew Jones said “Erin, Alice, and Patrick are long-standing, senior members of the National Youth Brass Band of Wales and are all excellent musicians. It’s a fantastic opportunity for them to work with top brass band musicians from across Europe, and I do not doubt that they will have a great time while making Wales proud”. 

Alice Tracey, one of the three selected members said: “I am so grateful for such a fantastic opportunity and I’m really excited to meet and play alongside musicians from across Europe”.  

The EYBB has operated since the early 2000s. It is a great opportunity for talented young brass players across Europe to play and develop together at a continental level for one week. They will perform as a full brass band on various occasions during the European Brass Band Championships 2024, including the European Composer Competition concert, Opening Ceremony, and the Grand Gala Concert. 

This year's National Youth Brass Band of Wales programme will soon begin with live rehearsals in mid-March before an 11-day residency and performance tour with venues across Bangor, Carmarthen and Swansea. For more information, visit NYAW’s website. 

2023 Wrapped

As we approach the end of 2023, and we bid adieu to the final notes and dance steps of this extraordinary season, we wanted to reflect on our work this year, filled with creativity, community, and countless moments of inspiration.

From Bangor to Cardiff, Lampeter to Newport, this summer we embarked far and wide, hosting a total of 9 residencies in 4 locations across Wales. Partnering with other creative organisations including Ballet Cymru, Theatr Clwyd and BBC NOW, we proudly performed in 18 public events, showcasing the incredible talents and creativity of the 282 young people who are NYAW members. In total, we provided high-quality training experiences for 959 young people in 2023.

“After being a member of NYCW I am like a new person… all in all, I am a FAR better musician than what I would have been without NYCW” - NYCW 2023 Member

“NYTW has served as a great buffer for me as someone who aged out of youth theatre at home and as someone who wasn't going to university…NYTW was always there for me.” - NYTW 2023 Member

"Being part of National Youth Dance Wales has helped reignite my love for dance” - NYDW 2023 Member

Kickstarting in July with performances from National Youth Brass Band of Wales, right through to National Youth Dance Wales closing our 2024 performances with style in Newport, we’ve truly left a mark on the Welsh arts scene this year. With a whopping total of 70,000+ audience members supporting our work. We also saw a record-breaking turnout for our National Youth Theatre of Wales’s innovative, bilingual and critically acclaimed production of Dan Y Wenallt/Under Milk Wood, with over 800 people seeing the performance. November also saw an additional side-by-side concert between the National Youth Orchestra of Wales and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, in Cardiff Bay.

In his Dan Y Wenallt/Under Milk Wood review for Barn Magazine, Gruffudd Owen said: "This is the most natural, purposeful and effective use of bilingualism I have ever seen on stage…The production was also a sign of what theatre in Wales can be."

Commenting on our NYDW ‘Twenty Tales’ performance, performed as a triple bill event alongside Ballet Cymru and Marcat Dance, singer-songwriter Cerys Matthews said via X: "It was terrific - Music choice, movement, design, costumes and choreography and overall unity. Utterly bewitching".

This summer we awarded £71,404 in bursaries towards fees, supporting 54% of our members. This record-breaking amount, coupled with additional travel expenses for members, reflects our commitment to creating an inclusive environment and breaking down barriers to entry for our members. 

Commenting on the success of the year, our Chairman, David Jackson said: “As 2023 draws to a close, and we ready ourselves for another year, I’d like to congratulate the team at the heart of National Youth Arts Wales on the impressive focus they continue to maintain on the benefits of arts participation and high-level training for the young people of Wales. Thanks to them we have the vision, and a credible plan, to tackle under-representation in the workforce in the cultural sector of Wales, and to support pathways into that sector that benefit the wider arts scene nationally. I’d also like to express thanks to my fellow Trustees for all their hard work and commitment. I’d like to think the future looks bright for NYAW and the young people of Wales. Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda i bawb”.

As we bid farewell to this extraordinary year, we extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who contributed to making it a resounding success. The artists, the audiences, the communities – your enthusiasm and support have propelled us to new heights, and we can't wait to continue this journey together in 2024.

We’d also like to say a massive thank you to our funders that have made our work possible in 2023: Arts Council of Wales, Welsh Local Government Association and the National Music Service for Wales, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Leverhulme Trust, Welsh Government via Creative Wales, Colwinston Charitable Trust, Moondance Foundation, Neil & Mary Webber Bursary Fund, Friends of National Youth Orchestra of Wales, The Bluefields Trust and Arts & Business Cymru.

Do you want to be a part of our 2024 journey? Could you be the future of Welsh arts? Applications for our National Youth Dance Wales are now open you can apply here.

New partnership aims to create bright future for young orchestral musicians in Wales

A renewed partnership has been announced between BBC National Orchestra of Wales (BBC NOW) and National Youth Arts Wales (NYAW) to provide orchestral and choral opportunities and professional career pathways for young people throughout Wales.

The initiative was announced during a joint “side by side” concert by the two orchestras at the BBC’s Hoddinott Hall in late November. Together, they have committed to empowering aspiring professional musicians across Wales by supporting performance skills and nurturing their professional growth through orchestral performance opportunities. They will also work in partnership with National Music Service Wales, supporting the National Plan for Music Education.

Young musicians at the start of their careers will benefit from a vibrant blend of developmental opportunities including side by side concerts with professional BBC musicians, choral singing performances, mentoring and workshop sessions, the commissioning of new music, and projects with musicians and composers that work outside the traditional classical music sector.

BBC NOW and NYAW have successfully worked together since 2001, running side by side concerts for young musicians who gain insights and experience by performing with professional players. These concerts have given generations of young musicians the confidence to pursue professional careers, and this new commitment seeks to create a dynamic platform for young people by offering them a unique chance to refine their craft and showcase their talents on a broader stage.

Founded in 2017, NYAW seeks to develop creative pathways for young people across Wales. It unites and leads the development of Wales’s five prestigious and long-established national youth ensembles comprising the National Youth Brass Band of Wales, National Youth Choir of Wales, National Youth Dance Wales, the National Youth Orchestra of Wales and National Youth Theatre of Wales. Founded in 1945, the National Youth Orchestra of Wales was the world’s first ever youth orchestra, and has been performing regularly ever since.

Evan Dawson, Chief Executive of NYAW said: “This partnership with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales will be of huge benefit to the young musicians of the National Youth Orchestra of Wales. As well as performing fantastic music of the very highest quality, they will get to work intensively to a professional schedule and learn directly from the BBC musicians with whom they are placed. It will give them an insight into an orchestral world in which they might see their own futures, nurturing our next generation of Welsh musicians. We all look forward to working with the wonderful team at BBC NOW over the years ahead to develop creative opportunities for young people throughout Wales.”

Lisa Tregale, Director of BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales said: “At BBC NOW, we believe that music and music making is for everyone, so we positively welcome this opportunity to collaborate with NYAW even more closely to help inspire young musicians, singers and composers across Wales. Everyone at BBC NOW is looking forward to building on the work that we have done with NYAW over the years, and together we aim to develop even more creative, fun and inclusive schemes that will benefit young musicians everywhere.”

Mari Lloyd Pritchard, Co-ordinator of the National Music Service for Wales, said: “Working in partnership is at the heart of the National Music Service as we strive together to develop as many opportunities as possible for children and young people to develop their playing and access career pathways. We are delighted to see this new and exciting collaboration.”

Showcasing the next generation of Welsh dance

As part of this year’s National Youth Dance Wales (NYDW) intensive summer residency, twenty of Wales’s most talented young dancers came together in Cardiff to learn from a team of highly acclaimed choreographers and dance artists. For the first time, they worked with Artistic Director and Choreographer of Marcat Dance, Mario Bermúdez, to create a brand new work exploring themes of tribal movement, textures and relationships during their two-week residency.

"Being part of National Youth Dance Wales has helped reignite my love for dance, and this experience has inspired me and has made me see possible routes there are for me with contemporary dance" – NYDW 2023 Member

The resulting new work entitled ‘Twenty Tales’ was performed by the NYDW company of 2023, receiving its world premiere at The Riverfront, Newport, on the 3rd and 4th of November. The work was one of three works performed each evening, with performances by Ballet Cymru Artistic Director, Darius James and choreographer, Marcus Jarrell Willis performed by dance company Ballet Cymru. The evening was also accompanied with a live musical performance by Welsh singer and songwriter, Cerys Matthews.

"It was terrific - Music choice, movement, design, costumes and choreography and over all unity. Utterly bewitching" - Cerys Matthews (via X)

"Stunning choreography, communal movement, costumes and expression NYDW are incredible” - ‘Twenty Tales’ Audience Member

Jamie Jenkins, Producer of National Youth Dance Wales, said: "I am immensely proud of the members National Youth Dance Wales, whose exceptional hard work and unwavering passion for dance was evident in their outstanding performances of 'Twenty Tales'. They are a testament to the remarkable talent that young dancers in Wales have, supported by dance tutor, leaders and communities".

Did you miss this year’s National Youth Dance Wales performance? No need to worry, you can watch view this year’s spellbinding performance of ‘Twenty Tales’ here.

But that’s not all NYDW achieved this year. In July, NYDW members, Isaac and Layla, choreographed and performed their own duet as part of the prestigious U.Dance National Festival in Newcastle, representing Wales on the Northern stage and captivating audiences from across the UK. Isaac has also recently been appointed to the Board of Trustees for National Youth Arts Wales.

Working with alumni, Daisy Belle Howell, NYDW members created two stunning pieces both performed, and filmed from various locations around Cardiff. You can watch both performances here. Since becoming a member of NYDW, Daisy has gone on to work as a professional dancer and choreographer in Wales and beyond and is the co-director of Manchester based performance and events company, Night People.

NYDW also entered its third year of partnership with Celtic Creative, an exchange programme with the National Youth Dance Company of Scotland that gives young performers in both countries the opportunity to learn from each other and from different professional artists.

2023 has been a busy and highly successful year for NYDW, but 2024 is looking even better. Soon, the team will be starting the 2024 audition tour in Swansea, before travelling to towns and cities the length and breadth of Wales throughout February, looking for the best dance talent Wales has to offer.

Are you the future of Welsh dance? Applications to be a NYDW 2024 member are now open! Apply today via the NYAW Auditions page.