What: Celf Cymraeg, Welsh Art – drawing from life, clothed Drag and Circus Artists Jan-March 2025
Who: Young adults, LGBTQ+, Neurodiverse + Welsh Speakers
Where: NoFit State Cardiff, Cardiff, Tuesday evenings for 10 weeks
Background
NFS is committed to developing creative projects in the Welsh language and we worked with a Welsh language Artist Angharad + Welsh speaking Volunteer Tizzy to create this project. Through discussions they wanted to create a safe space for people to use the Welsh they knew and for the sessions to not feel like ‘formal learning’. They also wanted to be inclusive to LGBTQ+ and Neurodiverse people.
The Celf Cymraeg Sessions
Over 10 weeks, Angharad and Tizzy made a conscious creative and inclusive space. They explored drawing from life and they worked with models from the Welsh Drag and Circus community.
They followed an informal approach to learning, unpacking Welsh artistic vocabulary and learning from each other. There was a freedom of expression within the drawing and speaking and learning Welsh. It was not an outcome focused approach, rather the environment fostered creativity and informed the art created. For some people who had a negative experience of learning Welsh in a ‘formal’ way at school, the sessions became a healing journey and their confidence in using and speaking Welsh, when not judged or evaluated increased.
Feedback from Participant
“Looking at what I drew at the beginning to the end, there was a timeline of development, I could see that I was learning something new every week and could see this development in the pictures I drew.”
Feedback from Tutor
“It developed my Welsh language vocabulary, I was learning new words and I enjoyed sharing these with the group. We need more creative Welsh language spaces like these.
Feedback from Volunteer
“It was fascinating to discover the difference between Welsh words for technical drawing in an area like architecture are very different to those used in drawing and creative art. It was also really lovely to spend time drawing with my mam who came along to the class too.”