Arts Council of Wales 2018-23 Corporate Plan to make “the arts central to the life and wellbeing of the nation”/Cynllun Corfforaethol Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru 2018-23 i wneud “y celfyddydau’n ganolog i fywyd a llesia

Arts Council of Wales 2018-23 Corporate Plan
to make “the arts central to the life and wellbeing of the nation”

Arts Council of Wales is today (Friday 14 September) launching its Corporate Plan for the coming five years. In it, the body’s mission for 2018-23 is unveiled – “Making the arts central to the life and wellbeing of the nation”.

The Arts Council is committing itself to two priorities:

1. Promoting Equalities as the foundation of a clear commitment to reach more widely and deeply into all communities across Wales
2. Strengthening the Capability and Resilience of the sector, enabling creative talent to thrive

and will support these by enabling Arts Council to work more effectively, collaborating more imaginatively with like-minded partners across Wales.

Speaking at today’s press conference to launch the plan, Phil George, Chair of Arts Council of Wales, said:

“The Arts Council remains committed to excellence and to supporting bold, innovative and provocative art. But we also want to reach a wider range of our fellow citizens with the transformative power of the arts.

“This is more challenging than it sounds in principle. The brutal fact remains that too many people are effectively denied the opportunity to enjoy, take part or work in the arts. If we believe that the life enhancing experiences of the arts, of imaginative expression, are crucial for a healthy and dynamic society, then they should be available to all.”

Continuing this theme, Nick Capaldi, Chief Executive Arts Council of Wales, said:

“We’ve worked hard to dispel the myth that the value and benefits that the arts bring are limited to an exclusive minority. But the evidence shows that in spite of some success, we’re still not doing enough.

“There are still too many barriers that impede people’s access to the arts. Breaking down those barriers – cultural, social or economic – will be one of our defining priorities over the duration of the this plan, as well as continuing to champion excellence and encourage the best in the arts in Wales.”

The Arts Council intends to do this by:

• providing packages of funding and support to encourage the resilience and durability of artists and arts organisations
• increasing our investment in the creative work of black, asian and minority ethnic artists, disabled people and those wanting to work through the medium of the Welsh Language
• campaigning for greater diversity within the arts workforce and in the governance of its portfolio of revenue-funded organisations
• ensuring that the Arts Council itself lives up to the values of fairness, equality and diversity
• exploiting the opportunities of working internationally
• extending our work with children and young people, securing the future of our “Creative Learning” programme
• developing a new Arts and Health strategy

Phil George continued saying

“Earlier this year we asked Gary Raymond, critic, editor, novelist and broadcaster, to talk to key individuals with an important story to tell or experiences to share. Thirteen of those stories are included in our new Corporate Plan, and contribute hugely to it. They stand as flag bearers for the inclusive approach which we are committed to pursuing.”

Gary Raymond explained, saying:

“Over the course of a few months, I spoke to a wide range of people from a diverse demographic pool, all of whom have put themselves in the enviable position of having creativity in the centre of their lives. These conversations continuously came back to the transformative power of art and how the future must be about diversity, access and creating an open-mindedness in regards to form and medium.

“The conversations were marked with boldness, fearlessness, passion and energy – they are both a look at the creative landscape of Wales as it is, and how it could be”

Cynllun Corfforaethol Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru 2018-23
i wneud “y celfyddydau’n ganolog i fywyd a llesiant y genedl”

Heddiw (Gwener 14 Medi) mae Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru yn lansio ei gynllun corfforaethol ar gyfer y pum mlynedd nesaf. Ynddo y dadlennir cenhadaeth y Cyngor ar gyfer 2018-23 sef “sicrhau bod y celfyddydau’n ganolog i fywyd a llesiant y genedl”.

Mae’r Cyngor yn ymrwymo i ddwy flaenoriaeth:

1. Hyrwyddo cydraddoldeb yn sylfaen i’w ymrwymiad cadarn i ehangu a dyfnhau ei gyrraedd ymhob cymuned ledled Cymru
2. Cryfhau gallu a gwydnwch y sector er mwyn i ddoniau creadigol ffynnu

Bydd cefnogi’r rhain yn galluogi’r Cyngor i weithio’n fwy effeithiol a chydweithio’n fwy dychmyglon â phartneriaid o’r un meddylfryd ledled Cymru.

Yn y gynhadledd i’r wasg heddiw, meddai Phil George, Cadeirydd y Cyngor:

“Erys y Cyngor yn ymrwymedig i ragoriaeth a chefnogi celfyddyd bryfoclyd, arloesol a dewr. Ond rydym hefyd am gyrraedd ystod ehangach o’n cyd-ddinasyddion gyda grym trawsnewidiol y celfyddydau.

“Ond haws dweud na gwneud. Erys y ffaith bod gormod o bobl yn cael eu hamddifadu o’r cyfle i fwynhau’r celfyddydau neu gymryd rhan neu weithio ynddynt. Credwn fod cael profiadau celfyddydol a mynegi’r dychymyg er mwyn gwella bywyd yn hanfodol i gymdeithas iach a deinamig ac felly dylent fod ar gael i bawb.”

Ar yr un thema, meddai Nick Capaldi, Prif Weithredwr Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru:

” Rydym wedi gweithio’n galed i chwalu’r myth mai dim ond lleiafrif bach sy’n cael gwerth a manteision o’r celfyddydau. Ond dengys y dystiolaeth, er gwaethaf rhywfaint o lwyddiant, na wnawn ddigon o hyd i gyrraedd y nod.

“Mae gormod o rwystrau sy’n atal hygyrchedd pobl at y celfyddydau. Bydd dymchwel y rhwystrau diwylliannol, cymdeithasol ac economaidd yn un o’n prif flaenoriaethau dros gyfnod y cynllun, yn ogystal â pharhau i hyrwyddo rhagoriaeth ac annog cynhyrchu’r gorau yn ein celfyddydau.”

Bwriada’r Cyngor wneud hyn drwy:

• darparu pecynnau o arian a chefnogaeth i annog gwydnwch ymhlith artistiaid a sefydliadau celfyddydol
• cynyddu ein buddsoddiad yng ngwaith creadigol artistiaid duon, Asiaidd ac ethnig, pobl anabl a’r rheini sy’n gweithio drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg
• ymgyrchu dros gael rhagor o amrywiaeth yng ngweithlu’r celfyddydau ac ym maes llywodraethu portffolio’r Cyngor o sefydliadau arian refeniw
• sicrhau bod y Cyngor yn ymgorffori’r gwerthoedd o degwch, cydraddoldeb ac amrywiaeth
• cael y gorau o’r cyfleoedd o weithio’n rhyngwladol
• ymestyn ein gwaith gyda phlant a phobl ifainc, sicrhau dyfodol ein rhaglen, Dysgu Creadigol
• datblygu strategaeth newydd i’r celfyddydau ac iechyd

Meddai Phil George wedyn:

“Yn gynharach eleni fe wnaethom holi i Gary Raymond, beirniad, golygydd, nofelydd a darlledwr, i siarad ag unigolion allweddol a oedd â stori bwysig i’w hadrodd neu brofiadau i’w rhannu. Cynhwysir tair stori ar ddeg yn ein cynllun corfforaethol newydd sy’n gaffaeliad mawr i’n helpu i gynnwys pobl yn well.”

Meddai Gary Raymond:

“Dros ychydig o fisoedd, bûm yn siarad ag ystod o bobl amrywiol eu demograffig. Roedd pob un ohonynt yn y sefyllfa ffodus o fod â chreadigrwydd wrth wraidd eu bywyd. Trodd y sgyrsiau hyn o hyd o amgylch grym trawsnewidiol celfyddyd a pha mor bwysig i’r dyfodol oedd amrywiaeth, hygyrchedd a chreu meddwl agored o ran ffurf a chyfrwng celfyddyd.

“Nodweddion y sgyrsiau oedd beiddgarwch, angerdd ac ynni ac ynddynt mae golwg ar dirwedd greadigol bresennol Cymru ac ar yr hyn y gallai fod.”