We’re extremely proud and happy to be able to announce that, together with creative partners in science, technology and the arts from across Wales, NTW has been selected to lead one of the 30 Creative Teams to take part in the Festival UK* 2022 R&D Project.

Festival UK* 2022 launches today with an R&D programme to progress open, original and optimistic ideas that could go on to become one of ten major creative projects, each designed to reach millions, bring people together and showcase the UK’s creativity and innovation globally in 2022.

This R&D represents an outstanding opportunity for Wales and we are committed to ensuring that the process of developing a proposal is open and inclusive, and that our final concept represents the richness of Welsh culture and the potential of emerging talent to reimagine our future. Our Creative Team brings together some of the brightest minds and most progressive producers in Wales across environmental action, immersive technology, screen and TV innovation, citizen journalism, interactive film, public art and place-based participatory performance. Each team member represents a wider group of collaborators and communities locally, nationally and internationally who will enrich our thinking over the next three months. We are excited for this project to unlock new opportunities and new visions of the future at this critical time across Wales and globally.

30 Creative Teams have been selected to take part in the Festival UK* 2022 R&D Project, each receiving up to £100,000 of investment to enable them to develop their ideas for the Festival. The teams are bringing together more than 300 organisations and individuals from across the UK, including freelancers and emerging talent, with many working together for the first time. Based in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, they bring an extraordinary breadth of knowledge and creativity across Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM).

National Theatre Wales’ partners are:

• Liara Barussi, Founder and Artistic Director, Jukebox Collective, also representing Youth Arts Network Cymru
• Pauline Burt, founding Chief Executive, Ffilm Cymru
• Lorne Campbell, Artistic Director, National Theatre Wales
• Claire Doherty, Artistic Director, founder Director, Situations and Associate Director, NTW
• Gethin Evans, Artistic Director, Fran Wen, also representing Youth Arts Network Cymru
• Shirish Kulkarni, journalist, news researcher and community organiser at Bureau Local, also representing Clwstwr
• Will Humphrey, Studio Director, Sugar Creative
• Robin Moore, former Head of Innovation, BBC Wales & Co-Director, Clwstwr
• Kaite O’Reilly, playwright, dramatist, representing Disability Arts Cymru
  
• Marc Rees, interdisciplinary artist, theatre-maker and Creative Associate, NTW
• Owen Sheers, novelist, writer, poet and Professor in Creativity, Uni. of Swansea
• Rebecca Upton, Senior Lecturer in MSc Sustainability & Behaviour Change, Centre for Alternative Technology

To find out more about Festival UK 2022 go to festival2022.uk