Last Thursday I attended a meeting designed to round off a year-long project developing cultural influences within the City of Swansea.
Hosting the evening were Tracy McNulty, Head of Cultural Services in The City & County administration, consultant Ruth Essex, who has formerly done good works with unlikely properties in Bristol, and artist Owen Griffiths.
There is a broad cultural undercurrent aggregating in the loosely north eastern sector of the City not too far from the functional nodal point that is the train station. Dozens of artists hidden away, an emerging force of innovative high-tech, savvy business-building, theatre performers and producers, and other creatives. There are seasoned individuals and also ex-students finding spaces that keep them resident here, working and subtly enriching the environment that helped spawn their creative lives. All this nascent creative industry has to be a great fillip for the City!
Not too far away from this and on our beaches this summer, have been German stunt riders falling off their horses for an American TV series.
I am fortunate to be working with a theatre group trying to bring to Swansea a London-style Fringe theatre café. Any patrons of the Arts reading this who may wish to assist in the sponsorship of (or indeed with the offer of suitable property that may become a new home to) impressive drama that showcases the work of new writers, please let me know?
Michael