artcymru.co.uk was established to attempt to bridge a void in the contemporary art scene in Wales. Since the advent of this wonderful new technology (the Internet) many people have attempted to promote art on the 'world wide web but inevitably end up promoting just a select number of works, which also appear in the gallery of the site owners. This site is intended to provide exhibition space for ANY professional artist - and a select number of invited semi-professional artists living and working in Wales.

Now, with the incorporation of the Welsh Arts Archive, building daily, we can offer the complete guide to Art in Wales

Remember - we are a non-profit making art magazine and are dependent upon YOUR contribution to the success of the project. All artists living and working in Wales are welcome to apply for membership of the site.

If you have an issue you would like to raise with others? Drop us a line. We would be delighted to publish your thoughts on the art scene in Wales.

OUR TEAM...		  
The editor - Nigel Williams (pretending to work)
DANGER! Nigel at work
 Nigel Williams - Founding Editor
'Since I began studying art I realised that I wanted to make a positive contribution to increase the profile of the visual arts in Wales.

I realise that it is extremely difficult to make any positive advance when we consider the entrenched stereotypes that plague art funding in Wales at present. However, something must be done, however small.
At the last count, over 1500 artists were working in the Cardiff area alone, all struggling to find a place to show and sell their work. I hope to go some way to providing a permanent base for portfolio's between the rare group or solo exhibition.

If I can encourage another fifty artists to join the site, over the next year or so, this will provide the finance to enable us to begin exhibiting together in the 'real world' also.

We have made contacts with colleagues in Scotland, New York, Australia, Japan, Israel and China and the Ukraine. I hope we can develop these contacts and begin to 'spread the word' to the rest of the world.'
Nigel Williams
(Artist and Lecturer)

Bernard Mitchell - the brains behind the Archive project...

"In the past the documentation of the artists of Wales has been sadly neglected. This group of portraits is part of a much larger collection of photographs of the artists of Wales. The Welsh Arts Archive began in 1966 with a series of portraits of the Swansea friends of Dylan Thomas, including the artists Ceri Richards and Alfred Janes, the poet Vernon Watkins and the composer Daniel Jones
Since 1990 I have added many artists who have since passed away, including, Will Roberts, Josef Herman, John Petts, Ivor Roberts Jones, John Elwyn, David Tinker and Ernest Zobole. The work continues with the artists working today.
In 1999, a large exhibition of photographs of artists was held at the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth. Photographs are also held in the collections of the National Portrait Gallery, London, The National Museum of Wales, Cardiff and the Glynn Vivian Gallery, Swansea."
Bernard Mitchell
Llew Thomas (left) has joined the group to give a hand (and a big hand he gives us too!)


Our address for snail mail:
45 Rhyddwen Road, Craig Cefn Parc, Swansea. SA6 5RA

E-mail:
info@welshartsarchive.org.uk

Mobile: 07977 951168 (Bernard)

Mobile: 0796 0117882 (Nigel)

Mobile: 0777 3689 836 (Llew)