Director's Blog - July 2024 | Blog y Cyfarwyddwr - Mis Gorffenaf 2024
23/07/2024 | Author: Angela Rogers
After an incredibly busy period, team WAHWN are looking forward to slowing down a little during August | Ar ôl cyfnod rhyfeddol o brysur, mae tîm WAHWN yn edrych ymlaen at arafu ychydig yn ystod mis Awst
Dear WAHWN members
After an incredibly busy period, team WAHWN are looking forward to slowing down a little during August, taking some time to pause, rest and reflect before we gear up for another full programme of training and networking from September. Allowing time in our calendars to work at a slower pace is vital for our wellbeing. As a small team we spin a lot of plates! Building in time for rest ensures we feel resourced to sustain a fast-working pace throughout the rest of the year. We are committed to modelling best wellbeing and safe care practice and this is in line with our new additional organisational value “committed to the wellbeing of everyone we work with and for.”
We are living in uncertain times, and recent, and ongoing changes in our governments are likely to have an impact on our sector. One platform that is vital for sharing and advocating for the work we do is at the Cross Party Group (CPG) for Arts and Health in the Senedd. The CPG aims to raise awareness of arts and health work among Members of the Senedd and to work towards achieving political influence on effecting policy/best practice and support for our sector. We are delighted to share with you that the newly elected Chair of the CPG is Heledd Fychan MS. We look forward to working with Heledd in the months to come.
The other significant policy-related news is that Welsh Government’s Culture Strategy 2024-2030 will be launched later this year. They are currently consulting on 3 overarching priorities and 20 key ambitions. The development of the priorities has been guided by the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act five sustainable ways of working: long-term, prevention, integration, collaboration and involvement. WAHWN is preparing a response which we will share with members in the coming weeks. We encourage members to respond individually to ensure all our views are represented across the sector. Deadline for responding is 4th September. Full details can be found here.
In June, WAHWN, along with a small number of other arts and heritage organisations, was invited to respond to the Welsh Government’s draft budget for 2025-2026. We were able to make a strong case for culture and the arts and its cross-cutting health and wellbeing impacts. On 17th July the Finance Committee led a debate in the Chamber based on the views heard during the engagement process.
Whilst we saw several new roles for Arts and Health Co-ordinators advertised in some Health Boards this month, we were devastated to hear that the Arts and Health programme at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is being closed imminently. This will have a huge impact on the arts and health team, freelance creative practitioners, arts organisations, patients and communities. If you have worked with the team at Cardiff and Vale over the years, we invite you to contact us with any quotes or testimonies about what the arts programme has meant to you. Please email me directly info@wahwn.cymru by 29th July. We will share our full response with members in the coming weeks.
WAHWN is delighted to be an official supporter of the Public Health Wales Hapus campaign which was launched on 8th July. We have pledged to support a national conversation that encourages individuals and communities to prioritise their mental wellbeing and to engage with activities that protect and promote mental wellbeing. The new Hapus website includes ideas and resources aimed at inspiring us all to take action to protect and improve our own, and others’ mental wellbeing. We look forward to highlighting our members work through this platform to reach a wider audience.
With our Stepping In training residential now complete, our diverse cohort of mentees now look forward with renewed confidence and inspiration to their placements over the Summer with our partner hosts – Small World Theatre, Span Arts, People Speak Up and Caerphilly CBC Arts team. The residential, hosted in kind by Cardiff School of Art, Cardiff Met University included mental health awareness with Rhys Hughes of Breathe Creative; facilitator training with Ali Franks; trauma informed/ACE aware training with Jain Boon; coaching walks with Tom Bevan and a wide range of creative facilitators sharing their practice including Duke Al, Oasis One World Choir, Carys Phillips, Forget Me Not Chorus, Farah Allibhai and Marion Cheung. Our evaluator Wendy Keay-Bright held sessions throughout the week ensuring our mentees were fully engaged in the process. “I have never been part of anything like this before so well thought out at its pilot stage…. I’ve never been part of anything like that so I’m more confident” (Stepping In Mentee)
We heard from Bridgend-based artist Claire Hiett about her artist residency at Mud and Wool in our July Network meeting. Claire’s residency was part-funded through our Go and See microgrants. We still have a number available for this year, with a specific focus on climate/nature theme, Deaf/disabled artists, Welsh language artists and global majority artists. Read more here.
We spent a lovely afternoon at the Awen Institute in Swansea University for our most recent Creative Ageing Network meeting. A special thanks to Dr Aelwyn Williams for inviting and hosting us and to the Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research for providing us with lunch. Our next meeting will take place online on 19th September, with invited guest Sion Wyn Evans, Policy and Practice Lead for the Older Peoples Commissioner. If you want to join this sub-network please contact Tracy, our Programme Manager programmes@wahwn.cymru.
And we were back in Swansea later this month for our Creative Health Marketplace. With over 50 professionals signing up, this was the prefect conclusion to our Marketplace programme for 2024. We are grateful to the National Lottery Community Fund for their finaincial support for this programme. You can read more about the event on Tracy’s blog here, and you can watch our lovely evaluation film which Simon Huntley made for us. WAHWN is committed to finding resources to continue delivering events across Wales over the coming years which are proving to help build connections and partnership working.
We are delighted to announce that our How Ya Doing? Autumn programme is now live. Spaces have started to fill for our Creative Reflective Practice sessions for artists, which you can access in English or Welsh. We will run another block of Strategies for Wellbeing training with Justine Wheatley, aimed at organisations, Feedback from this year's courses has been very positive with 100% of organisations leaving with new information and a better understanding of how to approach wellbeing on an organisational level. We will also have one final course for facilitators who want to train in Reflective Practice with Alison O’Connor. One participant on Alison’s recent course said “I’m so grateful for this course. It’s the best online training course I’ve ever done, tied with the amazing people on the course. That’s as close to perfect as you could get.” This is the final year of delivery of How Ya Doing? funded by the Baring Foundation. Don’t miss out!
As I come to the end of my newsletter, I would like to offer a special congratulations to all the Arts & Business Cymru Award winners on 4th July, including Span Arts, Forget-Me-Not Chorus, Rubicon Dance, Cardiff & Vale Health Charity, Arts Connection for their amazing partnerships.
Our Autumn calendar has some key conferences and events to share with you:
- Arts Council Wales Arts, Health & Wellbeing Funding will close on 11 September
- The Strength of Community, Online talk by Sir Michael Marmot, 11 September
- National Social Care Wales Conference will take place on 15/16 October
- WAHWN Welsh Language Network Meeting 17 October
- Welsh NHS Confederation Conference will take place on 6 November
Wishing you all a wonderful summer and hoping that you find some time yourself to pause and rest.
Onwards and upwards!
Angela
-
Annwyl aelodau WAHWN
Ar ôl cyfnod rhyfeddol o brysur, mae tîm WAHWN yn edrych ymlaen at arafu ychydig yn ystod mis Awst, gan gymryd amser i aros, gorffwys a myfyrio cyn cychwyn ar raglen lawn arall o hyfforddiant a rhwydweithio ym mis Medi. Mae caniatáu amser yn y dyddiadur i weithio’n arafach yn hanfodol ar gyfer ein llesiant. Fel tîm bach, mae llawer o wahanol gyfrifoldebau ar waith! Mae cynnwys amser i orffwys yn sicrhau ein bod yn teimlo’n abl i gynnal y prysurdeb drwy weddill y flwyddyn. Rydyn ni’n ymrwymo i fodelu’r arferion llesiant a gofal diogel gorau ac mae hyn yn unol â’n gwerth sefydliadol ychwanegol newydd “ymrwymo i lesiant pawb rydyn ni’n gweithio gyda nhw ac iddyn nhw.”
Rydyn ni’n byw mewn cyfnod ansicr, ac mae’r newidiadau parhaus yn ein llywodraethau’n debygol o gael effaith ar ein sector. Un llwyfan hanfodol ar gyfer rhannu ac eiriol dros y gwaith a wnawn yw’r Grŵp Trawsbleidiol y Celfyddydau ac Iechyd yn y Senedd. Nod y Grŵp yw codi ymwybyddiaeth o waith celfyddydau ac iechyd ymhlith Aelodau o’r Senedd a gweithio at gyflawni dylanwad gwleidyddol a sicrhau polisi/arfer gorau a chefnogaeth i’n sector. Mae’n bleser cyhoeddi bod Heledd Fychan AS newydd ei hethol yn Gadeirydd y Grŵp. Edrychwn ymlaen at gydweithio gyda Heledd dros y misoedd nesaf.
Y newyddion polisi sylweddol arall yw y caiff Strategaeth Diwylliant Llywodraeth Cymru 2024-2030 ei lansio’n ddiweddarach eleni. Maen nhw ar hyn o bryd yn ymgynghori ar 3 blaenoriaeth drosfwaol a 20 uchelgais allweddol. Mae datblygiad y blaenoriaethau wedi’i lywio gan bum ffordd gynaliadwy o weithio: hirdymor, atal, integreiddio, cydweithredu a chyfranogiad. Mae WAHWN yn paratoi ymateb y byddwn yn ei rannu gydag aelodau dros yr wythnosau nesaf. Anogwn aelodau i ymateb yn unigol i sicrhau bod pob barn yn cael ei chynrychioli’n llawn ar draws y sector. Y dyddiad cau ar gyfer ymateb yw 4 Medi. Ceir manylion llawn yma.
Ym mis Mehefin, gwahoddwyd WAHWN, ynghyd â nifer fach o sefydliadau celfyddydau a threftadaeth eraill, gan Lywodraeth Cymru i ymateb i’r gyllideb ddrafft ar gyfer 2025-2026. Aethom ati i gyflwyno achos cryf o blaid diwylliant a’r celfyddydau a’u heffaith croestoriadol o ran iechyd a llesiant. Ar 17 Gorffennaf arweiniodd y Pwyllgor Cyllid ddadl yn y Siambr yn seiliedig ar y safbwyntiau a glywyd yn ystod y broses ymgysylltu.
Er i ni weld hysbysebion am sawl rôl Cydlynydd Celfyddydau ac Iechyd mewn rhai Byrddau Iechyd y mis hwn, roedd yn siom anferth clywed bod rhaglen y Celfyddydau ac Iechyd Bwrdd Iechyd Caerdydd a’r Fro ar fin dod i ben. Bydd hyn yn cael effaith enfawr ar dîm y celfyddydau ac iechyd, ymarferwyr creadigol llawrydd, sefydliadau celfyddydol, cleifion a chymunedau. Os ydych chi wedi gweithio gyda’r tim yng Nghaerdydd a’r Fro dros y blynyddoedd, gwahoddwn chi i gysylltu â ni gydag unrhyw ddyfyniadau neu dystebau am yr hyn mae’r rhaglen celfyddydau wedi’i olygu i chi. Ebostiwch fi yn uniongyrchol: info@wahwn.cymru erbyn 29 Gorffennaf. Byddwn yn rhannu ein hymateb yn llawn gydag aelodau dros y misoedd nesaf.
Mae WAHWN yn falch iawn i fod yn un o gefnogwyr swyddogol ymgyrch Hapus Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru a lansiwyd ar 8 Gorffennaf. Rydyn ni wedi addunedu i gefnogi sgwrs genedlaethol sy’n annog unigolion a chymunedau i flaenoriaethu eu llesiant meddyliol ac ymgysylltu â gweithgareddau sy’n diogelu ac yn hyrwyddo llesiant meddwl. Mae gwefan newydd Hapus yn cynnwys syniadau ac adnoddau â’r nod o’n hysbrydoli i gyd i weithredu i ddiogelu a gwella ein llesiant meddwl ni ein hunain a phobl eraill. Edrychwn ymlaen at dynnu sylw at waith ein haelodau drwy’r llwyfan hwn i gyrraedd cynulleidfa ehangach.
Gyda hyfforddiant preswyl Camu i Mewn nawr ar ben, mae’r garfan amrywiol o fenteion bellach yn edrych ymlaen gyda hyder newydd ac ysbrydoliaeth at eu lleoliadau gwaith dros yr haf gyda’n gwesteiwyr partner – Theatr Byd Bach, Celfyddydau Span, People Speak Up a thîm Celfyddydau CBS Caerffili. Roedd y cyfnod preswyl, a gynhaliwyd mewn da yn Ysgol Celf Caerdydd, Prifysgol Met Caerdydd, yn cynnwys ymwybyddiaeth iechyd meddwl gyda Rhys Hughes o Breathe Creative; hyfforddiant hwyluswyr gydag Ali Franks; hyfforddiant wedi’i lywio gan drawma/ACE gyda Jain Boon; teithiau cerdded coetsio gyda Tom Bevan ac amrywiaeth eang o hwyluswyr creadigol yn rhannu eu harfer gan gynnwys Duke Al, Côr Un Byd Oasis, Carys Phillips, Corws Forget Me Not, Farah Allibhai a Marion Cheung. Cynhaliodd ein gwerthuswr Wendy Keay-Bright sesiynau drwy gydol yr wythnos gan sicrhau bod ein menteion yn ymgysylltu’n llawn â’r broses. “Dydw i ddim erioed wedi bod yn rhan o rywbeth fel hyn o’r blaen, wedi’i drefnu mor dda ar y cyfnod peilot… dydw i ddim erioed wedi bod yn rhan o unrhyw beth fel hyn felly dwi’n fwy hyderus” (Mentai Camu i Mewn)
Fe glywsom ni gan yr artist o Ben-y-bont Claire Hiett am ei chyfnod fel artist preswyl yn Mud and Wool yng nghyfarfod rhwydwaith mis Gorffennaf. Cyllidwyd cyfnod preswyl Claire yn rhannol drwy ein micro-grantiau Mynd i Weld. Mae nifer o’r rhain ar gael o hyd eleni, gyda ffocws arbennig ar thema’r hinsawdd/natur, artistiaid Byddar/anabl, artistiaid Cymraeg eu hiaith ac artistiaid mwyafrif byd-eang. Gallwch ddarllen mwy yma.
Cawsom brynhawn hyfryd yn Sefydliad Awen ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe yng nghyfarfod diweddaraf y Rhwydwaith Heneiddio Creadigol. Diolch arbennig i Dr Aelwyn Williams am y gwahoddiad a’r croeso ac i’r Ganolfan Heneiddio ac Ymchwil Dementia am ddarparu cinio. Cynhelir y cyfarfod nesaf ar-lein ar 19 Medi, gyda’r siaradwr gwadd Sion Wyn Evans, Arweinydd Polisi ac Ymarfer y Comisiynydd Pobl Hŷn. Os hoffech ymuno â’r is-rwydwaith hwn cysylltwch â Tracy, ein Rheolwr Rhaglenni: programmes@wahwn.cymru.
Ac roedden ni’n ôl yn Abertawe yn ddiweddarach yn y mis gyda’n Marchnad Iechyd Creadigol. Gyda thros 50 o weithwyr proffesiynol wedi cofrestru, dyma’r diweddglo perffaith i raglen Marchnadoedd 2024. Rydyn ni’n ddiolchgar i Gronfa Gymunedol y Loteri Genedlaethol am eu cymorth ariannol i’r rhaglen. Gallwch ddarllen mwy am y digwyddiad ar flog Tracy yma, a gallwch wylio ffilm gwerthuso hyfryd a grëwyd i ni gan Simon Huntley. Mae WAHWN wedi ymrwymo i ddod o hyd i adnoddau i barhau i gyflenwi digwyddiadau ledled Cymru dros y blynyddoedd nesaf sy’n helpu i feithrin cysylltiadau a gweithio mewn partneriaeth.
Rydyn ni wrth ein bodd i gyhoeddi bod rhaglen hydref Sut Mae’n Mynd? bellach yn fyw. Mae’r lleoedd wedi dechrau llenwi yn ein sesiynau Arfer Myfyriol Creadigol i artistiaid y gallwch chi eu cyrchu yn Gymraeg neu Saesneg. Byddwn yn cynnal bloc arall o hyfforddiant Strategaethau Llesiant gyda Justine Wheatley, wedi’i anelu at sefydliadau. Mae adborth o’r cyrsiau eleni wedi bod yn gadarnhaol iawn gyda 100% o’r sefydliadau’n gadael gyda gwybodaeth newydd a gwell dealltwriaeth o sut i ymdrin â llesiant ar lefel sefydliadol. Byddwn hefyd yn cynnal un cwrs terfynol i hwyluswyr sy’n dymuno hyfforddi mewn Arfer Myfyriol gydag Alison O’Connor. Dywedodd un cyfranogwr ar gwrs diweddar Alison “Dwi mor ddiolchgar am y cwrs yma. Dyma’r cwrs hyfforddi ar-lein gorau i mi ei wneud erioed, ynghyd â’r bobl ryfeddol ar y cwrs. Mae mor agos at fod yn berffaith ag y gallech ei gael.” Dyma flwyddyn olaf Sut Mae’n Mynd? a gyllidir gan Sefydliad Baring. Peidiwch â’i golli!
Wrth i mi ddod at ddiwedd y cylchlythyr, hoffwn estyn llongyfarchiadau arbennig i holl enillwyr Gwobrau Celfyddydau a Busnes Cymru ar 4 Gorffennaf, gan gynnwys Celfyddydau Span, Corws Forget-Me-Not, Cwmni Dawns Rubicon, Elusen Iechyd Caerdydd a’r Fro, Cyswllt Celf am eu partneriaethau gwych.
Mae nifer o gynadleddau a digwyddiadau allweddol i’w rhannu yn ein calendr ar gyfer yr hydref:
- Bydd Cyllid Celfyddydau, Iechyd a Llesiant Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru’n cau ar 11 Medi
- The Strength of Community, Sgwrs ar-lein gan Syr Michael Marmot, 11 Medi
- Cynhelir Cynhadledd Genedlaethol Gofal Cymdeithasol Cymru ar 15/16 Hydref
- Cyfarfod Rhwydwaith Cymraeg WAHWN 17 Hydref
- Cynhelir Cynhadledd Conffederasiwn GIG Cymru ar 6 Tachwedd
Gan ddymuno haf bendigedig i bob un ohonoch a gobeithio y cewch amser i chi eich hun i aros a gorffwys.
Ymlaen!
Angela
