NEWS
National Youth Arts Wales partnership project with Wales Millenium Centre, Hard Côr, is set to perform at Llais Festival.
Following a three-day intensive residency at the Wales Millennium Centre in September, our Hard Cor participants will soon be performing at the Llais festival on 13 October.
Following a three-day intensive residency at the Wales Millennium Centre in September, our Hard Cor participants will soon be performing at the Llais festival on 13 October.
Photos: Joe Andrews
Participants had the opportunity to collaborate and develop their skills further with our amazing facilitators in an intensive, but fun 3-day course. The residency consisted of masterclasses from the like of Dionne Bennett, Faith Nelson, Tumi Williams, Faith Nelson, Molara and Matthew Hann, covering areas of industry, song writing and performance workshops, and most importantly a chance for participants to collaborate with each other in preparation for their performance at LLais festival this year.
This year our Hard Côr participants will be performing a selection of their own music they have been working on for a few months at Llais festival on Friday 13th October at 7:30pm.
This is set to take place on the Glanfa which is located in the main space of the building, right in front of Radio Platfform. This is a free show, and all are welcome to come and support all the hard work and dedication our talented participants have put in!
Shining a light on Mental Health in Performance during Mental Health Awareness Week 2023.
Many young performers can find they struggle with performance anxiety, particularly since the Covid-19 pandemic. As it’s Mental Health Awareness Week, and the theme this year is Anxiety, we wanted to share our favourite factsheets to help you perform with confidence, and resources to direct you to the right support.
Many young performers can find they struggle with performance anxiety, particularly since the Covid-19 pandemic. As it’s Mental Health Awareness Week, and the theme this year is Anxiety, we wanted to share our favourite factsheets to help you perform with confidence, and resources to direct you to the right support.
Since Covid, there has been a rise in anxiety in general and as a creative organisation, we encourage our members to speak up and welcome the conversation around mental wellbeing,
““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.” ”
What is performance anxiety? What are the symptoms?
As described by Mind UK (2021) "Anxiety is what we feel when we are worried, tense or afraid – particularly about things that are about to happen, or which we think could happen in the future. Anxiety is a natural human response when we feel that we are under threat. It can be experienced through our thoughts, feelings and physical sensations." This can result in stage fright, panic attacks, disorientation, among other symptoms.
What advice would you give someone who feels anxious about performing?
Some members found that yoga, being a meditative practice, helped them with their performance anxiety. Decompress, destress, and take a moment to look after your physical and mental wellbeing with a series of instructional yoga and meditation sessions from us here at National Youth Arts Wales, led by NYDW resident yoga tutor Jessica Jones.
What are NYAW doing to help?
NYAW takes members and staff wellbeing and mental health seriously. During residencies, NYAW has welfare staff with experience of performing on board. Alongside this, during residencies we hold yoga classes for members to attend making healthy practice part of residencies.
Helpful Resources:
National Youth Theatre of Wales' Launch Professional Pathways 2023 Programme
This month, we’re looking back on the launch of our National Youth Theatre of Wales Professional Pathways Programme 2023, run in partnership with our long-term collaborators Theatr Clwyd.
This month, we’re looking back on the launch of our National Youth Theatre of Wales Professional Pathways Programme 2023, run in partnership with our long-term collaborators Theatr Clwyd.
Photos by Kirsten McTernan Photography
In April, 53 of our National Youth Theatre of Wales 2023 members took part in a three-day residential course in Cardiff (supported by Wales Millennium Centre) as the first stage of this ever-growing membership offer from NYTW. Designed to broaden skills and awareness of career pathways within theatre,film and the digital realm, the group came together to learn about immersive storytelling in all its forms.
“The tutors were very friendly, and the residency has helped me toward my future work in theatre by advancing my skills.”
With funding from Welsh Government via Creative Wales, we’ve expanded our Professional Pathways offer this year to include specific skills training around digital and screen work including workshops by innovators Darkfield Studios, and practical sessions on self-tape auditions for screen and stage with screen actor and facilitator Dean Fagan.
Photos by Kirsten McTernan Photography
What has been your highlight from the residency?
“It’s all been really fantastic. We’ve met so many people and different creatives from all sorts of mediums.”
“I loved the new perspective it gave me.”
Workshops during the residency were delivered by a wide variety of artists and companies with a focus on the art of immersive storytelling. These included sessions with Amie Burns Walker and the upcoming site-specific production at Theatr Clwyd of The Great Gatsby, movement and performance skills with the team from Theatr Clwyd along with an insight into how WMC are leading the way in digital immersive performance in Wales.
Thank you to all members and staff who took part in another successful residency. We look forward to welcoming you back next year!
What’s Next?
The next stages of the Professional Pathways Membership programme will include our ever-popular Play Reading Club (with the Welsh language curation supported by Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru and writer Rebecca Jade Hammond curating the English language program of work) along with a variety of backstage and theatre making workshops in North and South Wales linked to productions from across Wales in Welsh and English supported by RWCMD and Theatr Clwyd.
If you are a producer, venue or theatre company involved in theatre in anyway and wish to open your performances to our cohort please get in touch with NYTW.
For more information please sign up to our mailing list or email nyaw@nyaw.org.uk
