A woman with red hair sits with a group of people. She is talking animatedly with her hands in the air. In the background other groups talk and make notes.

About Ceangal | Cwlwm

Ceangal | Cwlwm is an initiative between Scotland, Ireland and Wales bringing together those involved in theatre-making in Scottish Gaelic, Irish and Welsh.

It was established in 2019 by Theatre Gu Leòr with Marianne Kennedy of NUI Galway, who hosted a gathering of artists, academics, funders and development organisations in Glasgow (then called Ceangal/Dolen), with the aim of making connections, sharing best-practice and learning from each other, in order to strengthen the Scottish Gaelic, Irish and Welsh language theatre sectors. While the challenges faced by theatre-makers across the three nations may differ, we have many things in common, and Ceangal | Cwlwm hopes to build a network where we can draw strength and inspiration from each other, where collaborations can be initiated and where innovative approaches to making work in these three minoritised languages can be explored.

In 2020, Irish partners NUI Galway hosted an online gathering in partnership with Ealaín na Gaeltachta, with funding from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, which also featured digital theatre pieces specially commissioned for the event. The initiative continues this year with an online gathering in November 2021, hosted by Welsh partners the University of South Wales, with support from University of South Wales, Welsh Government, Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, Colmcille, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru, Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru, An Taibhdearc, Ealaín na Gaeltachta, Theatre Gu Leòr and NUI Galway.

Ceangal | Cwlwm has been supported each year since its inception with funding from Colmcille / Bòrd na Gàidhlig.

Key Objectives | Pedwar Amcan Allweddol | Ceithir Prìomh Amasan | Ceithre Phríomhchuspóir

  • Explore innovative approaches to making new work in these three minoritised languages.

  • Interrogate and share models of best practice.

  • Agree on common guiding principles for the theatre sectors working in Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Welsh that nurture respect, linguistic diversity and equality.

  • Continue to commission theatre makers to present new work in their native languages of Welsh, Irish and Scottish Gaelic.

  • Archwilio ffyrdd arloesol o wneud gwaith newydd yn y Wyddeleg, Gaeleg yr Alban a’r Gymraeg.

  • Cwestiynu a rhannu modelau o arfer da.

  • Cytuno ar egwyddorion arweiniol cyffredin ar gyfer y sectorau theatr Gwyddeleg, Gaeleg yr Alban a Chymraeg sy’n meithrin parch, cydraddoldeb, ac amrywiaeth ieithyddol.

  • Comisiynu gwneuthurwyr theatr i gyflwyno gwaith newydd mewn Gwyddeleg, Gaeleg yr Alban a’r Gymraeg.

  • A bhith a’ beachdachadh air dòighean-obrach ùr-nòsach airson obair ùr a chruthachadh anns na trì mion-chànanan seo.

  • Modailean den chleachdadh as fheàrr a rannsachadh agus a roinn.

  • A bhith ag aontachadh air prionnsabalan stiùiridh coitcheann airson na roinnean taigh-cluiche a tha ag obair ann an Gàidhlig na h-Èireann, Gàidhlig na h-Alba, agus Cuimris a bhrosnaicheas spèis, iomadachd chànanach agus co-ionannachd.

  • A bhith a’ cumail a’ dol a’ coismiseanadh luchd thèatair gus obair ùr nan cànanan dùthchasach Cuimris, Gàidhlig na h-Èireann agus Gàidhlig na h-Alba a thaisbeanadh.

  • Féachaint ar bhealaí nuálacha chun saothair úra a dhéanamh sna trí theanga mhionlaigh.

  • Múnlaí dea-chleachtais a chíoradh agus a chomhroinnt.

  • Aontú ar threoirphrionsabail choiteanna do na hearnálacha amharclannaíochta atá ag saothrú i nGaeilge, i nGaeilge na hAlban agus i mBreatnais ar mhaithe le meas, éagsúlacht teanga agus comhionannas a chothú.

  • Leanúint den choimisiúnú ar amharclannóirí chun saothair nua a chur i láthair i nGaeilge, i nGaeilge na hAlban agus i mBreatnais.