Y Pwyllgor Diwylliant, y Gymraeg a Chwaraeon

Adolygiad Polisi: Cyfraniad y Celfyddydau a Chwaraeon at Adfywio Cymunedol

S4C's Response

19 December 2003 The Secretary Culture, Welsh Language and Sport Committee National Assembly for Wales Cardiff Bay CARDIFF CF99 1NA Dear Julia, Community Regeneration Thank you for your letter dated 3 October 2003, inviting evidence for consideration in the course of the review by the Culture, Welsh Language and Sports Committee of the arts' contribution to community regeneration. I enclose a memorandum from S4C giving a few details of projects which we hope are relevant to the Committee's deliberations. S4C's chief responsibility is to commission programmes of a high standard which convey information, educate and entertain. Nevertheless, the S4C Authority is very conscious that S4C's programmes confer a wider range of social, cultural and economic benefits. The examples of projects to which we refer are ones which have received the support of S4C and have had a considerable impact on one or more communities as well as producing programmes which are interesting and entertaining. S4C believes these examples demonstrate how these kinds of cultural schemes have an invaluable role to play in community development, especially in rural areas. Because of S4C's statutory duties, the majority of the projects with which we are involved are conducted in Welsh. The examples therefore also demonstrate how it is possible to target Welsh-speaking communities through this kind of activity, although that is not, of course a necessary feature. In S4C's opinion, the fact that all of these examples contain a broadcast element adds value to them, over and above what would have been possible otherwise. It gives us pleasure to submit these examples in the hope that they will be of interest to the Committee. Best regards, [signed "John"] John Howells, Secretary, S4C Authority

S4C's Response

to the Policy Review by the Culture, Welsh Language and Sports Committee of the Contribution made by the Arts and Sports to Community Regeneration 1. Introduction 1.1 Ever since it was established, S4C has contributed to the arts throughout Wales, through its support for activities which bring groups of people together to perform within their communities. Below are some examples of this kind of activity. 2. Maldwyn Theatre Company 2.1 The relationship between S4C and Maldwyn Theatre Company has existed for 21 years, since the company's first musical show, Y Mab Darogan was broadcasted in November 1982. More recently S4C has broadcasted the Company's musical shows, Pum Diwrnod o Ryddid and Heledd as well as the oratorio Myfi Yw. The company's latest production - and its last in its present form - is Ann!, which will be broadcast by us in the new year. 2.2 Ann! is a musical show based on the life of the hymn writer, Ann Griffiths of Dolwar Fach which was commissioned for the National Eisteddfod held in Meifod earlier this year. This production illustrates the way in which S4C, the National Eisteddfod and Maldwyn Theatre Company are able to collaborate in order to stage such shows. In particular, S4C's advance of £7,000 to the Company prior to the Eisteddfod enabled the Company to obtain a better set and better costumes (of an appropriate standard to be used later for the television programme) for their stage performances on tour. Every performance of the show to date has been an outstanding success, with all tickets sold, sometimes within a day of going on sale, and with extra performances staged in Llandudno, Newtown and Cardiff. Details of performances are as follows:

• National Eisteddfod Pavilion, Meifod - August 2003 (1 performance)
• North Wales Theatre, Llandudno - September 2003 ( 2 performances )
• International Pavilion, Llangollen - October 2003 (1 performance )
• Theatr Hafren, Newtown - October 2003 (3 performances)
• St David's Hall, Cardiff - January 2004 ( 2 performances )

2.3 The value of the contribution of the Maldwyn Theatre Company to the community and to the performing arts in Mid Wales is indisputable. S4C would not for a moment claim credit for the success for Ann! or any other productions by this Company over the years, but we are proud to have supported the company throughout its existence and have helped to bring aspects of the history of Mid Wales to the attention of a wider audience (the shows have dealt in turn with Owain Glyndðr, the Chartists in Llanidloes, the princess Heledd and Ann Griffiths); and have done so by means of amateur theatrical performances of a high standard. 3. Ysgol Gerdd Ceredigion (Ceredigion Music School) 3.1 Teledu Opus was the television company which produced the programmes based on Maldwyn Theatre Company's performances. It was the same company which commissioned the musical work, Cario'r Groes by Héctor MacDonald and Tudur Dylan Jones for Ysgol Gerdd Ceredigion, broadcast by S4C during Easter 2002. This Music School, under the inspired leadership of Islwyn Evans, provides tuition and exceptional musical experiences for children and young people in the South-west. This has enabled them to reach the high standards which have brought them success in choral competitions at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod and in S4C's 2003 Côr Cymru competition for Welsh choirs. 3.2 Again, S4C would not claim credit for the success of Ysgol Gerdd Ceredigion, but by commissioning Opus Television's production of Cario'r Groes from St David's Cathedral, we were able to ensure that distinguished young soloists as well as the usual resources that come with a television production were available for this event, given before a very appreciative congregation. And the relationship continues. We have already provided development funding, through Opus Television, to enable Héctor MacDonald to compose new work for Ceredigion School of Music, suitable for broadcasting on S4C over the Christmas period. When the composition is available we hope to commission a television programme incorporating a performance of that work, thereby giving these young singers further experience of recording for television, and giving a wider audience than that present in the recording venue the pleasure of hearing new work sung to a high standard. 4. Côr Cymru (competition for Welsh choirs) 4.1 S4C's creative music policy involves reflecting as well as creating: reflecting events which would have been held without any input by the Channel, on the one hand; and on the other hand creating some of the highlights in the Welsh musical calendar. A recent example of the latter was the choral competition Côr Cymru, staged in the Great Hall at the Arts Centre, Aberystwyth in February and March 2003, an event which will be repeated in 2005. This competition provides an opportunity for youth, male voice, women's and mixed choirs to perform to an appreciative audience in the Hall and to others at home, courtesy of S4C. It provides generous prizes for the winning choirs in the four categories, and an additional prize together with the accolade of 'Côr Cymru' for the best choir across all categories. 4.2 60 choirs from all parts of Wales competed in Côr Cymru 2003, each choir being auditioned in the first place in its own area. Each choir was recorded (in sound only) and CDs of the performances were produced for the choirs' own use. Sound recordings of each performance were then sent to three international adjudicators, who selected a short list of 16 choirs (4 in each category) to gather in Aberystwyth for the semi-final rounds of the competition, which were broadcast on S4C and Digital S4C. 4.3 Our hope is that preparing to compete in the Côr Cymru competition has provided the choirs with a new focus and objective, inspiring them to attain their full musical potential. A number of choirs had their profile raised and their confidence boosted following the competition; and invitations to perform have increased in number for several of the choirs in the semi-final rounds (not just the winners). We feel that Côr Cymru has already established itself as an important national event contributing to creative activity in all parts of Wales. Our hope is that the competition will go from strength to strength, helping to raise the profile and standard of Welsh choral singing in the twenty-first century. 5. Conclusion 5.1 The above are submitted as examples only, for the purpose of providing evidence of the ways in which S4C's policies contribute to community renewal in Wales, in respect of the arts in particular. It has been emphasised already in this response that S4C has no wish to claim credit for the tremendous work done by members of all the communities involved in the above; but we do claim that the support extended and the enterprise shown by S4C have been key factors in permitting these activities to occur or to continue.