Delivered and partially funded by British Council Wales in partnership with the Arts Council of Wales, Wales Arts International, and the Welsh Government, a £100K Wales-France Cultural Fund has created new connections, strengthened existing cultural links and is supporting legacy projects among artists and cultural organisations in both Wales and France.
The fund is part of the Welsh Government’s year of Wales in France, a celebration of cultural, business and sporting events, designed to highlight shared history and culture and forge new connections between the two countries.
Six individuals and organisations from Wales, are being supported to collaborate with French artists and cultural organisations and create new work, with selected projects covering a range of artforms.
Theatre company Hijinx pioneer, produce and promote opportunities for actors with learning disabilities and/or autism. Their project Bon Appetit is a clown and puppetry performance that has been developed with neurodivergent artists in Wales and Compagnie de L’Oiseau Mouche in France, and premieres in Lille, France in March 2024.
Welsh musician Gruff Rhys will perform a special one-off concert at Le Solaris in Paris on 5 March, presenting his new album Sadness Sets Me Free. The album features an array of French musicians, was recorded between Marseille and Paris and co-produced by French engineer Maxime Kosinetz. Special guests will include French-based artists that feature on the album.
National Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru is collaborating with Festival Interceltique de Lorient on a music and film production led by Brittany-based Welsh singer, songwriter and musician Lleuwen Steffan, which takes inspiration from Welsh folk music in the sound archive of St Fagan’s National Museum of History. Leading artists from Wales and Brittany are collaborating on the production, which premieres at the festivals in August 2024, before touring theatres in Wales and Brittany in 2025. Lleuwen Steffan will be touring an intimate solo presentation of Welsh folk hymnal songs from the production in chapels across Wales and Brittany from February 2024.
Operasonic, have been working with young people in Newport, South Wales, in collaboration with early career French and Welsh music professionals to produce The Game, a short film exploring the emotions connected to playing and watching rugby, that will be screened in outdoor “street” venues; Dirty Protest Theatre have connected early-career playwrights in rural Wales and France to explore new ways of writing and theatre-making; and Mathilde Lopez, director of August 012 theatre, is collaborating with singer songwriter Katell Keineg, developing a performance exploring Keineg’s identity as a Welsh/Breton woman.
Sarah Horner, Chief Executive, Hijinx, commented on the impact of the fund:
“Following a great artistic and organisational exchange in 22/23, we're thrilled to be able to take our collaboration with Compagnie L'Oiseau Mouche to the next level thanks to the Wales in France fund. The fund has supported the creation of a new inclusive theatre piece, developed with and by learning-disabled artists in Lille and Cardiff. There is huge cultural and creative value in working with partners outside of Wales and we can't wait to share the result of this collaboration with audiences in Lille in March.”
Opera director and singer Harvey Evans, has led Operasonic’s project, he said:
"We believe in the power of art and culture to build connections between communities. ‘The Game’ is not just a film; it's a celebration of Welsh culture. We want to share our passion for rugby, music, and community with the people of France and, in doing so, foster a deeper connection between our cultures.”
Wales in France has supported cultural moments around global events such as the Rugby World Cup in Autumn 2023 and bridges into the British Council France UK France Spotlight on Culture 2024 season in the run up to the Paris Olympics and Paralympics in 2024.
Mark Drakeford, First Minister of Wales, highlighted the importance of the Cultural Fund, saying:
“Wales and France’s close relationship is centuries old. Strengthening cultural, social and economic ties and creating new ones is at the heart of what our Wales in France year has aimed to achieve.
This cultural fund has developed lasting artistic and cultural networks between Wales and France, showcasing our culture, heritage, and language to new audiences, building Wales’s reputation and recognition on the global stage and providing valuable international experiences for the artists and organisations involved.”
British Council Wales has previously supported several arts projects linking Wales and France, most recently supporting the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the Orchestre National de Bretagne in a series of joint concerts in 2022 and 2023.
Ruth Cocks, Director British Council Wales, spoke about the legacy the fund will have. She said:
“The Wales in France Cultural Fund has already strengthened cultural ties between Wales and France, giving artists and cultural organisations in both countries the opportunity to develop new connections and collaborate creatively.
From Paris to Cardiff and Newport to Marseille, it’s wonderful to see the fantastic creative work resulting from these collaborations. All six projects are unique and will help develop and sustain vital links between both our countries, supporting artists and organisations to explore new ways of working and reach new audiences.”
Dafydd Rhys, Chief Executive Arts Council of Wales, added:
“The Year of Wales in France is a fantastic opportunity to shine a spotlight on Wales’s unique culture and raise the profile of Wales internationally. We’re delighted to co-invest in the Cultural Fund through our agency Wales Arts International with British Council Wales and Welsh Government to enable artists to grow their work in France sustainably and to nurture what we hope will be long-term relationships.”