Welsh Festivals Forum: Future Funding and Directions Programme 1pm - 1:15pm: Registration 1:15pm - 1:30pm: Welcome and Introduction by Fiona Goh, BAFA Director 1:30pm - 2:10pm: Suzanne Griffiths-Rees & Carys Wynne-Morgan from Arts Council of Wales will discuss the future arrangements for National Lottery funding for the arts, and what it means for Festivals. There will be a chance for festivals to consider how they contribute to the new strategy and help shape its future. 2:10pm: Tea/Coffee break 2:30pm - 3:15pm: Festivals forum discussion facilitated by Alison Giles of Presteigne Festival & Brecon Baroque Festival. Attendees will discuss the potential for Welsh Festivals to work more closely together on promotion and marketing for the sector. If you have any additional issues you would like to raise in the open forum, please tell us on arrival - thanks. 3:15pm - 3:50pm: Deborah Keyser of Tš Cerdd will be outlining funding and support opportunities for available through Tš Cerdd, and how this fits with other available funding. Dr Ian Rutt of University of Swansea will give an overview of potential resources and support available through university partnership 3:50pm - 4pm: Closing Comments
Speakers
Alison Giles After training at the Royal Academy of Music, Alison Giles worked as a musician before going into marketing and fundraising at English National Opera. She became Administrator and then General Manager of The Sixteen, where she worked on international and UK touring, and set up the group’s recording label, CORO. After nine happy years Alison moved into freelance work, with the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain and the vocal ensemble Tenebrae. Alison now works as Festival Producer for Presteigne Festival, and for Brecon Baroque Festival. She is also a consultant with Craigmyle Fundraising Consultants and a member of the BAFA board.
Suzanne Griffiths-Rees Following over 10 years of playing in bands in Cardiff, Suzanne Griffiths-Rees completed a Licentiate Diploma in Music Technology from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. She has been working at the Arts Council of Wales since 2000 and currently looks after many clients, including classical music festivals in south and south west Wales. Outside of work, Suzanne teaches piano and is learning to play the ‘cello. She is also a member of National Eisteddfod-winning choir Côr Crymych a’r Cylch.
Deborah Keyser Deborah Keyser has been the Director of Tŷ Cerdd since November 2016, having moved there from the role of Director at Creu Cymru (the development agency for theatres and arts centres in Wales), where she worked from 2005. Welsh born-and-bred, Deborah studied music at Cardiff University and postgraduate Orchestral Studies at Goldsmiths’ College (University of London), before starting her career working at the BBC (Radio 3 and BBC Music Magazine). A period in orchestral management and opera production followed, as well as a stint at a London news agency – before Creu Cymru brought her back to Wales in 2005. Until 2011, Deborah also worked on Wales’s flagship annual contemporary music event, the Vale of Glamorgan Festival (for whom she now sits on the board of management). She is a National Adviser to the Arts Council of Wales, a trustee of the Presteigne Festival, Sinfonia Cymru and Lucid Theatre, and is on the executive committee of IAMIC (the International Association of Music Information Centres).
Dr Ian Rutt Dr Ian Rutt originally studied Physics (MPhys) and Meteorology (PhD), and had a ten year career as a researcher and lecturer before making the change to music. He became Director of Music at Swansea University in 2015, alongside taking a degree in Church Music at the Royal Danish Academy of Music, Copenhagen, graduating in 2018. His main responsibility at Swansea is to support the development of extracurricular music at the university, working closely with students to help grow ensembles and choirs. He is also responsible for concert programming in the Great Hall auditorium, and regularly gives concerts as a solo organist.
Carys Wynne-Morgan Carys Wynne-Morgan is Portfolio Manager at the Arts Council of Wales with over 18 years experience in the arts in Wales. She has strategic responsibility for festival, circus, outdoor arts, dance and public service partnerships across Wales, is the project manager of Anthem, Music Fund Wales and is cultural advisor to the Future Generations Commissioner. Having worked extensively across the arts in South Wales, she brings to her role a passion for inclusion and access as well as first hand knowledge of artistic programming, event management and community development.
Travel Information Taliesin Create Swansea University Singleton Park Swansea SA2 8PZ
Public Transport: Bus numbers 2A and 3A depart for the University from Stand No2 at Swansea Quadrant Bus Station approx every 15 minutes. These buses will bring you onto campus, and around a 3 minute level walk to Taliesin.
Car parking: The University recommends that attendees travelling by car park at the Recreation Ground Car Park on Mumbles Road (SA2 OAU) next to Singleton Campus, which costs ÂŁ3.50 all day parking - exact change is required.