CultureStep News March 2024
This March, the CultureStep Panel met to deliberate the applications received for the final meeting of the 2023/24 financial year.
Four investments were confirmed, all of which will help to strengthen and sustain innovative partnerships between business and the arts. They are:
- Act Now Creative Training & Grant Stephens Family Law. Through an A&B Cymru brokerage, the firm commissioned Act Now to design and deliver a bespoke arts-based training programme to develop the networking skills and confidence of ten of its employees. CultureStep is extending the partnership by funding a second day of one-to-one coaching for the participants.
- Theatr na nÓg & Boskalis Westminster, Cardiff Harbour Authority, Port of Milford Haven & Mermaid Quay. New partners, Boskalis Westminster and Mermaid Quay, have joined Cardiff Harbour Authority and the Port of Milford Haven, in collaborating with Theatr na nÓg to raise awareness of the dangers of swimming and jumping into unmonitored water. The project will enable the return of the award-winning show Just Jump for a 6th year, engaging over 1,000 pupils from Cardiff schools at the Norwegian Church and 350 at the Torch Theatre, Milford Haven. CultureStep is increasing the reach of the project by contributing to the cast fees, enabling more performances and bilingual delivery.
- Cardiff Animation Festival & Picl Animation; Cloth Cat Animation; Twt Productions; Bomper Studio; ScreenSkills; Bumpybox & Chapter Arts Centre. A range of business partners are supporting Cardiff Animation Festival to deliver its annual event from 25-28 April. An audience of over 10,000 will be able to access 100 short films, creative workshops and masterclasses, showcasing events and exhibitions. The festival will focus on the theme of Treat, exploring how food brings communities together. CultureStep is contributing to Industry Day Masterclass and panel speakers, a VR Experience, Arabic translation for events and Wellbeing Workshop materials & facilitation.
- Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama & Unite Students. Unite Students has supported the College’s subsidised ticketing scheme for Cardiff students for six years. Both partners wish to increase the number of accessible performances available. To support this, CultureStep is funding British Sign Language (BSL) supported and captioned performances.
During 2023/24, CultureStep has invested over £91K in 33 partnerships, levering almost £342K from business directly to the arts.
The recipients confirmed at the previous Panels were:
- Anthem & Bizspace
- Arts Connection – Cyswllt Celf & Wind 2
- Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias & Les Harpes Camac
- Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias & Pendine Park Care Organisation
- Cowbridge Music Festival & Richard H Powell & Partners & Tidy Translations
- Engage Cymru & CGI
- Engage Cymru & Wales & West Housing Association
- Hijinx & Morgan Quarter & FOR Cardiff
- Lighthouse Theatre & Cardiff Harbour Authority
- Mack Events Presents & CJCH Solicitors & Barry Training Services & Forklift Specialist & Finnegans Inn & Gary Watson Motor Company & Ruckleys & RJR BAR Services & ISO Guy & The Rock Shop & Loaded Dice & Truffle Specialist Finance & Bro Radio & Sunkiss Tanning Salon
- Making Sense & RWE Renewals UK Swindon Limited
- Menter Caerdydd Tafwyl & Cardiff & Vale College
- Mewn Cymeriad / In Character & National Library of Wales & Merched y Wawr
- National Youth Arts Wales & WSP UK
- NoFit State Circus & Cardiff Community Housing Association
- NoFit State Circus & Celsa Steel UK
- North Wales International Music Festival & Ty Architecture Cyf
- OPRA Cymru & Magnox & Castell Howell Foods
- Riverfront Theatre & Arts Centre & Newport Transport
- Role Plays for Training & Cartrefi Conwy
- Rubicon Dance & Rubicon Facilities Management
- Shelter Cymru & HSBC & IKEA
- studioMADE Creative & RWE Renewals UK Swindon Limited
- Tanio & Linc Cymru Housing Association.
- The Denbigh Workshop & RWE Renewals UK Swindon Limited
- The Other Room & Bad Wolf
- The Successors of the Mandingue & University of Wales Trinity Saint David
- Urdd Gobaith Cymru & Llaeth y Llan & Royal College of Psychiatrists
- Vision Arts & Valero
Arts partners may apply for up to £1 from CultureStep for every £2 invested by the business partner.
The next deadline is 9 May 2024. If you are interested in making an application, please get in touch at contactus@aandbcymru.org.uk
