PRESS RELEASE
Science Made Simple-led Consortium wins Festival UK* 2022 Contract
A consortium led by science communication company Science Made Simple (SMS) has won through to the next round of a competition to deliver a large-scale project in Wales as part of Festival UK* 2022. Across the UK, 30 consortia were successful at this stage, with two in Wales.
The winning consortium comprises eight partners: Cardiff University, Tin Shed Theatre Co, Repair Cafe Wales, Urban Circle, pyka, Cadw, Science Made Simple and award-winning Welsh arts maker Paul Evans who will take on the role of creative director.
The festival is designed to bring together the greatest minds and brightest talents from the worlds of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) to develop major public engagement projects to showcase the UK’s creativity and innovation on a global scale.
The first stage of the process was to decide who should develop ideas for the festival and it is in this that the SMS-led consortium has been successful. The ideas for the festival will come as the consortium enters a period of intensive research and development, which will produce a proposal to celebrate creativity and innovation and which importantly, will include under-represented groups. That period starts today (16 November) and continues until the end of January when proposals will be pitched to the Festival UK* 2022 organisers.
Wendy Sadler, Founding Director of SMS said: “I am thrilled that we have been successful in getting through to the Research and Development stage for Festival UK* 2022. Our consortium has a very diverse set of skills and I am looking forward to seeing these being brought together to create something Wales can be proud of.
I’m particularly delighted that one of the fundamental principles of this festival is that it reaches out to underrepresented groups. At SMS we have always worked hard to bring science and technology into those communities usually overlooked by mainstream science and cultural activities. With this project we intend to ensure these communities are included at the very start.”
Kim Graham, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Research, Innovation and Enterprise at Cardiff University said: “Cardiff University is thrilled to be part of this creative consortium to celebrate innovation in Wales as part of the Festival UK* 2022 event. Our Civic Mission aims to connect cutting edge research with the people of Wales and this opportunity gives us a national and international platform to engage new audiences with STEM subjects.”
Paul Evans, a freelance director and choreographer said: This is an exciting opportunity to design a project for the communities of Wales, through unique collaborations that would not normally be possible. Festival UK* 2022 is an opportunity for me as an artist to learn new things from other STEAM partners in order to create in an expansive and collaborative way. I am looking forward to the challenge and creative possibilities this team offers, my mind is already buzzing with the possibilities. It is not often you get to start a process with ‘what if…’, and in this case some of those inventive ‘what if’s’ will have actual answers from some of the brightest minds in Wales.
I am hopeful that with each member of this team committed to inclusivity as they are, that we can come up with something that truly speaks to the diversity of Wales and its historic culture along with new influences brought from around the globe by people who have made the journey to reach us.
A spokesperson on behalf of Tin Shed Theatre Co said: We are thrilled to have been selected as part of the Festival UK* 2022 consortiums list and to be collaborating with such an exciting group of individuals and organisations from across Wales. The opportunity presented to offer something bold, brave, imaginative and innovative to both national and international audiences through these unique relationships is incredibly exciting for the company, putting Wales firmly on the map for creative exploration.
Miles Warren, Founding Director of pyka said:”We are over the moon at pyka. We really see this as an opportunity to work with an amazing group of people to imagine and develop a project proposal: connecting, developing, and celebrating the latent STEAM power of the community of Wales, the UK, and the World.”
A spokesperson on behalf of Repair Cafe Wales said: We are delighted to have successfully progressed to the Research and Development stage for Festival UK* 2022, particularly as part of such a diverse and creative Welsh team. For Repair Cafe Wales, the opportunity to include aspects of sustainability and the circular economy within STEM and the Arts is incredibly exciting. We hope our extensive experience of running community events pan-Wales will enable us to ensure the needs of different communities across Wales are well represented.
Ali Boksh, Director and project coordinator for Urban Circle said. “I am delighted our consortium has been successful in getting through to the Research and Development stage for Festival 2022. The fundamental thing for me is to see a true representation of the communities we work in and serve here in Wales. That’s why I’m extremely happy that one of the key principles of Festival 2022 is to work with underrepresented groups, to have them involved in the process from the outset, so they have a say and help guide, shape and create something we can all be proud off and feel contented too”.
Dr Ffion Reynolds, from Cadw will be involved in the team, and said: “I’m excited to be part of one of the Creative Teams to go through to the next stage of the Festival UK* 2022 programme. This is a great opportunity to test out new ideas and approaches in the arts and science sectors, to develop creative concepts and to have the opportunity to collaborate and potentially create something awe-inspiring for the people of Wales and beyond. At Cadw, we want to bring Welsh stories alive in innovative ways, and this is a chance to do just that.”
Contact details:
Rachel Mason,
Associate Director, Science Made Simple: 07760 395585 (rachel@sciencemadesimple.co.uk)
NOTES
Details of partners
Science Made Simple (SMS), is an award-winning STEM outreach company with a mission to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers, to act as a bridge between researchers and the public and to promote the democratisation of science.
SMS has an impressive track record of helping researchers from industry, universities, NGOs, and learned societies communicate their work to a range of audiences. The company has experience of advising governments on STEM education issues and public engagement programmes and production of scientific and technical research publications for diverse audiences.
Cardiff University is the only Russell Group university in Wales and contributes £3.23 billion to the UK economy annually with research contracts totalling £500M. The university works closely with socially and culturally diverse communities throughout Wales and its engagement projects are helping to transform our neighbourhoods, from revitalising local journalism to the Community Gateway project in Cardiff’s Grangetown.
Paul Evans is a director, choreographer, performer and facilitator whose work has mainly focused on circus theatre, physical theatre, outdoor arts and contemporary circus, from Shakespeare to spectacle and everything in between. Paul has worked extensively on supporting community collaboration projects, developing environmental awareness and responsibility and supporting underrepresented voices internationally. As a keen researcher, Paul investigates the theatrical and choreographic potentials of circus as a communicative tool.
Cadw is the Welsh Government’s historic environment service, managing 130 historic properties across Wales. By providing access to these sites and using them as ‘showcases’ for the history of Wales, Cadw encourages people to explore and appreciate the historic environment and well as understand, appreciate and enjoy the stories of Wales.
Tin Shed Theatre Co is a theatrical organisation specialising in arts activity and creative outreach provision in Wales. It seeks to connect communities through arts-based activities with particular focus on outdoor locations, publicly populated space, heritage sites and structures.
pyka is a creative-digital collective that believes everyone should have the access to meaningful creative exploration.
Working with people from all backgrounds to discover our joined creative potential to build tools and experiences with the people who need them.
Repair Cafe Wales is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company with the core values of waste reduction, skills-sharing, and community cohesion. It facilitates regular pop-up events at which members of the local community can get household items fixed for free by volunteers, in order to prevent the items ending up in landfill. Repair cafes enable people from a diverse range of backgrounds to come together in a supportive environment, which in turn strengthens community resilience.
Urban Circle is an independent youth & arts-based Charity in Newport. It engages, supports and empowers young people and communities, uniting the young people of Newport across many cultures, backgrounds and interests. Its projects provide hundreds of young people with opportunities to develop and showcase their talents for the benefit of local communities, whilst having fun in a creative and innovative environment. Their work directly impacts on reducing social exclusion, anti-social behaviour and increasing civic pride through the application of youth work principles.
Consortiwm a arweinir gan Science Made Simple yn ennill cytundeb Festival UK* 2022
Mae consortiwm a arweinir gan gwmni cyfathrebu gwyddoniaeth Science Made Simple wedi ennill trwyddo i rownd nesaf cystadleuaeth i ddarparu prosiect mawr yng Nghymru fel rhan o Festival UK* 2022. Ar draws y DG roedd 30 o gonsortia yn llwyddiannus yn y rhan hwn, dau yng Nghymru.
Mae wyth o bartneriaid yn y consortiwm llwyddiannus: Prifysgol Caerdydd, Tin Shed Theatre Co, Urban Circle, pyka, Cadw, Science Made Simple a’r artist arobryn Cymreig, Paul Evans a fydd yn cymryd rôl y Cyfarwyddwr Creadigol.
Bwriad yr ŵyl yw dod â meddyliau gorau a doniau mwyaf disglair o fydoedd Gwyddoniaeth, Technoleg, Peirianneg, y Celfyddydau a Mathemateg (STEAM) i ddatblygu prosiectau ymgysylltu mawr i ddangos creadigrwydd ac arloesedd y DG ar raddfa fyd-eang.
Cam cyntaf y broses oedd penderfynu pwy ddylai datblygu syniadau ar gyfer yr ŵyl. Ac yn y rhan hwn roedd consortiwm Science Made Simple yn llwyddiannus. Bydd y syniadau ar gyfer yr ŵyl yn dod wrth i’r consortiwm ddechrau cyfnod o ymchwil a datblygu twys, a fydd yn arwain at gynnig i ddathlu creadigrwydd ac arloesedd ac sydd yn cynnwys grwpiau a dangynrychiolwyd. Mae’r cyfnod yna yn dechrau heddiw (16 Tachwedd) a bydd yn parhau tan ddiwedd mis Ionawr pryd y bydd y cynigion yn cael eu cyflwyno i drefnwyr Festival UK* 2022.
Dywedai Wendy Sadler, Cyfarwyddwr Sylfaenol Science Made Simple: Dwi wrth fy modd ein bod ni wedi bod yn llwyddiannus cyrraedd Prosiect Ymchwil a Datblygu Festival UK* 2022. Mae gan ein consortiwm ystod eang o sgiliau a dwi’n edrych ymlaen at eu gweld nhw’n dod at ei gilydd i greu rhywbeth y bydd Cymru yn falch ohoni.
Dwi arbennig o falch mai un o egwyddorion sylfaenol yr ŵyl yw ymestyn allan at grwpiau a dangynrychiolwyd. Rydyn ni yn Science Made Simple wedi bod yn gweithio’n galed dros y blynyddoedd i ddod â gwyddoniaeth a thechnoleg i mewn i’r cymunedau hyn sydd fel arfer yn cael eu hanwybyddu gan weithgareddau gwyddoniaeth a diwylliannol prif ffrwd. Ein bwriad yn y prosiect hwn yw sicrhau y bydd y cymunedau hyn yn cael eu cynnwys o’r dechrau.”
Meddai Kim Graham, Dirprwy Is-Ganghellor dros Ymchwil, Arloesedd a Menter ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd: “Mae Prifysgol Caerdydd yn falch o fod yn rhan o gonsortiwm creadigol hwn i ddathlu arloesedd yng Nghymru fel rhan o ddigwyddiad Festival UK* 2022. Amcan ein Cenhadaeth yw cysylltu ymchwil blaengar â phobl Cymru ac mae’r cyfle hwn yn llwyfan cenedlaethol a rhyngwladol i ymgysylltu â chynulleidfaoedd newydd i bynciau STEM.”
Meddai Paul Evans, cyfarwyddwr a choreograffydd llawrydd: “Dyma gyfle cyffrous i ddylunio prosiect ar gyfer cymunedau Cymru, trwy gydweithio unigryw na fuasai fel arall yn bosibl. Mae Festival 2022 yn gyfle i mi fel artist dysgu pethau newydd oddi wrth bartneriaid STEAM eraill er mwyn creu mewn modd eang a chydweithredol. Dwi’n edrych ymlaen at yr her a’r posibiliadau creadigol mae’r tîm hwn yn cynnig. Mae’r posibiliadau yn byrlymu yn fy meddwl yn barod. Nid yn aml y cewch y cyfle i ddechrau proses â “beth os…” ac yn yr achos hwn y caiff rhai o’r cwestiynau hyn eu hateb gan rai o feddyliau mwyaf disglair yng Nghymru.
Gobeithio gan fod pob un aelod o’r tîm wedi’i ymrwymo i fod yn gynhwysol, y medrwn ni creu rhywbeth sy’n cyfleu holl amrywiaeth Cymru a’i diwylliant hanesyddol, ynghyd â’r dylanwadau newydd a ddaeth yma o bedwar ban y byd gan bobl a deithiodd yma i gwrdd â ni.”
Meddai cynrychiolydd ar ran y Tin Shed Theatre Co: “Rydyn ni’n wrth ein boddau i’w cael ein dewis fel rhan o restr consortia Festival 2022 ac i gydweithio ag unigolion a sefydliadau cyffrous ar draws Cymru. Mae’r cyfle i gynnig rhywbeth mentrus, dewr, llawn dychymyg ac arloesol i gynulleidfaoedd cenedlaethol a rhyngwladol trwy’r berthynas unigryw hon, yn hynod o gyffrous i’r cwmni, yn rhoi Cymru yn gadarn ar y map o ddarganfyddiad creadigol.”
Meddai Miles Warren, Cyfarwyddwr Sylfaenol pyka: “Rydyn ni yn pyka ar ben ein digon â’r newyddion. Rydyn ni wir yn gweld hwn fel cyfle i weithio â grŵp o bobl anhygoel i ddychymyg a datblygu cynnig prosiect; yn cysylltu, datblygu a dathlu grym cudd STEAM cymunedau Cymru, y DG a’r byd.”
Meddai llefarydd ar ran Repair Cafe Wales: “Rydyn ni’n falch iawn i gyrraedd Prosiect Ymchwil a Datblygu ar gyfer Festival UK* 2022, yn arbennig fel rhan o dîm Cymreig mor amrywiol a chreadigol. Ar gyfer Repair Cafe Wales, mae’r cyfle i gynnwys agweddau cynaliadwyaeth a’r economi cylchol o fewn STEM a’r celfyddydau yn gyffrous dros ben. Gobeithio y bydd ein profiad eang o redeg digwyddiadau cymunedol ar draws Cymru yn ein galluogi i sicrhau y bydd anghenion y cymunedau gwahanol ar draws Cymru yn cael eu cynrychioli.”
Meddai Ali Boksh, Cyfarwyddwr a chydlynydd prosiect ar ran Urban Circle: “Dwi wrth fy modd bod ein consortiwm wedi bod yn llwyddiannus yn cyrraedd rhan Ymchwil a Datblygu Festival 2022. Y peth hanfodol imi yw gweld gwir gynrychiolaeth o’r cymunedau lle dyn ni’n gweithio a’u gwasanaethu yma yng Nghymru. Dyma pam dwi hynod o falch fod un o egwyddorion allweddol Festival UK* 2022 yw gweithio â grwpiau tangynrychiolwyd, sicrhau eu bod nhw rhan o’r broses o’r echrau, er mwyn iddynt leisio barn a helpu llywio, ffurfio a chreu rhywbeth y medrwn ni gyd bod yn falch ohono ac sy’n ein bodloni hefyd.”
Bydd Dr Ffion Reynolds o Cadw yn rhan o’r tîm. Meddai “Mae’n gyffrous imi fod yn rhan o un o’r timau creadigol i gyrraedd rhan nesaf rhaglen Festival UK* 2022. Dyma gyfle gwych i brofi syniadau a dulliau newydd yn y celfyddydau a’r gwyddorau i ddatblygu cysyniadau creadigol ac i gael y cyfle i gydweithio ac o bosib creu rhywbeth syfrdanol ar gyfer pobl Cymru a thu hwnt. Yn Cadw rydyn ni eisiau dod â storïau Cymru yn fyw mewn moddau arloesol, a dyma gyfle i’w wneud hynny.”
Manylion Cyswllt:
Rachel Mason
Cyfarwyddwr Cyswllt, Science Made Simple 07760 395585
(rachel@sciencemadesimple.co.uk)
NODIADAU
Manylion y partneriaid
Science Made Simple yw cwmni ymgysylltu STEM arobryn sydd â chenhadaeth i ysbrydoli cenhedlaeth nesaf gwyddonwyr a pheirianwyr, i bontio rhwng ymchwilwyr a’r cyhoedd ac i hybu democrateiddio gwyddoniaeth.
Mae gan SMS hanes clodwiw o gynorthwyo ymchwilwyr o ddiwydiant, prifysgolion, sefydliadau anllywodraethol a sefydliadau dysgedig gyfathrebu eu gwaith i ystod eang o gynulleidfaoedd. Mae gan y cwmni brofiad o gynghori llywodraethau ar faterion ynglŷn ag addysg STEM, rhaglenni ymgysylltu a chynhyrchu cyhoeddiadau gwyddonol a thechnegol ar gyfer gynulleidfaoedd amrywiol.
Prifysgol Caerdydd yw unig brifysgol y Russell Group yng Nghymru. Mae’n cyfrannu £3.23 biliwn i economi’r DG bob blwyddyn gyda chytundebau ymchwil gwerth £500 miliwn. Mae’r brifysgol yn gweithio’n agos â chymunedau sy’n gymdeithasol a diwylliannol amrywiol trwy Gymru a’i phrosiectau ymgysylltu yn helpu trawsffurfio ein cymdogaethau o adfywio newyddiaduraeth leol i brosiect Porth Cymunedol yn ardal Grangetown yng Nghaerdydd.
Mae Paul Evans yn gyfarwyddwr, choreograffydd, perfformiwr a hwyluswr sy’n gweithio yn bennaf mewn theatr y syrcas , theatr gorfforol, y celfyddydau awyr agored a syrcas cyfoes o Shakespeare i ysblander a phopeth rhyngddynt. Mae Paul wedi gweithio ar gynorthwyo cydweithrediad cymunedol, yn datblygu ymwybyddiaeth a chyfrifoldebau amgylcheddol ac ar gefnogi lleisiau tangynrychiolwyd yn rhyngwladol. Fel ymchwilydd brwdfrydig mae Paul yn ymchwilio potensial theatr a choreograffeg syrcas fel offeryn cyfathrebu.
Cadw yw gwasanaeth amgylchedd hanesyddol Llywodraeth Cymru, yn rheoli 130 eiddo hanesyddol ar draws Cymru. Trwy ddiogelu mynediad i’r safleoedd hyn a’u defnyddio i arddangos hanes Cymru, mae Cadw yn annog pobl i ddarganfod mwy a mwynhau’r amgylchfyd hanesyddol yn ogystal â deall, gwerthfawrogi a mwynhau storïau Cymru.
Mae’r Tin Shed Theatre Co yn sefydliad theatrig yn arbenigo mewn gweithgareddau celfyddydol a darpariaeth estyn greadigol yng Nghymru. Mae’n ceisio cysylltu cymunedau trwy weithgareddau yn seiliedig ar y celfyddydau gyda phwyslais ar weithgareddau awyr agored, llefydd â phoblogaeth, safleoedd a sefydliadau treftadaeth.
Mae pyka yn gydweithrediad digidol creadigol sy’n credu y dylai pawb cael mynediad i deithiau creadigol ystyrlon. Cyflawnir hyn trwy weithio â phobl o gefndiroedd gwahanol i ddod o hyd i botensial creadigol i greu’r offerynnau a phrofiadau gyda’r bobl sydd eu hangen.
Mae Repair Cafe Wales yn gwmni buddiant cymunedol gyda’r gwerthoedd sylfaenol o leihau gwastraff, rhannu sgiliau a chydlyniad cymunedol. Mae’n hyrwyddo digwyddiadau naid rheolaidd lle mae aelodau cymunedau lleol yn gallu cael eiddo eu hunain eu hatgyweirio am ddim gan wirfoddolwyr er mwyn osgoi eitemau yn cyrraedd claddfeydd sbwriel. Mae repair cafes yn galluogi i bobl o gefndiroedd gwahanol gydweithio mewn awyrgylch cynorthwyol sy’n cryfhau hydwythedd cymunedol.
Mae Urban Circle yn elusen gelfyddydol annibynnol i bobl ifanc Casnewydd. Mae’n sbarduno, cefnogi a grymuso pobl ifanc a chymunedau, ac yn uno pobl ifanc Casnewydd o wahanol ddiwylliannau, cefndiroedd a diddordebau. Mae ei brosiectau yn rhoi i gannoedd o bobl ifanc, gyfleoedd datblygu ac arddangos eu talentau ar les cymunedau lleol wrth gael hwyl mewn awyrgylch creadigol ac arloesol. Mae eu gwaith yn cael effaith uniongyrchol ar leihau allgau cymdeithasol, ymddygiad gwrthgymdeithasol a chynyddu balchder dinesig trwy weithredu egwyddorion gwaith ieuenctid.
