More than 280 artists have been nominated for the Wales Theatre Awards 2017.
The prestigious annual opera, dance and theatre awards were launched tonight at Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. (FRI, JAN 27)
The invited audience was told by WTA director Mike Smith that this year the nominations have been made by 40 critics from throughout Wales. Between them they have made 830 nominations for the 20 award categories in live performance from theatre, dance and opera created and performed in Wales.
He told the audience that there have been 157 individual shows and 89 companies nominated.
The launch was followed by a performance of A Regular Little Houdini by Wales Theatre Awards 2015 Best Actor (English Language) David Llewelyn-Williams.
The Wales Theatre Awards are organised by a not for profit company, Arts Awards Ltd, which also runs the Wales Critics Fund. This Fund enhances reviewing by supporting reviewers across Wales working in Welsh and in English for a wide variety of publications and online platforms. It also mentors young writers and youth groups.
The 830 nominations will now be considered by the Award judging panels, made up of critics working in opera, dance, English Language and Welsh Language theatre. These agree the shortlists for each category. From these the 20 individual winners will be chosen and announced at the glittering Wales Theatre Awards Show at the Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea on Saturday, 25th February 2017.
Mike said, “With so many nominations you can see reaching the shortlists let alone winning an award is a major achievement in these, the most inclusive, comprehensive, transparent and independent, of any awards that I know.”
He added, “I am delighted that we have been joined by friends, supporters and sponsors of the Wales Critics Fund. It is only with your commitment to the Wales Critics Fund that we can continue to give support to reviewers throughout Wales to enable reviewing.
“We are particularly pleased to be at Chapter for a number of reasons. Chapter is not only one of the most important performance venues in Wales. It is also the home to arts organisations. It supports artists. And as any one like me knows downstairs in Chapter is probably the unofficial headquarters of grant application writing, moaning about grant funding bodies, not to mention pre-show nerves settling and post-show celebrations or sorrows-drowning in the bar!
“I would also like to thank Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea University for agreeing to host the Wales Theatre Awards show on Saturday, February 25th. I would also like to thank University of Wales Trinity St David for providing the 20 engraved Welsh slate trophies for our winners.
“We also have other sponsors of the Awards which means that every penny from supporters and sponsors for the Wales Critics Fund goes to those reviewers. So not only are these Awards independent in that there is no membership fee, no entry cost, no membership cost to be a nominator or judge etc. but I stress again that every penny that comes to the Wales Critics Fund is spent on enabling reviewing.
“Sadly, unlike Houdini, we cannot escape the constraints of the pressure on funding for arts organisations and individual artists some of whom are struggling to keep their heads above water. It means the support given to Wales Critics Fund from arts organisations, individual artists, venues and our other supporters, is incredibly valued by us.”
Wales Critics Fund has launched an individual or small organisation supporter category of £75. Mike said, “We have been thrilled by the response so far and hope others will join us in supporting this valuable work. You too can join us by pledging your support by emailing walestheatreawards@gmail.com.
“We also have support this year from Arts & Business Cymru under their Culture Step programme. This will enable us to engage with young people in Community First areas of Wales to mentor them in arts and media, reviewing and attending theatre performances. If you know of a school, youth theatre group or youth writing group in any CF areas in South Wales spread the word as there is still the opportunity for them to get involved.”
The short lists will be published in the second weekend of February.
A number of tickets for the awards show are available for purchase by visiting www.taliesinartscentre.co.uk
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Now more than ever we need the arts and isn’t it great that there’s so much art being created in Wales.
Long may it be so and long may the Wales Theatre Awards continue.
Congratulations to all 830 nominees and to all those who make it to the final shortlists.
Looking forward to what is now the annual celebration of the arts and artists in Wales.
Erica Eirian