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.