| New Welcome, New Awards, New Venue |
Wales Theatre Awards |
| Get the Chance: Recognising Cultural Impact , Porters Cardiff , March 27, 2025 |
The news despatches from the arts of Wales over the last season have been relentless, their effect to lower the spirits. It is refreshing to capture an event that does the opposite; it raises the spirits. The evening of Saturday 22nd March, at Porters, saw Get the Chance leap from print to a live happening. Innovation, industry, and accomplishment were all on show. Guy O'Donnell has been a presence in the culture of Wales for a decade and a half and more. That presence has not been in the headlines. There has been no heady rush of publicity but to borrow from George Eliot's last words on Dorothea Brooke "But the effect of being on those around was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world.” The article about awards of 30 January 2013 below includes: “There have been previous theatre awards but they lapsed eight years ago. The new initiative, the Theatre Critics of Wales Awards, is the creation of Guy O'Donnell.” The initiative from his creation, the social enterprise Get the Chance, differs from awards of elsewhere and from those that have gone before. Cultural impact was the task set the judging panel in accord with the organisation's guiding values. As for the setting Dan Porter unveiled Porters a decade back, a new venue to host fringe theatre in Cardiff. It became a loved place for music, stand-up, performance. He and colleagues have surmounted the termination of Harlech Court, sailed the storms of new regulations of the post-pandemic era and landed in a second incarnation. Porters has unveiled a new programme of performance for the months to come.* Rachel Gegeshidze, Chief Executive of Tempo Time Credits spoke: “What an inspiring and emotional evening at the Get the Chance inaugural Cultural Impact Awards this evening at Porters Cardiff. Get The Chance is a remarkable social enterprise based in South Wales, dedicated to creating opportunities for a diverse range of individuals to engage with and respond to sport, arts, culture, and live events. "This evening, I had the honour of presenting the Cultural Champion Award, and it was truly inspiring to hear about the incredible initiatives taking place across Wales that engage people in culture, arts, and heritage. The stories shared, reflect the passionate commitment of individuals and organisations working tirelessly to make a difference in their communities. “Now more than ever we need to work in partnership to connect communities and celebrate diversity and inclusivity. In the words of one of tonight’s winners “If you can’t see it, you can’t be it!” Guy O’Donnell your commitment and passion for engagement is truly incredible and your work changes communities and lives!” The awards were: Public Event: “Grav” 10 year celebration for Owen Thomas and Gareth John Bale Creative of the Year: Geinor Styles, Theatr na nÓg Community and Education Project: Mess Up The Mess Theatre Company Facilitator of the Year: Joanne Shackley, Mess Up The Mess Theatre Company, The Yfory Project Culture and Health: People Speak Up, Creative Home Delivery Service Cultural Champion: Sara Sirati, Ardour Academy Commitment to Arts, Heritage & Culture: Samea Ahmed, Mount Stuart Primary School Disabled Creativity: Alex Rees and Jane Latham, UCAN Productions Lifetime Impact Award: Taking Flight Theatre Company The short list for the Cultural Impact Awards 2025, supported by Tempo Time Credits, Ffilm Cymru Wales and Porters Cardiff, were: Public Event Operation Julie Tour, Theatr na nÓg Grav – 10 year celebration/ Owen Thomas and Gareth John Bale Mae Gen Ti Ddreigiau/You’ve Got Dragons Taking Flight Theatre Company Creative of the Year Bradley Rmer One, Yusuf Ismail and Shawqi Hasson, Unify Creative Geinor Styles, Theatr na nÓg Gavin Porter, Director Community and Education Project The Fight Company, Theatr na nÓg Little Gigs Bach, The Little Gigs Team and Cerdd CF, The Cardiff Commitment Curriculum Team Mess Up The Mess Theatre Company Facilitator of the Year Sara Sirati, Ardour Academy, Create & Connect Steph Bailey Scott, Taking Flight Theatre Company, Taking Flight Youth Theatre/ You’ve Got Dragons/Introduction to working Inclusively/Deaf Awareness training Joanne Shackley, Mess Up The Mess Theatre Company, The Yfory Project Culture and Health People Speak Up, Creative Home Delivery Service Sara Sirati and Anna Coviello, Ardour Academy LTD, Butterfly Soup Queertawe artists, staff, partners and participants, Connect and Flourish project led by Mess Up The Mess Theatre Company in partnership with Bethan Marlow, Cerian Wilshire-Davies, Swansea Pride, Urban HQ, SwanScene and Swansea Bay Health Board, Queertawe and Queertawe Frinj. Cultural Champion Debbie Webster, Theatr na nÓg, Chair of the Board Sara Sirati, Ardour Academy Jak Bjornstrom, Galwad & The Edit Commitment to Arts, Heritage & Culture Samea Ahmed, Mount Stuart Primary School Louise Williams, Cadoxton Primary School, Barry, Ruth Wiltshire, Head Teacher, St. Paul’s Church in Wales, Primary School, Cardiff Disabled Creativity Taking Flight Theatre Alex Rees and Jane Latham, UCAN Productions The Craidd Project *Porters new programme at https://www.porterscardiff.org/theatre Picture: Owen Thomas A guide to the sequence on awards can be read in the first link below. |
Reviewed by: Adam Somerset |
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