Arts Connection-Cyswllt Celf

Formed in March 1994 as a non-profit making cooperative by a group of 5 artists. The group moved into the Youth & Community Centre in 1995. In 1997 a part-time co-ordinator and new management board were appointed and various community arts projects initiated.

In 1998, we were awarded £147,000 over 3 years from the Arts Council of Wales “Arts for All” lottery fund to develop exciting projects around North Powys. Match funding worth more than £20,000 was also raised during this year. We were awarded the first ever Arts and Business Cymru “Best Sponsorship of New Work” prize for our work with Severn Trent on the Lake Vyrnwy Sculpture Trail. In September 2000 we presented “Reminiscences”, a project linking young and older people, at the millennium dome.

Since 2002 we have been a revenue client of the Arts Council of Wales, who have offered immense support and advice during our development. In 2003 we were described in the Arts Council of Wales annual report as having undertaken outstanding community arts work and being an excellent role model for community arts practice.

In 2004 we celebrated our 10th Anniversary, with an open event attended by Lembit Opik, Arts Connection members, Town councillors and many more. In 2005 the Arts Council of Wales invested in us further via the Sustainability Project, which involved us, CARAD and Celf o Gwmpas. From 2005 – 2007 we received WEFO (Welsh European Funding Office) funding. This gave us the capacity to employ a Project Officer, which led to me project activity and thus allowed us to make the post sustainable. It also led to some exciting projects such as 9 primary schools visiting the Senedd to sing Welsh nursery rhymes.

From 2009 we started to develop community arts work in Wrexham and have worked with Wrexham County Borough Council to deliver activities and lantern parades as part of their year of culture in 2011. We are always developing and furthering our work with partner organisations, creating sustainable funding sources and raising awareness of our membership services in North Powys and Wrexham.