Working with Annedd Ni & Blas Pontio to Explore the Link Between Art and Language
Annedd Ni Day Service offers sessional activities for adults with support needs. They offer a variety of therapeutic, leisure, social and educational sessions.
Blas Pontio is an arts programme run by Pontio, Bangor, which gives children and young people Bangor the chance to get involved in performing arts.
My name is Bethan Collins, I am a 3rd year PhD student in the department of Linguistics, English Language and Bilingualism. My main research interests are the beneficial effects of second language exposure in childhood, and I am passionate about the inclusion of Welsh in education for all. With this in mind, when I heard about the project running in collaboration between Blas Pontio and Annedd Ni Day Service, I couldn’t wait to get involved!
Between October and December 2023, Blas Pontio ran a project alongside Annedd Ni Day Service, designed to explore creative techniques and the inclusion of the Arts to assist with learning a new language. As we are based in Gwynedd, this was the perfect location for us to explore the link between the Arts and language, something which had not been done in Wales before. We held 10 sessions for adults with varying disabilities or additional needs, specifically aimed at improving their attitudes towards Welsh, and allowing them to explore new activities alongside learning some new vocabulary. We held dance, music, poetry and craft sessions which were enjoyed by all. With an innovative approach, instead of setting out with specific language targets, we took a more holistic attitude, hoping that including Welsh in a naturalistic way alongside introducing these fun activities would help to improve both attitudes towards the language, and readiness to engage with Welsh culture, which it absolutely did! In addition to having great fun in the sessions, we also explored the strong links between language and culture, learning about important parts of culture in Wales, such as the strong poetic traditions, or the history of Clog dancing. Everyone involved in this project, from individuals who attended the Day Service, to the staff and practitioners themselves described the significant value of projects such as this, and their importance in minority language settings.
I truly believe that the Welsh language should be accessible for all, regardless of background, and that is exactly the ethos that was maintained throughout this project. All of the practitioners involved were so passionate about their work, and about extending a welcome to those people who may have felt excluded from the community for whatever reason, something which is so important. Being part of this project was truly a privilege and I hope its successes can go on to be replicated in the wider community and across Wales.
Although this is quite a departure from my everyday work, being involved in this project and writing this report has opened my eyes to the multitude of ways in which we can promote bilingualism across Wales and beyond. Language has a special power to unite communities, something which is clearly evident from this project, and this is an important message to promote across Wales. I want to say a special thank you to Mared, for being so enthusiastic and passionate, and for welcoming me into the Blas organisation with open arms. The whole team involved in this project: Mared Huws, Angharad Harrop, Geth Thomas, Buddug Roberts, Eirini Sanoudaki and Ed Holden created fantastic opportunities for people to explore Welsh in creative and artistic ways, and I can’t wait to see what comes next for the team at Blas! Diolch yn fawr i chi gyd!