There’s no doubt that this has been a difficult year for all of us. In March we closed our doors and lost 85% of our income overnight but we knew there was so much creative work we could continue online if we could fund it...

This is why your support has been so crucial.  Without it, everything would have stopped.

Over the past months, we’ve shared with you the changes we are making to ensure our survival. I am so proud that we have continued our Together Stronger project with Valleys Kids, piloted our new free creative training courses and partnered with Butetown Carnival and other community groups.

We launched our huge Voices of Change art project, continued work on two of our own productions for 2021, mentored emerging talent and supported creative freelancers wherever possible, and the amazing young people running our youth radio station Radio Platfform have continued doing so from their bedrooms.

Our Development team, which I look after, has been under considerable pressure to find new sources of income and to maintain the many relationships with our community.

Despite reducing now to only Esyllt, Cecily, Lucy and myself, we have been able to do this whilst working closely with our arts and creative teams. We’ve had to be creative and look at everything afresh, but in doing this we will emerge more agile, diverse and resilient for the future.

So, thank you to all of you that have donated rather than requested a refund, bought tickets for 2021 and added a donation, or bought gift vouchers and seat dedications.

We were especially cheered by the huge number of members who have stuck with us and renewed, and some of you have even stepped in to help us continue working on our productions for next year. These would not be happening without you.

Alongside support from Arts Council of Wales, key partner trusts and foundations and those corporate members able to stay with us, you are enabling us to continue our work and plan our re-opening in 2021, which we hope will be a time for great celebration.

When I stepped into this role earlier this year, this was certainly not the year I had envisaged, but I am proud to be working alongside amazing people who are making a real difference to lives in Wales and the future of the arts for all of us. I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible in 2021 and to thanking you in person.

Diolch o galon

Sian Morgan - Director of Development and Partnerships