Students recognised as exhibitions and performances continue across Wales and beyond

THE UNIVERSITY OF WALES Trinity Saint David has celebrated the work of emerging artists, designers and performers through its annual Summer Degree Shows.

The exhibitions and performances, held during May and continuing into the summer, showcase final-year projects from students across a wide range of creative disciplines, including Fine Art, Graphic Design, Surface Pattern and Textiles, Photography, Illustration, Automotive and Transport Design, Acting and Adventure Filmmaking.

Events have taken place across Swansea, Carmarthen, Cardiff and London, with major showcases held at Swansea College of Art’s Dynevor and Alex buildings. Performances have also been staged at Yr Egin in Carmarthen, with further exhibitions planned at national venues.

A key part of the celebrations was the annual prize-giving ceremony at Dynevor in Swansea, where students were recognised for outstanding achievement.

Aimiee Brown and Branwen Jones received the Elysium Sculpture Award, with two £500 prizes presented for excellence in sculptural practice.

The Hayden John James Prize awarded £1,000 prizes to undergraduate student Tilly Lewis and postgraduate student Andrew T Gardiner.

Surface Pattern student Samantha McGrath received the Elizabeth Jeffries Prize, while Cel Hopkins was awarded the Josef Herman Carolyn Davies Prize, presented by the Josef Herman Foundation.

Illustration student Morgan Stevens received the Rhys Bevan Jones Illustration Prize, while Seren Trodden was recognised twice, receiving both an Old Dyvorians Association President Prize and the Mission Gallery Makers Award in collaboration with the Jane Phillips Award.

Other Old Dyvorians Association President Prizes went to Bella Watkins, Rhiannon Hughes, Adam Mayhew, Emi Joy and Becca May.

Jewellery student Jessica Theobald received the ACJ College Jewellery Prize, which includes membership of the Association for Contemporary Jewellery, while Photography student Carys Bristowe-Davies received the Sarah Tierney Award, offering mentoring and access to workshops at Swansea College of Art.

Dr Mark Cocks, Dean of UWTSD’s Wales Institute for Science and Art, said: “The Summer Degree exhibitions celebrate the inspirational creative talents of our students.

“The innovation and diversity of the student work is testament to their dedication and creative application of their personal practice. These shows are the culmination of academic study, but also the beginning of professional creative journeys.”

Caroline Thraves, Academic Director for Art and Media at UWTSD’s Swansea College of Art, said the shows provided students with an important professional platform.

She added: “Hosting the Summer Shows is a vital part of our mission at UWTSD. It gives our students a professional platform to share their creativity with the world, celebrates their hard work, and connects them with the industries they are about to enter.”

Lynne Seymour, Academic Director for Design and Performing Industries, said this year’s programme was particularly significant as the university marks 25 years since the first graduates from its Set Design and Production course.

She said: “These exhibitions and performances represent not only the culmination of years of hard work, collaboration and artistic exploration, but also the beginning of many professional creative journeys.”

The Summer Shows continue throughout the season, including Architecture, Engineering and Computing exhibitions at UWTSD’s Swansea Waterfront campus, performances from WAVDA students at Yr Egin and in Cardiff, exhibitions at New Designers and Copeland Gallery in London, and Automotive and Transport Design showcases at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July.

AS THE NATIONAL Centre for Learning Welsh celebrates its highest ever number of learners – over 20,000 in 2024–2025 – it has announced a new ambassadors scheme with the aim of inspiring even more people to learn, use and enjoy the Welsh language.

The Learn Welsh Ambassadors Scheme will be launched today (May 23) at the Urdd Eisteddfod on Anglesey, as part of the Eisteddfod’s ‘Learners’ Day’ celebrations.

Four high-profile ambassadors have been appointed to the new scheme:

• Aleighcia Scott – singer and DJ, and one of the mentors on S4C’s talent show Y Llais, who will also be honoured with the Green robe at Eisteddfod Genedlaethol y Garreg Las in August.
• Tori James – adventurer and the first Welsh woman to climb Mount Everest.
• Katie Owen – DJ and social media influencer.
• Ian Gwyn Hughes – Head of Public Relations at the Football Association of Wales.

The four ambassadors will represent the Centre, sharing their personal experiences of the Welsh language, and promoting the work of the Learn Welsh sector. They will also support recruitment campaigns, encouraging people from all backgrounds to begin learning Welsh, or to continue their language journey.

The scheme reflects the Centre’s vision to attract and support a wide range of audiences to learn and use Welsh, including workforces, communities, key sectors such as Health and Social Care, the Education Workforce and Sport, young people and families.

The Centre is launching the scheme at the Urdd Eisteddfod. It works in partnership with the Urdd to provide a range of opportunities for the organisation’s staff, and the young people using its services, to strengthen their Welsh language skills or to begin learning the language.

The Centre is also pleased to support the Urdd’s medals for young Welsh learners, the Bobi Jones Medal for learners aged 19 years’ old and above, and the Learners’ Medal for learners aged under 19 years.

Dona Lewis, Chief Executive of the National Centre for Learning Welsh, said: “Creating new Welsh speakers is the Centre’s main aim, supporting them to use and enjoy the language with confidence in their everyday lives.

“I’m pleased to say the Learn Welsh sector is going from strength to strength, with more people than ever completing our courses.

“We’re delighted to welcome a group of passionate ambassadors who will share their experiences of the Welsh language and help promote and celebrate our work. We’re proud to launch this new scheme at the Urdd Eisteddfod, one of our partners.

“The Centre works creatively and in partnership across different sectors, providing one, single learning pathway to becoming a Welsh speaker. We are all here to welcome and support our learners and new speakers at every stage of their language journey.”

Aleighcia Scott said: “I’m delighted to take part in this scheme. Learning Welsh has been an important personal journey for me, and it has opened new doors – both creatively and socially.”

Tori James said: “Learning a new skill can be a bit like climbing a mountain – it can be a challenge, but every small step is a success!

“I’m very pleased to have the opportunity to support people to take their first step into learning Welsh, and to keep going – it’s a journey well worth taking.”

Katie Owen said: “I’d always wanted to learn Welsh, and it has been the best thing I’ve done. The Welsh-speaking community is so welcoming, and the National Centre for Learning Welsh offers so many opportunities to learn and use the language.”

Ian Gwyn Hughes said: “Welsh belongs to all of us, and it has been fantastic to see the positive response to our use of the language at the Football Association of Wales. I look forward to supporting the Centre’s work to extend the use of Welsh in all kinds of contexts.”

A NEW report has found that Welsh-speaking students face inconsistent access to Welsh language services across Wales’ colleges and universities.

The research, published by the Welsh Language Commissioner on Monday (May 25), gathered responses from more than 1,500 further and higher education students.

It examined four key areas: whether students can submit written work in Welsh, choose accommodation with Welsh-speaking students, access a Welsh-speaking personal tutor, and receive wellbeing support through the medium of Welsh.

The report also looked at the wider language culture on campuses, including how institutions promote Welsh language services and support students to use Welsh naturally in academic and social settings.

Osian Llywelyn, Deputy Welsh Language Commissioner, said colleges and universities had a vital role in helping students use Welsh as part of everyday life.

He said: “Given the importance of sustaining and developing the continued use of the Welsh language, it is essential to recognise the key role that further education colleges and higher education institutions play in ensuring that students have the opportunity to use Welsh naturally as part of their academic and social lives.

“While it is encouraging to see strong examples of good practice, that experience is not consistent across the sector. As a result, we have identified clear improvement actions, and we will be asking the relevant institutions to address them.”

Five improvement actions have been identified. These include standardising Welsh-medium assessment arrangements, proactively offering Welsh language services rather than simply making them available on request, addressing gaps in workforce Welsh-language skills, strengthening students’ sense of belonging through Welsh, and improving self-assessment and monitoring.

James Owen, Chief Executive of Medr, the body responsible for funding and regulating tertiary education in Wales, said the findings showed the need for more support across the sector.

He said Medr’s new Welsh Language Condition would place a clearer focus on providers promoting and supporting the use of Cymraeg, and on creating formal and informal opportunities for staff and learners to develop their Welsh-language skills.

Ioan Matthews, Chief Executive of Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, said students’ experiences of Welsh at college or university could influence their willingness and ability to use the language later in the workplace.

He said the report showed the need for the Welsh-language experience to extend “well beyond the classroom”.

The report will be officially launched at the Welsh Language Commissioner’s stand at the Urdd Eisteddfod in Anglesey at 11:00am on Monday (May 25).