Critically Speaking Podcast

This is Critically Speaking Season 2 - difficult conversations about systemic racism and white privilege in the arts in Wales. In Episode 6, Jafar talks to Aidan Lang, the General Director of Welsh National Opera. Our creative contribution for the episode is called 'Have You Heard of the City' written by Radha Patel. You can follow more of Radha's work by following her on social media. For more information about Welsh National Opera' work, visit the website: www.wno.org.uk. This episode was produced by Jasmine Grace Okai. Sound design by Fez Miah. The original soundtrack was produced by Eädyth. Research by Aki Gurung. This podcast was made possible thanks to funding from Arts Council Wales.

This is Critically Speaking Season 2 - difficult conversations about systemic racism and white privilege in the arts in Wales. In Episode 4, Jafar talks to Lorne Campbell, the Artistic Director of National Theatre Wales. Our creative contribution for the episode is called 'White Privilege', written by Connor Allen. You can follow more of Connor's work by following him on social media. For more information about National Theatre Wales' work, visit the website: www.nationaltheatrewales.org. This episode was produced by Jasmine Grace Okai. Sound design by Fez Miah. The original soundtrack was produced by Eädyth. Research by Aki Gurung. This podcast was made possible thanks to funding from Arts Council Wales.

This is Critically Speaking Season 2 - difficult conversations about systemic racism and white privilege in the arts in Wales. In Episode 4, Jafar talks to Joe Murphy, the Artistic Director of Sherman Theatre. Our creative contribution for the episode is 'People Just Want To Be People', written and performed by the excellent Dr Adéọlá Dewis. You can find and follow more of Adéọlá's work on her social media platforms. For more information about Sherman Theatre's work, visit the website: www.shermantheatre.co.uk This episode was produced by Jasmine Grace Okai. Sound design by Fez Miah. The original soundtrack was produced by Eädyth. Research by Aki Gurung. This podcast was made possible thanks to funding from Arts Council Wales.

This is Critically Speaking Season 2 - difficult conversations about systemic racism and white privilege in the arts in Wales. In Episode 3, produced entirely in the Welsh language. Mali Ann Rees talks to Arwel Gruffydd, the Artistic Director of Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru. Our creative contribution for the episode is called 'Angerdd', produced by bilingual singer-songwriter Eädyth. You can find more of Eädyth's work on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and on social media. For more information about Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru's work, visit the website: www.theatr.cymru This episode was produced and edited by Alice Eklund. Sound design by Fez Miah. The original soundtrack was produced by Eädyth. Research by Aki Gurung. This podcast was made possible thanks to funding from Arts Council Wales.

This is Critically Speaking Season 2 - difficult conversations about systemic racism and white privilege in the arts in Wales. In Episode 2, Jafar talks to Graeme Farrow, the Artistic Director of Wales Millennium Centre. Our creative contribution for the episode is called 'White Knuckles', written and performed by Sadia Pineda Hameed. Learn more about Sadia and Lumin Press at their website: www.lumin-press.com For more information about Wales Millennium Centre's work, visit the website: www.wmc.org.uk This episode was produced by Jasmine Grace Okai. Sound design by Fez Miah. The original soundtrack was produced by Eädyth. Research by Aki Gurung. This podcast was made possible thanks to funding from Arts Council Wales.

This is Critically Speaking Season 2 - difficult conversations about systemic racism and white privilege in the arts in Wales. In Episode 1, English-language host Jafar Iqbal talks to Tamara Harvey, the Artistic Director of Theatr Clwyd. Our creative contribution for the episode is called 'Skin, written and performed by Jaffrin Khan. To see more of Jaffrin's work, follow her on Instagram: @_jxffrin For more information about Theatr Clwyd's work, visit the website: www.theatrclwyd.com This episode was produced by Jasmine Grace Okai. Sound design by Fez Miah. The original soundtrack was produced by Eädyth. Research by Aki Gurung. This podcast was made possible thanks to funding from Arts Council Wales.

Transcript: "Why are all the arts leaders white?" "Well…" "Do I think that being a white man makes either getting my job, or some of the parts of my job, easier? Absolutely." (Lorne Campbell, National Theatre Wales) "I think it was simply a lack of awareness, "from my point of view, of the need to connect with those artists and the need to get those artists on to our stages." (Joe Murphy, Sherman Theatre) "I hope - I believe - that that’s not the way that I function; but I am in a moment, of course, where I’m challenging all of those things about myself." (Tamara Harvey, Theatr Clwyd) "Everyone was making the same sort of statement, and it was a conscious decision not to follow the path of everybody else." (Aidan Lang, Welsh National Opera) "Fi’n llawer iawn mwy ymwybodol o’r breintiau rheina sydd gandda i, er bod fi ddim yn falch - dw i ddim yn falch bo’ fi’n ddyn, dw i ddim yn falch bo’ fi’n wyn." (I’m a lot more more aware of the privileges that I have, even though I’m not proud - I’m not proud that I’m a man, I’m not proud that I’m white.)(Arwel Gruffydd, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru) "I don’t think we built enough trust historically anyway - I don’t think we lost it at any stage, I just think that we hadn’t built it enough." (Graeme Farrow, Wales Millennium Centre) Difficult conversations about white privilege and systemic racism in Wales. This is the Critically Speaking podcast, Season Two.

In Episode 8, the final episode, Jafar talks to photographer, filmmaker and Cardiff Deaf Centre member, Safyan Iqbal! How has D/deaf awareness changed over the years? Is accessibility in school and work good enough? Why are role models so important in the D/deaf community? Why is it so crucial for D/Deaf children to grow up around other D/deaf people? This, and so much more! Learn more about Cardiff Deaf Centre here: https://www.facebook.com/cardiffdeafcentre/ Follow Critically Speaking on Twitter: Critic_Speak and Instagram: critically.speaking Recorded, hosted and edited by Jafar Iqbal. Produced (and supported) by Shane Nickels.

In Episode 7, Jafar talks to young artist and community activist, Mariyah Zaman! What does it mean to be a visible Muslim? Is it possible to not be political? Why is activism so important? How well is Wales dealing with racism and Islamophobia? What's the relationship between faith and creativity? All this, and so much more! Learn more about MEND (Muslim Engagement & Development) here: https://www.mend.org.uk/ Follow Critically Speaking on Twitter: Critic_Speak and Instagram: critically.speaking Recorded, hosted and edited by Jafar Iqbal. Produced (and supported) by Shane Nickels.

In Episode 6, Jafar talks to co-founder of The Other Room Theatre and Production Executive for Ffilm Cymru Wales, Bizzy Day! What does it take to thrive in the arts? How do we solve the gender imbalance on stage and screen? Is it possible to prevent burnout? Is enough done to protect and nurture producers? All this, and much more! Learn more about Ffilm Cymru Wales: http://www.ffilmcymruwales.com/index.php/en/ Follow Critically Speaking on Twitter: Critic_Speak and Instagram: critically.speaking Recorded, hosted and edited by Jafar Iqbal. Produced (and supported) by Shane Nickels.

In Episode 5, Jafar talks to artists and Autism Parents, Richard Mylan and David Mercatali. How do you deal with your child being diagnosed as autistic? What does it mean to be an Autism Parent? How good is access and Autism awareness in Wales? Is etiquette ruining arts and culture? Is neurodiversity being ignored by the arts? All this, and a whole lot more! Learn more about Autism at ASD Info Wales: https://www.asdinfowales.co.uk/ Follow Critically Speaking on Twitter: Critic_Speak and Instagram: critically.speaking Recorded, hosted and edited by Jafar Iqbal. Produced (and supported) by Shane Nickels.

In Episode 4, Jafar talks to rising Welsh actor of stage and screen, Mali Ann Rees. What are the attitudes towards race and privilege in Wales? How do they compare to attitudes in London? What does it mean to be a mixed race person in Wales? How representative is the arts in this country? Should Wales be independent? All this, and a whole lot more! Learn more about BBC sitcom Tourist Trap at this link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bmfpy5 Follow Critically Speaking on Twitter: Critic_Speak and Instagram: critically.speaking Recorded, hosted and edited by Jafar Iqbal. Produced (and supported) by Shane Nickels.

In Episode 3, Jafar talks to writer, editor and co-founder of Where I'm Coming From, Durre Shahwar. How much influence do gatekeepers have in Wales? What role can national organisations play in an artist's career? How easy is it for minority communities to find success in the arts? What makes a safe space? Why is representation and inspiration so important? All this, and so much more! Learn more about Where I'm Coming From at this link: https://www.facebook.com/whereimcomingfrom/ Follow Critically Speaking on Twitter: Critic_Speak and Instagram: critically.speaking Recorded, hosted and edited by Jafar Iqbal. Produced (and supported) by Shane Nickels.

In Episode 2, Jafar talks to fearless theatre-maker and co-founder of Common Wealth Theatre, Rhiannon White. How do we let people tell their own stories? Does the arts do enough to narrow the class divide, or have we forgotten about our working class communities? Why is politically and socially conscious theatre so important right now? Who does art belong to? All this, and so much more! Learn more about Common Wealth at this link: http://commonwealththeatre.co.uk/ Follow Critically Speaking on Twitter: Critic_Speak and Instagram: critically.speaking Recorded, hosted and edited by Jafar Iqbal. Produced (and supported) by Shane Nickels.

In the debut episode, Jafar talks to actor and theatre-maker Memet Ali Alabora, a member of Be Aware Productions. Is Welsh theatre too safe? Where has the anger and risk gone, and what can be done to bring it back? How can the arts in Wales compete internationally, and what is stopping us? Have we forgotten our artistic identity? All this and so much more in this fascinating conversation. Learn more about Be Aware Productions at this link: http://www.beawareproductions.com/ Follow Critically Speaking on Twitter: Critic_Speak and Instagram: critically.speaking Recorded, hosted and edited by Jafar Iqbal. Produced (and supported) by Shane Nickels.

Difficult conversations about the arts and culture in Wales - launches on Sunday 10th November 2019. Subscribe on iTunes, Spotify and anywhere else you get your podcasts! If you'd like to support this exciting project, become a Patreon follower for only £1 a month: https://www.patreon.com/criticallyspeaking Twitter: Critic_Speak Instagram: critically.speaking