The Underground Welsh Language Rock Scene

Stephen Price

Am, the Welsh arts and culture digital platform, celebrates its fifth anniversary this week, and the creatives behind the platform have chosen some of their content highlights – showcasing a groundbreaking selection of works that Am, and Wales, has become renowned for.

Launched in 2020, Am was created in Wales for Wales – a bilingual, inclusive, and open-access space to explore the nation’s creative industries, from music and theatre to literature and film.

What began with 75 creative organisations has now grown into a thriving online home for more than 480 partners, hosting over 8,000 pieces of content and becoming a vital tool for discovery, connection and creative collaboration.

Throughout its growth, Am has stayed true to its founding mission: to create a platform that reflects the inclusivity and innovation of modern Wales. This includes a landmark 2022 partnership with Disability Arts Cymru to break down barriers for deaf and disabled creatives.

Highlights

Here are some highlights (in no particular order) from the content featured on Am over our first 5 years, selected by the Am team:

  1. Ffilm Aildanio Film – Celfyddydau Anabledd Cymru/Disability Arts Cymru (Alun)

Ffilm yn dogfennu gwaith yr artistiaid oedd yn rhan o Wobr Celf 2022 ein partner strategol Celfyddydau Anabledd Cymru, a’r daith o amgylch Cymru a ddilynwyd.

Aildanio

A film documenting our strategic partner DAC’s 2022 Arts Prize, and the subsequent exhibition tour of Wales.

https://www.ambobdim.cymru/profile-content/aildanio-part-one-cy/

  1. Maniffest (Mari)

Cyfres o ffilmiau fer a gomisiynwyd gan Theatr Cenedlaethol Ieuenctid Cymru am ddemocratiaeth ieuenctid wrth i bobl ifanc 16 a 17 oed ledled y wlad baratoi at bleidleisio am y tro cyntaf yn etholiadau Senedd Cymru.

A series of films commissioned by National Youth Theatre Wales about youth democracy, as 16- and 17-year olds across the country got ready to vote for the first time in the recent Senedd Cymru elections.

https://www.ambobdim.cymru/en/discover/maniffest/

  1. O Gyfalafiaeth i Gyfoeth Cymunedol / Bevan: From Capitalism to Community Wealth – BROcast Ffestiniog (Alun)

Fideo yn dogfennu ymateb trigolion Blaenau Ffestiniog a Chwm Cynon i sut mae cyfoeth wedi cael ei dynnu o’u cymunedau dros y canrifoedd, a sut allen nhw wneud pethau yn wahanol.

O Gyfalafiaeth i Gyfoeth Cymunedol

A video documenting people in Blaenau Ffestiniog and the Cynon Valley area considering how wealth has been taken away from their communities over the centuries, and how they can do things differently.

https://www.ambobdim.cymru/profile-content/bevan-o-gyfalafiaeth-cyfoeth-cymunedol-from-capitalism-to-community-wealth-cy/

  1. Er Cofid 19 – Uchafbwyntiau/Highlights – Theatr Cymru (Mari)

Yn y perfformiad digidol cyntaf o’i fath drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg, mae pedwar ffrind yn lladd amser, pryfocio a rhoi’r byd yn ei le mewn marathon theatraidd 6 awr.

Er Cofid 19

In the first Welsh-language digital performance of its kind, join four friends in lockdown, messing around and shooting the breeze in the name of killing time during a 6 hour theatrical marathon.

https://www.ambobdim.cymru/profile-content/er-cofid-19-uchafbwyntiau-or-highlights-cy/

  1. ANKSTMUSIK: THE UNDERGROUND WELSH LANGUAGE ROCK SCENE (1985 – 1998) (Alun)

Ffilm ddogfen gan y diweddar Emyr Glyn Williams a gynhyrchwyd i ddathlu penblwydd Recordiau Ankst yn 1998, yn dilyn hanes cerddoriaeth roc iaith Gymraeg o ddyddiau cynnar Recordiau Anhrefn i’r ffenomen Cool Cymru yn y nawdegau hwyr.

Produced to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Ankst Records in 1998, this documentary film by the late Emyr Glyn WIlliams follows the story of underground Welsh language rock music from the early days of Anhrefn Records to the late nineties Cool Cymru phenomenon.

https://www.ambobdim.cymru/en/profile-content/ankstmusik-the-underground-welsh-language-rock-scene-1985-1998-subtitled-version/

  1. Butetown Carnival – Butetown Arts & Culture Association (Alun)

Casgliad o ffilmiau dawns gan artistiaid lleol i ddathlu Butetown Carnival 2020.

Butetown Carnival 2020

A series of dance films from local artists to celebrate Butetown Carnival 2020.

https://www.ambobdim.cymru/en/discover/baca/

  1. Tu Draw + Ffilm Ddogfen – Llais Dyslecsia (Lea)

Ffilm yn dogfennu cyfres o sesiynau creadigol i blant gyda dyslecsia, a ffilm gelf o gerdd gan Casi Wyn yn ymateb i’r sesiynau.

Llais Dyslecsia

A film documenting a series of creative sessions for children with dyslexia, and an animated film featuring a poem by Casi Wyn in response to the sessions.

https://www.ambobdim.cymru/profile-content/tu-draw-cy/

  1. O Saron i Saron –  Klep Dim Trep (Lea)

Fideo ‘O Saron i Saron’, ar broffil y label recordiau Klep Dim Trep.

O Saron i Saron

 ‘O Saron i Saron’ music video via the record label Klep Dim Trep.

https://www.ambobdim.cymru/en/profile-content/o-saron-i-saron/

  1. Beyond/Tu Hwnt – Lucent Dreaming (Lea)

Roedd Am yn falch o gyd-gynhyrchu ffilm arbennig gyda’r wasg Lucent Dreaming i ddathlu ‘Beyond/Tu Hwnt’;  blodeugerdd ddwyieithog yn cynnwys gwaith gan 31 o ysgrifennwyr Byddar ac Anabl.

Beyond Tu Hwnt

Am was proud to co-produce a special film with Lucent Dreaming to celebrate the publication of ‘Beyond/Tu Hwnt’, a bilingual anthology featuring work by 31 Deaf and Disabled writers.

https://www.ambobdim.cymru/profile-content/beyond-tu-hwnt-ffilm/

  1. Noson Gelf / Art Night (Mari)

Fersiynau ar alw o 5 darllediad byw 6 awr o sioe gelf arloesol gan Culture Colony, yn dogfennu celf amgen yng Nghymru.

Noson Gelf

On demand versions of 5 six-hour live broadcasts of a groundbreaking visual arts show by Culture Colony, documenting the alternative visual arts scene in Wales.

https://www.ambobdim.cymru/discover/culturecolony-cy/

Digital film festival

To mark its five-year milestone, Am launched its first-ever digital film festival, AmCam, on 18 June.

Supported by Arts Council Wales, AmCam coincides with the relaunch of its redesigned website – developed to improve accessibility and enhance user experience. The festival will premiere four original short films portraying life, art and resilience across Welsh communities

Lea Glyn, Am’s Head of Content said: “It is extremely exciting to be able to broadcast these films as part of AmCam. It is a privilege to be able to share diverse and entertaining portraits of the creativity of communities from Wales that are not often represented in the mainstream.

“I am looking forward to seeing AmCam develop so that we can continue to share community culture on Am in the future”.

Enjoy the AmCam digital film festival by visiting the brand new Am website at ambobdim.cymru.

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