Stiwdio Clwyd has announced the first cohort of artists for Sparks, a new flagship development programme supporting theatre-makers across Wales.
The initiative brings together fifteen Welsh and Wales-based creatives working in both English and Welsh, offering tailored support, mentorship and resources.
Designed in response to conversations with freelance artists, Sparks aims to provide time and space for creatives to develop their practice without the pressure of production.
The programme is funded by Arts Council Wales and is structured across three strands: Sparks Open, which includes mentorship and a residency at Theatr Clwyd, Sparks Mini, a six-month paid mentorship scheme, and Sparks Partnership, delivered in collaboration with six Welsh arts organisations.
The inaugural cohort includes Catherine Alexander, Katy Morrison, Lucy Rivers, Tia Camilleri, Felicity Goodman, Jeremy Linnell, Gwen Thomson, Anthony Matsena, Jodi Ann Nicholson, David Bolitho, Lois Prys, Clare Potter, Leo Drayton, Nia Gandhi and Teleri Hughes.
Mentors on the programme include playwrights Chris Bush and Kaite O’Reilly, directors Blanche McIntyre, Jude Christian and Steffan Donnelly, and lighting designer Bruno Poet.
Suzanne Bell, Director of Stiwdio Clwyd, said: “Artists across Wales told us what they needed: time and space to develop without the pressure to produce. We’re proud that this inaugural cohort represents the breadth and ambition of theatre-making in Wales, working alongside so many vital organisations and extraordinary mentors.”
The programme reflects Headlong’s wider ambition to support long-term artistic development and strengthen infrastructure for theatre-making across Wales.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
