Project Description

Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Arts Council of Wales, 'Warring Arts' was inspired by the immense changes that the First World War had upon the arts and culture, during a time of great social upheaval. This project aimed to create an understanding of the local impact of the war on arts and culture and people’s attitudes and look at how this was shaped through cartoons, songs, films, dance styles etc. and how they were used not only as morale boosters, but also as a way to recruit young men. The response to the social saw dramatic changes in nearly all art forms, a precursor to the roaring 1920s. A range of artists engaged with the communities of Welshpool and Llanfyllin to deliver workshops in drama, craft, photography and painting. We conducted two training days for people interested in recording oral history training, and arranged a trip to the National Library of Wales for 64 people. The project culminated in a roaring Tea Party that showcased all the art works and performances produced. This was attended by 80 people. In total, we worked with 256 individuals over sixty sessions, including a wide range of community and school groups, to share how the arts and society were changed by the experiences of war.
Tea Party still of participants dancing

Organisation

Organised by

Arts Connection - Cyswllt Celf

Region

Wales

Location

SY22 5DR

Event

Date

2018-10-01, 2019-04-30

Focus and Research

Resources used for research

Local Archives; World War One Websites.