Four Wales-based artists have been selected to take part in Addo’s pilot Mentored Research & Development programme.  They are: Cheryl Beer, Jason & Becky, Mandy Lane, and Rowan O’Neill.  The programme runs from January – March 2021 and is intended to allow artists time and space to reflect on and direct their own learning and progression towards developing an idea for a situated art project that acknowledges the complexity and specificity of communities and responds to contemporary concern/s, such as sustainability, co-creation, our relationship to the public realm during and post-Covid-19, the impact of recent important socio-political shifts (e.g. Black Lives Matter, We Shall Not Be Removed (UK Disability Arts Alliance demand for safeguards to protect the future of disability arts in the UK), Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, Brexit).

Each artist selected proposed the development of an idea that is situated, in the sense that it is connected to specific communities of interest, places and sites (be those geographical, thematic, topical or societal), considers the particular context of Wales, and recognises the contested nature of places, sites and communities.  They also demonstrated an interest in exploring notions of social change, including for whom and by whom societal change may occur and what are the wider implications.

Cheryl Beer is a hearing impaired, Environmental Sound Artist, creating award winning projects to explore the relationship between sonic place & the poetics of humanity.

“Having suddenly become hearing impaired 4 years ago, I know first-hand, how devastating it can be to disconnect with nature and how healing it is to be reconnected through hearing aid technology. It is this that inspires me to explore new ways of accessing and interpreting the natural environment.  By sculpting virtual soundscapes & nature narratives, whilst experimenting with phonic spectra as contemporary art for the public realm, my work seeks to empower us to connect viscerally with the wonder of our environment.  By re-purposing the state-of-the-art digital technology within my hearing aids, I seek to define my disability through a creative lens and thus, widen sonic access through all of the senses.”

Honoured as one of the top 100 pioneering women of Wales for her contribution to The Arts, alongside her extensive performance career, Cheryl is also known as a creative humanitarian. Her visionary projects enable sustainable social change and continue to impact Arts strategy at the very core of Welsh life.

Jason & Becky are collaborative artists based in Swansea. Their practice responds to current socio-political conditions using a range of media and experiential formats to immerse participants in ambiguous, individually interpretable spaces in which they may encounter and question pre-existing categorisations, definitions and boundaries.

“We’re really excited to have been selected for Addo’s Mentoring R&D programme, and are looking forward to exploring new ways to creatively engage in the public realm, with a particular interest in working within the ‘no-man’s-land’ between the perceived, conflicting, binary factions of ‘high’ and ‘popular’ culture. The opportunity to be mentored by Addo will help us to negotiate this ‘nomadic’ space and to discover pathways from both sides that facilitate the cultural acceptance and potential of such contested and uncertain space.”

Mandy Lane’s artistic practice is rooted in her identity and personal history as a woman living and working in one of the more deprived areas of Llanelli.

“It is a practice that has had to be knitted into my survival as a single mother with four kids. I am a participant and to some extent an activist in that community. My work has allowed me to access and communicate with a range of social groups through projects that engage artists as active participants.  I am particularly interested in the historical and contemporary voices of working-class mothers and children in Wales. I have thought in depth about what it means to be a woman in poverty. This interest being an outgrowth of my own problematic experiences as a child. My work is driven by my experience with the world. Complexities of the domestic and displaced. My practice draws from my understanding of the family, family ritual and relationships within the lone family unit, the mother, mam, mammy and child.  My own work could be seen as a collection of stories published in a variety of forms: sculptures, drawings, text and interventions.  Although there is much evidence that things are changing and that gender is becoming more fluid and equality is evident, many institutional prejudices and barriers to equality also remain as strong as ever.”

Mandy’s work seeks to challenge this.

Rowan O’Neill is an artist, writer and performance maker from Felinwynt, Ceredigion, West Wales.

“My research and creative practice represent a continuing investigation of language, identity, place and belonging, inspired by a rural agricultural up-bringing in a predominantly Welsh speaking community. My work often uses song and autobiographical narratives as the starting point for public events and community performances exploring migration, genealogical time and the interconnectedness of people and place. During this mentored research and development programme I will be investigating the idea of the sustainable rural community in relation to my home village of Aberporth. My starting point will be the depiction of agricultural and coastal communities in the novels of early twentieth century Welsh writer Allen Raine.”

The programme seeks to support a process of dialogue, research and development around an idea and recognises the challenge of developing project ideas in a rapidly changing world.  It is a chance for artists to be supported financially and professionally to build partnerships, test approaches, connect with communities and places, look at funding options and ways to move forward, rather than focussing on realising completed artworks from the outset.  Thus, the outcomes of the programme have not been predefined in order to allow space for artists to reflect on and steer their own learning and development towards a shift in thinking in the short term that will have an impact on their future practice in the longer-term and in turn, on the wider public realm.

This programme is offered by Addo and is funded by the Arts Council of Wales’ Wales Cultural Recovery Fund – COVID-19 Support for Organisations.

Dewiswyd pedwar artist sydd â’u cartref yng Nghymru i gymryd rhan yn rhaglen beilot Addo – Ymchwil a Datblygu wedi’u Mentora.  Yr artistiaid ydi:  Cheryl Beer, Jason & Becky, Mandy Lane a Rowan O’Neill.  Mae’r rhaglen ar fynd o fis Ionawr tan fis Mawrth 2021 a’i bwriad ydi rhoi amser a lle i artistiaid fyfyrio ynghylch eu dysgu a’u hynt eu hunain a’u cyfeirio tuag at ddatblygu syniad o ran prosiect celf wedi’i gwreiddio sy’n cydnabod cymhlethdod cymunedau a’u hanian neilltuol ac sy’n ymateb i bryder/on cyfoes, megis cynaliadwyedd, cyd-greu, ein perthynas â’r byd cyhoeddus yn ystod ac ar ôl Covid-19, effaith newidiadau cymdeithasol-wleidyddol pwysig diweddar (e.e. Mae Bywydau Du o Bwys, Ni Chawn Ein Gwaredu (galwad Cynghrair Celfyddydau Anabledd y DU am amddiffynfeydd i warchod dyfodol celfyddydau anabledd yng ngwledydd Prydain), Deddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau’r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015, Brexit).

Cynigiodd pob artist a ddewiswyd ddatblygu syniad sydd wedi’i wreiddio, yn yr ystyr ei fod ynghlwm â diddordebau, mannau a lleoedd (boed ddaearyddol, thematig, amserol neu gymdeithasol) penodol ar y cyd, a’i fod yn ystyried cyd-destun Cymru’n neilltuol, ac yn cydnabod anian ddadleuol mannau, lleoedd a chymunedau.  Roeddent hefyd yn dangos diddordeb mewn chwilio syniadau newid cymdeithasol, gan gynnwys i bwy a chan bwy y gall newid cymdeithasol ddigwydd, a beth ydi’r goblygiadau ehangach.

Artist Sain Amgylcheddol â nam ar ei chlyw ydi Cheryl Beer sy’n creu prosiectau arobryn i chwilio’r berthynas rhwng man a lle o ran sain, a barddoneg y ddynol ryw.

“A minnau wedi mynd yn drwm fy nghlyw’n sydyn bedair blynedd yn ôl, gwn o lygad y ffynnon faint mae cael eich datgysylltu â natur yn eich llorio, a chymaint o iachâd ydi cael eich ailgysylltu drwy dechnoleg cymorth clywed. Dyna be sy’n f’ysbrydoli i chwilio ffyrdd newydd o ymgyrraedd i amgylchedd natur a’i ddehongli.  Drwy gerflunio seinfydau rhithwir a naratifau natur, ar yr un pryd ag arbrofi â sbectra llafar yn gelf gyfoes i’r byd cyhoeddus, nod fy ngwaith ydi ein hymrymuso i ymgysylltu o bwll y galon â rhyfeddod ein hamgylchedd.  Drwy roi defnydd newydd i’r dechnoleg ddigidol gyda’r newyddaf oll sydd yn fy nghymhorthion clywed, rwy’n ceisio diffinio fy anabledd drwy lens greadigol ac yn y modd yna gwneud sain yn fwy hygyrch drwy’r synhwyrau i gyd.”

Anrhydeddwyd Cheryl yn un o’r cant uchaf o ferched arloesol yng Nghymru am ei chyfraniad i’r Celfyddydau, ochr yn ochr â’i gyrfa berfformio eang, ac mae hefyd yn ddyngarwraig greadigol adnabyddus. Mae ei phrosiectau gweledigaethol yn galluogi newid cymdeithasol cynaliadwy ac yn dal i effeithio ar strategaeth yn y Celfyddydau wrth graidd bywyd Cymru.

Artistiaid cydweithredol ydi Jason & Becky, sydd â’u cartref yn Abertawe. Mae eu harfer yn ymateb i’r amgylchiadau cymdeithasol-wleidyddol ar hyn o bryd gan ddefnyddio amrywiaeth o gyfryngau a fformatau profiadol i drochi’r cyfranwyr mewn mannau amwys, y gall unigolion eu dehongli a lle gallant ddod ar draws categoriadau, diffiniadau a therfynau sydd eisoes yn bod a’u hamau.

“Rydym wrth ein boddau o gael ein dewis i fod yn rhaglen o raglen Addo, Ymchwil a Datblygu wedi’u Mentora, ac yn edrych ymlaen at chwilio ffyrdd newydd o ymgysylltu’n greadigol â’r byd cyhoeddus, gydag ymddiddori’n neilltuol mewn gweithio yn y ‘tir neb’ rhwng y carfanau canfyddedig ddeuol a chroestynnol, sef ‘uchel’ ddiwylliant a diwylliant ‘poblogaidd’. Bydd y cyfle i gael ein mentora gan Addo yn gymorth i ni fynd i’r afael â’r man ‘crwydrol’ yma a darganfod llwybrau o’r ddwy ochr sy’n hwyluso derbyniad diwylliannol a photensial man o’r fath sy’n ansicr ac sy’n destun ymryson.”

Mae gwreiddiau arfer artistig Mandy Lane yn ei hunaniaeth a’i hanes personol, a hithau’n fenyw sy’n byw ac yn gweithio yn un o’r rhannau mwyaf amddifad o Lanelli.

“Mae’n arfer roedd gofyn ei gyd-weu â’m goroesi, yn fam ddi-briod a gen i bedwar o blant. Rwy’n gyfrannog ac i ryw raddau yn weithredwr yn y gymuned honno. Rhoes fy ngwaith le i mi glosio at amrywiaeth o grwpiau cymdeithasol a chyfathrebu â nhw drwy brosiectau sy’n dwyn i mewn artistiaid yn gyfranogwyr gweithredol.  Rwy’n ymddiddori’n neilltuol yn lleisiau hanesyddol a chyfoes mamau a phlant dosbarth gweithiol yng Nghymru. Bûm yn meddwl yn ddwys ynghylch beth ydi bod yn fenyw mewn tlodi. Mae’r diddordeb yma’n deillio o’m profiadau anodd fy hun pan oeddwn yn blentyn. Fy mhrofiad yn y byd sy’n gyrru fy ngwaith. Cymhlethdodau’r aelwyd a’r digartref. Mae fy arfer yn tynnu ar fy nealltwriaeth o’r teulu, defodau teulu a’r gwahanol fathau o berthynas yn yr uned deuluol un rhiant, y fam, mam, mami a’r plentyn.  Gellir gweld fy ngwaith innau’n gasgliad o straeon wedi’u cyhoeddi ar weddau amrywiol: cerfluniau, lluniadau, testunau ac ymyriadau.  Er bod yna lawer o dystiolaeth bod pethau’n newid a bod rhywedd yn dod yn fwy newidiol a chydraddoldeb i’w weld, mae llawer o ragfarnau sefydliadol a rhwystrau i gydraddoldeb hefyd yn dal i fod cyn gryfed ag erioed.”

Mae gwaith Mandy’n ceisio herio hyn.

Artist, awdur a gwneuthurwr perfformiadau ydi Rowan O’Neill, yn hanu o Felinwynt, Ceredigion, Gorllewin Cymru.

“Hanfod f’ymchwil a’m harfer creadigol ydi chwilio parhaol iaith, hunaniaeth, man a lle, a pherthyn, a ysbrydolir gan fagwraeth fferm yng nghefn gwlad mewn cymdeithas Gymraeg ei hiaith at ei gilydd. Yn aml byddaf yn defnyddio straeon hunangofiannol yn fan cychwyn digwyddiadau cyhoeddus a pherfformiadau cymuned. Mae fy ngwaith yn aml yn defnyddio cân a straeon hunangofiannol yn fan cychwyn digwyddiadau cyhoeddus a pherfformiadau cymuned sy’n chwilio ymfudo, amser achol a chydgysylltiad pobl a man a lle.  Yn ystod y rhaglen ymchwil a datblygu wedi’u mentora yma byddaf yn chwilio’r syniad o gymdeithas gefn gwlad gynaliadwy mewn perthynas â’m pentre genedigol Aberporth. Fy man cychwyn fydd darlunio cymdeithasau ffermio a’r glannau yn nofelau’r awdur o Gymro o ddechrau’r ugeinfed ganrif, Allen Raine.”

Nod y rhaglen ydi cefnogi proses sgwrs, ymchwil a datblygu ynghlwm â syniad ac mae’n cydnabod her datblygu syniadau prosiectau mewn byd sy’n prysur newid.  Mae’n gyfle i artistiaid gael cefnogaeth ariannol a phroffesiynol i feithrin partneriaethau, rhoi prawf ar gyrchddulliau, cysylltu â chymunedau a mannau a lleoedd, bwrw golwg ar ddewisiadau cyllido a ffyrdd o symud ymlaen, yn hytrach na chanolbwyntio ar roi sylwedd i gelfweithiau gorffenedig o’r cychwyn cyntaf.  Gan hynny, heb eu diffinio ymlaen llaw mae canlyniadau’r rhaglen er mwyn rhoi lle i artistiaid fyfyrio ynghylch eu dysgu a’u datblygu eu hunain a’u llywio tuag at newid meddylfryd yn y byrdymor fydd yn effeithio ar eu harfer i ddod yn yr hirdymor ac, yn ei dro, ar y byd cyhoeddus ehangach.

Cynigir y rhaglen yma gan Addo ac fe’i cyllidir gan Gyngor Celfyddydau Cymru drwy ei Gronfa Adfer Diwylliannol Cymru – COVID-19 Cefnogaeth i Sefydliadau.