Director's Blog - June 2025 | Blog y Cyfarwyddwr - Mis Mehefin 2025
19/06/2025
Director's Blog - June 2025 | Blog y Cyfarwyddwr - Mis Mehefin 2025
Dear members,
June has been a busy month for WAHWN, announcing our 4 WAI funded International Go and See bursaries; publishing our WEAVE conference programme and attending key events to advocate for the sector – the Urdd Eisteddfod to hear Culture Minister Jack Sargeant launch his Culture Priorities; an open debate in the Senedd ‘Arts and Culture—Nice to have or integral to the future of Wales?' led by Heledd Fychan, MS and a Joint Cross Party Group with the Mental Health & Eating Disorders Group – and all of this, against a groundswell of critical policy discussions in Wales and the UK ahead of the Senedd 2026 elections and UK Spending Review.
WAHWN has submitted a Manifesto to all political parties, calling for a future in which arts, culture and creativity are recognised not as a luxury, but as essential to our nation’s health and wellbeing. It’s a rallying cry, and we invite members to share it, champion it, and embed it into the conversations shaping our sector.
Thank you to all our members who shared their work with MS’s in advance of the Senate debate on arts and culture. In her opening speech Heledd Fychan championed the arts, saying they are:
“absolutely integral….not only to our identity as a nation but to solving some of the greatest challenges that we face, from health to tackling poverty, from education to our economy….. the arts do not exist in a silo, they are an integral part of so many different policy areas, making a genuine difference in terms of an individual's ability to contribute to society”.
Several WAHWN members were highlighted, including People Speak Up, CARN, Forget Me Not Chorus, Theatr Na Nog, Fran Wen, cARTrefu and Swansea Bay UHB. Mabon ap Gwynfor MS made a strong case for culture and the arts being central to the health and care service, citing the ever-growing body of evidence and highlighting that:
“Linking this with healthcare, the arts lead to shorter stays in hospital, fewer visits to GP surgeries and less use of medicines.”
You can read the full transcript or view the recording here.
The Welsh NHS Confederation and its Health & Wellbeing Alliance have outlined 4 key priorities ahead of the elections, backed by 38 organisations. These include a call for a national mission to improve population health by tackling poverty and inequalities through preventative approaches - a sentiment echoed by Darren Hughes on BBC Cymru’s Politics Wales.
We have also submitted a response to the post-legislative scrutiny inquiry of the Well-being of Future Generations Act by the Senedd’s Equality and Social Justice Committee in this, the Act’s 10th anniversary —an important opportunity to reaffirm creativity’s role and the need for the Act to be enforced, ensuring all public bodies embed the arts within their wellbeing goals to future-proof our systems.
In a show of powerful political collaboration, the Cross-Party Group on Arts and Health joined forces with the Mental Health and Eating Disorders Group this month, spotlighting the intersection between creativity and young peoples’ mental health. Molly Leonard shared her powerful story of recovery from an eating disorder, highlighting how creativity and crafting became a lifeline and a path to healing. We also heard about the impact of Arts Boost and the positive benefits for young people with mental health issues. A week later, Dr Catherine Jenkins, WAHWN Trustee and member of the NCCH’s RCGP Special Interest Group for Creative Health shared impactful creative programmes in Wales supporting young people’s mental health in the House of Lords at the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts and Health.
The Chair of the APPG Arts and Health, MP, Dr Simon Opher, also brought the case for Creative Health directly to Prime Minister’s Questions on 11th June, highlighting unequivocally that arts, culture, and creativity must be central to tackling our health and care challenges.
“...music and the arts are transforming mental health outcomes....Can I call on the Prime Minister to back our campaign for creative health and urge him to go further in helping to reduce waiting lists for all patients.” (Dr Simon Opher)
We equally welcome Heledd Fychan, MS Chair of the CPG Arts and Health leading a debate at the Senedd on 18th June “Arts & Culture – nice to have or integral to the future of Wales?” Several members wrote to their regional and local MS’ in advance bringing attention to the impact of their work. These debates are a crucial platform for our sector, and we are grateful to Heledd’s leadership.
In her blog this month, Rosie Dow highlights the challenges for our mental health services, with 1 in 4 young people experiencing a mental health issue. She also shines a light on exemplary programmes such as the ACW and Baring Foundation funded ‘Arts and Minds’ where health boards and the NHS Trust in Wales are ‘bringing artists into the heart of CAMHS services’. Her blog also reflects on Professor Daisy Fancourt’s and her research teams’ large-scale trials now being conducted in arts and social prescribing for young people in CAMHS.
“Yes, the statistics are depressing. The trends are bad. But the work that’s happening to make things better for young people, using arts and creativity, is really good. And that should give us hope – after all, isn’t that what arts and creativity are all about”. (Rosie Dow)
In other news, after extending our WAI International Go and See bursary deadline, we received an unprecedented number of applications. We are sorry that we were unable to support more practitioners. We’re delighted to announce that the recipients are Siri Wigdel, Pauline Le Britton, Lyndsey Fouracre Reynolds and Carol Scholfield. Visits will include trips to Ireland, Norway, Finland and England where the recipients will collaborate with international and UK colleagues. We look forward to hearing more about Carol’s sustainable practice using waste products pigments at our July network meeting, during Plastic Free July, alongside WAHWN Trustee and founder of Benthyg Cymru, Rebecca Harford.
Our WEAVE conference programme is now live, and we’re delighted to see that almost three quarters of all tickets have been sold. Over the next couple of months, we will be sharing teasers highlighting some of the rich themes and vital topics we’ll be focusing on. With the recent news that Wales has officially announced its commitment to becoming the world’s first Marmot Nation, embedding health equity into government policy and decision-making, we look forward to sharing our interview with Sir Michael Marmot at Weave.
Finally, we’re looking forward to the Baring Foundation’s “Creatively Minded in the Studio” report, launching on 8th July, featuring Arts Care/Gofal Celf, with a focus on the role of visual arts in supporting mental health. You may also be interested in joining a new informal International virtual Creative Ageing network (iCAN) being piloted by The Baring Foundation and Kaapeli (Finland) aimed at sharing practice and making international connections.
Thank you to all our members, allies and advocates - your work is making waves. Let’s continue to grow this movement, continue to be compassionate, generously share what we’re learning, and remind our policymakers that creativity is essential for a healthy, resilient and thriving nation!
Onwards and upwards!
Angela
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Annwyl aelodau,
Bu mis Mehefin yn un prysur i WAHWN, wrth i ni gyhoeddi pedwar bwrsariaeth Mynd i Weld a gyllidir gan Celfyddydau Rhyngwladol Cymru; cyhoeddi rhaglen cynhadledd GWEHYDDU ac eiriol dros y sector mewn digwyddiadau allweddol – Eisteddfod yr Urdd i glywed y Gweinidog Diwylliant Jack Sargeant yn lansio’r Blaenoriaethau Diwylliant; trafodaeth agored yn y Senedd ‘Diwylliant a'r Celfyddydau—Braf i'w cael neu'n allweddol i ddyfodol Cymru?' dan arweiniad Heledd Fychan, AS a Grŵp Trawsbleidiol ar y cyd â’r Grŵp Iechyd Meddwl ac Anhwylderau Bwyta – a’r cyfan yn erbyn ymchwydd o drafodaethau polisi critigol yng Nghymru a’r DU wrth edrych ymlaen at etholiadau’r Senedd yn 2026 ac Adolygiad Gwariant y DU.
Mae WAHWN wedi cyflwyno Maniffesto i’r holl bleidiau gwleidyddol yn galw am ddyfodol lle caiff y celfyddydau, diwylliant a chreadigrwydd eu cydnabod nid fel moethusrwydd ond fel rhywbeth hanfodol i iechyd a llesiant y genedl. Mae’n alwad i weithredu, ac rydyn ni’n gwahodd aelodau i’w rannu, a’i wreiddio yn y sgyrsiau sy’n siapio ein sector.
Diolch i’r holl aelodau a fu’n rhannu eu gwaith gydag ASau cyn dadl y Senedd ar y celfyddydau a diwylliant. Yn ei haraith agoriadol bu Heledd Fychan yn canmol y celfyddydau gan ddweud eu bod yn:
“gwbl allweddol … nid yn unig i’n hunaniaeth ni fel cenedl, ond hefyd i ddatrys rhai o’r heriau mwyaf rydym ni’n eu hwynebu, o iechyd i fynd i’r afael â thlodi, o addysg i’n heconomi.... dydy’r celfyddydau ddim yn bodoli mewn seilo, maen nhw’n rhan annatod o gymaint o feysydd polisi gwahanol, gan wneud gwahaniaeth gwirioneddol o ran gallu unigolyn i gyfrannu i gymdeithas”.
Tynnwyd sylw at nifer o aelodau WAHWN gan gynnwys People Speak Up, CARN, Forget Me Not Chorus, Theatr Na Nog, Fran Wen, cARTrefu a BIP Bae Abertawe. Cyflwynodd Mabon ap Gwynfor AS achos cryf dros osod diwylliant a’r celfyddydau’n ganolog yn y gwasanaeth iechyd a gofal, gan dynnu sylw at y corff cynyddol o dystiolaeth sy’n dangos:
“Wrth glymu hyn i mewn i ofal iechyd, mae’r celfyddydau yn arwain at arosiadau llai yn yr ysbyty, llai o ymweliadau at feddyg teulu a llai o ddefnydd o feddyginiaeth”
Gallwch ddarllen y trawsgrifiad llawn neu wylio’r recordiad yma.
Mae Conffederasiwn GIG Cymru a’i Gynghrair Iechyd a Llesiant wedi amlinellu 4 blaenoriaeth allweddol cyn yr etholiadau, gyda chefnogaeth 38 o sefydliadau. Mae’r rhain yn cynnwys galw am genhadaeth genedlaethol i wella iechyd y boblogaeth drwy fynd i’r afael â thlodi ac anghydraddoldebau drwy ddulliau ataliol, pwynt a gafodd ei adleisio gan Darren Hughes ar Politics Wales BBC Cymru.
Rydyn ni hefyd wedi cyflwyno ymateb i’r Adolygiad craffu ar ôl deddfu ar Ddeddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau’r Dyfodol gan Bwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol y Senedd ar ddeng mlwyddiant y Ddeddf - cyfle pwysig i atgyfnerthu rôl creadigrwydd a’r angen i orfodi’r Ddeddf, a sicrhau bod yr holl gyrff cyhoeddus yn gwreiddio’r celfyddydau yn eu nodau llesiant i ddiogelu ein systemau at y dyfodol.
Mewn enghraifft o gydweithio gwleidyddol pwerus, ymunodd Grŵp Trawsbleidiol y Celfyddydau ac Iechyd â’r Grŵp Iechyd Meddwl ac Anhwylderau Bwyta y mis hwn, i dynnu sylw at y croestoriad rhwng creadigrwydd ac iechyd meddwl pobl ifanc. Bu Molly Leonard yn rhannu eu stori bwerus o wella o anhwylder bwyta, gan egluro sut y daeth creadigrwydd a chrefftau’n achubiaeth ac yn llwybr iddi at wella. Clywsom hefyd am effaith yr Hwb Celfyddydol a’r buddion gwerthfawr i bobl ifanc â phroblemau iechyd meddwl. Wythnos yn ddiweddarach, rhannodd Dr Catherine Jenkins, Ymddiriedolwr WAHWN ac aelod o Grŵp Diddordeb Arbennig ar gyfer Iechyd Creadigol RCGP NCCH raglenni creadigol sy’n cael effaith yng Nghymru sy’n cefnogi iechyd meddwl pobl ifanc yn Nhŷ’r Arglwyddi yn y Grŵp Seneddol Trawsbleiddiol ar y Celfyddydau ac Iechyd.
Aeth Cadeirydd y Grŵp Seneddol Trawsbleiddiol ar y Celfyddydau ac Iechyd, yr AS Dr Simon Opher, â’r achos dros Iechyd Creadigol yn uniongyrchol i Gwestiynau’r Prif Weinidog ar 11 Mehefin gan bwysleisio bod y celfyddydau, diwylliant a chreadigrwydd yn gorfod bod yn ganolog i fynd i’r afael â heriau iechyd a gofal.
“...mae cerddoriaeth a’r celfyddydau’n trawsnewid canlyniadau iechyd meddwl… Gaf i alw ar y Prif Weinidog i gefnogi’r ymgyrch dros iechyd creadigol a’i annog i fynd ymhellach i helpu i leihau rhestrau aros i’r holl gleifion” (Dr Simon Opher)
Yn yr un modd rydyn ni’n croesawu Heledd Fychan AS, Cadeirydd y Grŵp Trawsbleidiol ar y Celfyddydau ac Iechyd a fu’n arwain dadl yn y Senedd ar 18 Mehefin “Diwylliant a'r Celfyddydau—Braf i'w cael neu'n allweddol i ddyfodol Cymru?” Ysgrifennodd nifer o aelodau at eu ASau rhanbarthol a lleol ymlaen llaw i dynnu sylw at effaith eu gwaith. Mae’r trafodaethau hyn yn llwyfan hanfodol i’n sector, ac rydyn ni’n ddiolchgar i Heledd am ei harweinyddiaeth.
Yn ei blog y mis hwn mae Rosie Dow yn amlygu’r heriau i’r gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl, gydag 1 ym mhob 4 person ifanc yn profi problem iechyd meddwl. Mae hi hefyd yn tynnu sylw at raglenni teilwng fel ‘Celfyddyd a Chrebwyll’ a gyllidir gan CCC a Sefydliad Baring lle mae byrddau iechyd ac Ymddiriedolaeth y GIG yng Nghymru yn ‘dod ag artistiaid at galon y gwasanaethau CAMHS’. Mae’r blog hefyd yn myfyrio ar dreialon graddfa fawr yr Athro Daisy Fancourt a’i thîm ymchwil sydd ar waith ar hyn o bryd ar y celfyddydau a phresgripsiynu cymdeithasol i bobl ifanc yn CAMHS.
“Ydyn, mae’r ystadegau’n ddigalon. Mae’r tueddiadau’n wael. Ond mae’r gwaith sy’n digwydd i wneud pethau’n well i bobl ifanc, gan ddefnyddio’r celfyddydau a chreadigrwydd, yn wirioneddol dda. A dylai hynny roi gobaith i ni – wedi’r cyfan dyna bwrpas y celfyddydau a chreadigrwydd” (Rosie Dow)
Mewn newyddion arall, ar ôl estyn dyddiad bwrsariaeth Mynd i Weld Celfyddydau Rhyngwladol Cymru, cafwyd y nifer mwyaf erioed o geisiadau. Mae’n drueni nad oedd yn bosib cefnogi mwy o ymarferwyr. Rydyn ni’n falch i gyhoeddi mai’r enillwyr yw Siri Wigdel, Pauline Le Britton, Lyndsey Fouracre Reynolds a Carol Scholfield. Bydd yr ymweliadau’n cynnwys teithiau i Iwerddon, Norwy, y Ffindir a Lloegr lle bydd y deiliaid yn gweithio gyda chydweithwyr rhyngwladol ac o’r DU. Edrychwn ymlaen at glywed mwy am ymarfer cynaliadwy Carol sy’n defnyddio cynhyrchion gwastraff yng nghyfarfod rhwydwaith mis Gorffennaf, yn ystod mis Gorffennaf di-blastig, ochr yn ochr ag Ymddiriedolwr WAHWN a sylfaenydd Benthyg Cymru, Rebecca Harford.
Mae rhaglen cynhadledd GWEHYDDU bellach yn fyw, ac rydyn ni wrth ein bodd fod bron i dri chwarter yr holl docynnau wedi’u gwerthu. Dros y misoedd nesaf byddwn yn rhannu ambell flas yn amlygu rhai o’r themâu pwysig a’r pynciau hanfodol a fydd dan sylw. Gyda’r newyddion diweddar fod Cymru wedi cyhoeddi’n ffurfiol ymrwymiad i fod y Genedl Marmot gyntaf, gan wreiddio tegwch iechyd ym mholisïau a phenderfyniadau’r llywodraeth, edrychwn ymlaen at rannu’r cyfweliad gyda Syr Michael Marmot yn Gwehyddu.
Mae tîm WAHWN yn edrych ymlaen at gysylltu wyneb yn wyneb â’r aelodau o bob rhan o Gymru a thu hwnt dros ddeuddydd ysbrydoledig lle byddwn yn dathlu’r hyn rydyn ni wedi’i gyflawni gyda’n gilydd, mynd i’r afael a heriau a symbylu gweithgaredd y dyfodol.
Yn olaf rydyn ni’n edrych ymlaen at adroddiad “Creatively Minded in the Studio” Sefydliad Baring, a gaiff ei lansio ar 8 Gorffennaf, sy’n cynnwys Arts Care/Gofal Celf, gyda ffocws ar rôl y celfyddydau gweledol wrth gefnogi iechyd meddwl. Efallai y bydd gennych chi ddiddordeb hefyd mewn ymuno â Rhwydwaith Heneiddio Creadigol rhithiol newydd anffurfiol (iCAN) sy’n cael ei beilota gan Sefydliad Baring a Kaapeli (y Ffindir) â’r nod o rannu ymarfer a meithrin cysylltiadau rhyngwladol.
Diolch i’n holl aelodau, cefnogwyr ac eiriolwyr – mae eich gwaith yn cael effaith. Gadewch i ni barhau i dyfu’r mudiad, parhau i fod yn drugarog, rhannu’n hael yr hyn rydyn ni’n ei ddysgu, ac atgoffa llunwyr polisïau bod creadigrwydd yn hanfodol ar gyfer cenedl iach, wydn a ffyniannus.
Ymlaen!
Angela
