May 2007
Creative Industries in Wales
Wales has always enjoyed a vibrant creative industries sector however this is showing signs of even greater growth with new centres of excellence opening throughout Wales higher education and the establishment of a Creative Industries Support Service by the Assembly Government to cultivate talent and enterprise in this innovative sector.
The growing prosperity is expected to attract long-term investment, high quality jobs, overseas trade opportunities and a burgeoning research portfolio.
In January 2007 Cardiff University opened the Cardiff international Academy of Voice which intends to train the operatic stars of the future and bring a series of world-class musical concerts to Wales. Cardiff University is at the cutting edge of research in areas such as composition and music of the Middle East and Central Asia.
The National Institute for Excellence in Creative Industries at University of Wales Bangor is a modern and dynamic department that offers a range of top quality courses with experiences and award winning creative staff focusing on creative writing, journalism, media, film & cinema studies, new media and performance arts
The University of Wales Aberystwyth, Theatre Film and Television Studies is one of the largest departments of its kind in the UK and offers a variety of practical, design and academic courses including radio production, scriptwriting, audience and reception studies, film and television studies. Research specialities include documentary film history, advertising industry and televisual genres.
Work has begun at Trinity College Carmarthen on building the Cultural Enterprise Centre which will be the new home for Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru, Wales’ national Welsh medium theatre company as well as providing support for new arts companies seeking to establish themselves. Trinity College Carmarthen holds an annual arts festival on campus and offers the only MBA in Arts Management in the whole of the UK.
University of Wales Newport has one of the most successful art schools in the UK, and has one of the highest employment records for graduates in the UK, producing artists, photographers, designers and filmmakers for decades. The International Film School Wales has produced a number of notable filmmakers and animators including the multi award winning film maker Justin Kerrigan, whose debut film ‘Human Traffic’ was widely acclaimed. More recently, film graduate Asif Kapadia scooped two BAFTA awards for his feature film, ‘The Warrior’.
The North Wales School of Art and Design has become well established throughout the world. Both traditional and contemporary arts are well represented. NEWI is the only school of Art and Design in Wales that offers illustration for children’ publishing.
The Cardiff School of Art & Design at UWIC has courses in Ceramics, Fine Art, Interior Architecture and Illustration and hosts the Cardiff Design Festival.